A belated Merry Christmas to you all! I hope your holidays have been festive and cheery and filled with love.
So, last month I hit my goal of 75 books for 2024 (I actually surpassed it). However, that doesn’t mean I stopped reading! And since I did complete a few more books, I decided I needed to post a reading challenge update for December, as well.
Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Emmeline Duncan)
Rating: 3/5
The Quiet Tenant (Clémence Michallon)
Rating: 5/5
Nothing More to Tell (Karen M. McManus)
Rating: 4/5
Mother Dear: A Slasher Novel (Ivy Tholen)
Rating: 3.5/5
***
I read 80 books in 2024. Some bad, some good, some absolutely memorable and definitely re-readable! I guess I’ll see y’all back here for the Goodreads Reading Challenge 2025!!!
Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!!! I hope y’all enjoyed your holiday, however you chose to celebrate it. Next stop: Christmas!
I have achieved my reading goal for 2024. Surpassed it, actually, and have three more books I’ve started. I may not finish those, though, because I like to reread the Harry Potter series this time of year.
Here are the books I completed in November.
Finale (Stephanie Garber)
Rating: 4/5
One of Us is Lying (Karen M. McManus)
Rating: 4/5
One of Us is Next (Karen M. McManus)
Rating: 4/5
One of Us is Back (Karen M. McManus)
Rating: 4/5
Good Girls Don’t Die (Christina Henry)
Rating: 1/5
Thanksgiving Day Massacre (Brian G. Berry)
Rating: 3/5
***
I am currently reading The Quiet Tenant (Clémence Michallon), Nothing More to Tell (Karen M. McManus), and I’m still working on Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Emmeline Duncan).
It has been a doozy of a month, and not in a good way. That’s very unfortunate, since October is typically my favorite month of the year. I still found time to read, though. I’ve been on a streak of interesting books, but I actually had one that I quit without finishing. The story was shaping up to be okay; however, the author couldn’t leave their personal opinions about racism out of the equation – which is fine to an extent, I just don’t need to read about it once every freakin’ paragraph.
Here are the books I did finish in October. I’m in a rush as I write this, so I will rate them but won’t bother with a short review.
Rune (Christopher Fowler)
Rating: 4/5
The Only One Left (Riley Sager)
Rating: 5/5
The Dead Children’s Playground (James Kaine)
Rating: 4/5
As someone who is from Alabama, I had to read this novel that focused on the stories surrounding Maple Hill Cemetery and the Dead Children’s Playground. Let me tell you – it did not disappoint.
The Cotton Candy Massacre: Part Treats (Christopher Robertson)
Rating: 5/5
Buried in a Good Book (Tamara Berry)
Rating: 4/5
***
I am currently reading One of Us is Lying (Karen M. McManus), Finale (Stephanie Garber), and Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Emmeline Duncan).
It was a pretty good month for me, as far as this challenge goes. I read eight books, but I’ve gotta be honest: I’m not sure I retained much from any of them. Lol. I’ve just been so tired lately. I work a lot, then I have free time and try to maintain some semblance of a social life, along with carving out an hour here and there to do other things I enjoy (blogging, writing short stories, reading).
Being an adult is a total scam.
Anyway, this month’s update is going to be brief. I’m not going to bother with even a short “review.” I’m simply going to share what I read and my ratings. Enjoy!
The Dead Key (DM Pulley)
Rating: 4/5
The Nightmare Man (JH Markert)
Rating: 5/5
Sinister Summer (Colleen Gleason)
Rating: 3/5
Candy Coated Murder (Kate Bell, Kathleen Suzette)
Rating: 2/5
The Collector Series (Dot Hutchison)
Rating: 5/5Rating: 5/5Rating: 4/5Rating: 4/5
I will encourage y’all to check out The Collector series – The Butterfly Garden, The Roses of May, The Summer Children, and The Vanishing Season. I devoured them. The characters were well-written, funny and sarcastic and so very human. The stories were dark but sprinkled with hope and a silver lining each time. I absolutely adored these books.
***
I am currently reading Rune (Christopher Fowler) and The Only One Left (Riley Sager).
August was a bit of a slow month for me. I finished seven books. To be fair, I probably could have read more if I hadn’t spent so much time wading through Peter Straub’s Ghost Story. But I digress. I’ll talk more about that below.
Circus of the Dead: Book Two(Kimberly Loth)
Rating: 3/5
I rather enjoyed the way Loth used the first book in this series to develop her characters because I am actually quite partial to slow builds (if done right). However, Circus of the Dead: Book Two went into hyperdrive. Everything moved so quickly, and in my opinion, Loth didn’t dedicate enough time to the story. It was like…BAM!…Callie can do magic and is going to take on Samuel? And everyone sides with her? I don’t know. There is some plot construction missing here. I am going to try the third book, but if it’s as lacking as this one, I will not finish this series.
Murder Mystery Book Club (Danielle Collins)
Rating: 4/5
Y’all know I’m a sucker for cozy mysteries, so I decided to read a summery one, given that it is August. Murder Mystery Book Club was a cute story with likable characters. There were definitely some liberties taken in regard to how involved with the homicide case Eva was allowed to be, but still, this was a fun book.
They All Had a Reason: A rumor. A secret. A lie. A murder. (Michele Leathers)
Rating: 3/5
I don’t have much to say about this book. It was readable. With the characters being teens, They All Had a Reason had its fair share of angst and focused a lot of the social hierarchy, but I did like the main character, Charlotte, and the twist was pretty interesting.
They All Had a Secret: A betrayal. A deception.A tragedy. A murder. (Michele Leathers)
Rating: 2.5/5
Not as readable as the first one. I didn’t care for the characters, though Bellany is a very determined young woman, and you kinda have to admire her every-woman-for-herself attitude. I don’t believe, however, that I will be continuing this series.
Episode Thirteen (Craig DiLouie)
Rating: 4.5/5
I am a big fan of the found footage genre, but I’m not a lover of the paranormal – I prefer slashers – so I hesitