horror

Update to My 2022 Goodreads Challenge (9/27/22)

September 27, 2022 — Leave a comment

I finally finished The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. It was a really good read, but other books kept jumping ahead of it. For instance: Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw, which is a story from the world created by Tim Burton in The Nightmare Before Christmas (and is thoroughly enjoyable).

I also finished Rachel Caine’s Bitter Blood and read Fall of Night. I think I only have two books left in the Morganville vampires series and that breaks my heart. I love the world and the characters she created, and I’m going to hate to see it end.

Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly was at the top of my to-be-read pile last time I posted, and y’all…that was one fucked up novel. I couldn’t put it down. I certainly didn’t see the twist coming. And that was Vandelly’s first book! I look forward to more from her.

I have now read 18 of my 25 book goal for the year. Here are the books I’m currently reading.

The Fear (Natasha Preston)

Survive the Night (Danielle Vega)

My want-to-read list is sitting at 65 books and I’m adding more basically every day. I don’t think I’m going to run out of options. Lol.

As always, if you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them! Happy reading!

Update To My 2022 Goodreads Challenge (7/3/22)

July 3, 2022 — Leave a comment

Hello! It’s time for another update to my 2022 reading challenge!

Since my last post regarding this subject, I finished Afraid (a collaborative effort among Lisa Jackson, Lisa Childs, and Alexandra Ivy), My Pretties (Jeff Strand), and – yes – His Final Girl (Brooklyn Ann).

I also read Stephanie Perkins’ The Woods Are Always Watching and Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun. These were two unplanned purchases that jumped ahead on my list.

I have now read 13 of my 25 book goal. And my to-be-read list is now as follows.

1. Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine

2. Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly

3. The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler (I actually started this one a couple of months ago, but I stalled out on it. Trying again.)

As always, I would love to hear what y’all are reading, and feel free to leave me recommendations!

Update To My 2022 Goodreads Challenge (5/9/22)

May 9, 2022 — Leave a comment

So you may remember this post about my progress on this year’s reading challenge, the book I was currently reading, and my (ever-growing) to-be-read pile. Well, I’m here for another update because I am determined to complete the challenge this year and I feel that blogging about it might keep me on track.

I have now read 8 books in 2022. My goal is 25. Since that last post, I’ve finished Black Dawn (Rachel Caine), The Thicket (Noelle W. Ihli), and The Invitation (Lucy Foley).

I am still working on Afraid (a collection of three offerings from Lisa Jackson, Alexandra Ivy, and Lisa Childs). And the next two on the TBR list? My Pretties by Jeff Strand and – for real this time – His Final Girl by Brooklyn Ann. I’m also going to finish The Morganville Vampires series this year…hopefully. I just keep sidetracking myself every time I walk into a bookstore. Lol.

What are you guys reading? Any recommendations for me? As you can see, I like the horror/thriller/suspense genres, and slashers are my faves. So if you’ve read anything that you think I would enjoy, I’d love to hear about it!

Unsettling Images (#1)

April 29, 2022 — Leave a comment

I started out browsing for pictures of abandoned amusement parks and ended up diving down a rabbit hole of the strange on Pinterest. Some of the uploads were actually creepy, but most of them just gave me an uneasy feeling – especially the ones that are real places/things. There was a whole lotta nope, and locations that, were you in a horror movie, it would all start going wrong there. Haha 😛 Below are a few of my favorites. I’m sure there will be multiple installments of these types of images: I love this stuff.

Three of the Sexiest Dance Scenes in Movie History

April 22, 2022 — Leave a comment

Look, we all know dancing is a means of expressing oneself, right? A lot can be said without a single word being uttered. Dancing can be fun, goofy, romantic, a narrative…but in this case, we’re talking about sex, pure and simple.

You don’t have to bump and grind to get the point across, and these three scenes are proof of that.

1. The ballroom dance in The Labyrinth (1986)

Come up with any detail in these four minutes that isn’t fraught with sexual tension. I’ll wait.

This scene is iconic. I guess you could argue that this is actually supposed to be about romance, but the moment she first spots him from across the room is just…electric. Plus, David Bowie is so swoon-worthy in this role.

2. At the club in Fright Night (1985)

Chris Sarandon is the sexiest, most deliciously evil vampire I’ve ever seen. I’d be drawn to him, too. It was a little strange for me to see Amanda Bearse getting mildly sensual, though, given that I was only familiar with her in “Married With Children” when I first watched this movie. Lol.

3. The wolf dance in Red Riding Hood (2011)

The music – Fever Ray’s “The Wolf” – is really what sells this one. When he looks up at her, knowing she’s jealous, and then the two of them glare daggers at each other throughout the whole dance, it builds a tension that is palpable.

(Feel free to comment with your own additions! These are just the ones that jump out at me, personally.)

Off-Topic: My Favorite Spooky Small Businesses

April 2, 2022 — Leave a comment

I know 99% of my posts are about music and I randomly throw out a few things about books or movies, but I really wanted to give a shout-out to some small (online) businesses that are killing it. And it’s not entirely out of my wheelhouse — all of these shops, save one, sell items that are horror- or Halloween-themed.

Not Your Average Babe

I stumbled across this shop on Instagram and fell in love with basically everything I saw. Unique clothing at an affordable price (if you don’t get too carried away), NYAB sells must-haves for any fall/horror/Halloween lover.

Here are just a few items I’ve ordered.

This shirt is part of their camp set and comes with shorts.
This Ghostface sweatshirt is available as part of a set as well.
Sam jogger set 🎃

Twisted Allure

Another Instagram find. Twisted Allure often collaborates with NYAB and contributes various bath and body items to NYAB’s monthly boxes. Every single thing I’ve ordered from Twisted Allure has been spookily themed and positively delightful – and doesn’t irritate my super sensitive skin! Their Easter line just dropped, so treat yourself!

Twisted Allure goodies

Honey Butter Bath Co.

When my best friend moved away last year, I was depressed and decided to treat myself with some bath bombs and body butters. I found a fall/Halloween line from a shop on Etsy and ordered two of the body butters. Best choice I’ve ever made. I have since returned for multiple items, including one of her soaps (lemon and blueberry), and I ordered part of my mom’s Christmas from Honey Butter. I’m only going to link her Etsy shop because I think the IG profile is actually personal.

“Better Not Pout” is one of my favorites. It’s orange and cloves.

Vera’s Eye Candy

I found this site because of someone I follow on Instagram. This one is a little more pricey, but the clothing is very unique and includes band shirts/tanks/dresses along with the horror and Halloween themed items. The shop owner is nice and handles any issues swiftly. I highly recommend checking them out.

Scream, Billy Loomis tank
Coraline tank
Halloween Queen tank
Kewpie Art the Clown ringer tee

Wicked Ghost Co.

I love, love, love this page! The selection isn’t huge, but the designs are wonderful – and a handful of shirts are being brought back soon, so I’ll be ordering some stuff when that happens.

“You’re Cute When You Scream”

2022 Reading Challenge + My To-Be-Read List

March 17, 2022 — 1 Comment

I’m not gonna lie: the last two years I’ve participated in the annual GoodReads reading challenge, I have failed. My goal always seems achievable when I set it – after all, what else am I gonna do with my free time besides read?

Ha. The joke’s on me. Between work, writing, blogging, trips to Colorado to visit my brother and sister-in-law (and their answering visits to Alabama), and driving up to Kentucky to see my best friend, my free time always fills up.

But this year, I am determined. I will complete my list. Upon finishing Ania Ahlborn’s Dark Across the Bay, I have read 5 of my 25 book goal. Here is a short list of what’s coming up next for me.

Currently reading: Afraid, which consists of three intertwining tales by Lisa Jackson, Alexandra Ivy, and Lisa Childs

Up next:

  • Black Dawn by Rachel Caine (a Morganville Vampires novel)
  • His Final Girl by Brooklyn Ann
  • The Thicket by Noelle W. Ihli – I am very intrigued by the summary of this one. It sounds similar to the slasher flicks I enjoy.

Top 5: Vampire Movies

November 5, 2019 — Leave a comment

It is no longer October, but I obsess over horror year-round, so some of my top 5 lists will still feature spooky themes!

Vampires are my favorite fictional monsters. I do appreciate the sex appeal, obviously. Even without it, however, I’ve always preferred the tales that surround vampires over all other creatures that go bump in the night.

These are five of my favorite vampire films. Note that this only includes the non-animated (though I do love Hotel Transylvania). And as always, these are listed in no particular order.

1. Fright Night (1985)

Everything about this movie is great, even Amanda Bearse’s exaggerated transformation near the end. Chris Sarandon is extremely attractive as Jerry Dandridge, but the reason the character is so perfect is his cruelty and IDGAF attitude: he knows how to blend in with humanity and that makes him doubly dangerous.

P.S. – The scene with Jerry and Amy dancing at the club is my favorite part.

2. The Lost Boys (1987)

This iconic film had to be on the list, right? Along with a fantastic plot and an all-star cast, The Lost Boys also had an epic soundtrack. The movie has inspired the generations that followed, resulting in sequels, music videos in which famous scenes are recreated, and several covers of the theme song, Gerard McMahon’s “Cry Little Sister.”

3. Suck (2009)

What do you get when you combine musicians and vampires? A cheesy comedy that is nonetheless extremely watchable. I don’t think you can go wrong with rock stars who are bloodsuckers — with the exception of Queen of the Damned; they screwed that one up — and the addition of Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop make Suck a must-see!

4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)

It’s been a while since I’ve watched this one, but I remember the entertainment value of putting a sassy Valley girl in charge of hunting vampires. I didn’t think the television series recaptured the original charm at all.

5. Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)

Christopher Lee is the best Dracula. My mom taught me that at a very young age. I actually bought her a collection of Dracula films starring Lee last year for Christmas.

Top 5: Wednesday 13 Videos

October 26, 2019 — Leave a comment

Wednesday 13 and horror go hand in hand. From his days with Maniac Spider Trash, all the way to 2019 and his current band, Wednesday’s subject matter — both lyrically and visually — is always an ode to the macabre.

For this list, I am going to stick to videos from his later days as front man of the band bearing his stage name. Choosing only five was difficult, but here are my picks.

1. “I Walked With a Zombie”

2. “Blood Sick”

3. “Condolences”

4. “What the Night Brings”

5. “Bad Things”

Though it is not a horror-themed video, I had to include this one. I love this song, and I love videos that show live footage and behind-the-scenes clips.

Top 5: Music Videos Based on Horror Films

October 25, 2019 — Leave a comment

It’s October, which means spooky season, my favorite time of the year! I would have done a lot of horror/Halloween-themed posts if everything hadn’t been so hectic. But alas, that’s life.

With that being said, there are still seven days left until the month’s end, so I have time to get some of my Spooktober ideas uploaded.

My first special post for October is a Top Five list featuring music videos based on horror movies! Over the years, several artists have paid homage to their favorite scary film. The trend is most prevalent in the rock and metal genres, which is appropriate, don’t you think?

And here we go! (These are in no particular order.)

1. “The Kill” – Thirty Seconds to Mars // Based on Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining

2. “Beim Ersten Mal Tut’s Immer Weh” – Oomph! // Based on the psychological thriller Hard Candy, directed by David Slade and starring Ellen Page

3. “Engel” – Rammstein // Based on the snake dance scene in From Dusk Till Dawn

4. “Living Dead Girl” – Rob Zombie // Based on the 1920 silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, with a nod to White Zombie as well

5. “Hell in the Hallways” – Ice Nine Kills // Based on the film adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie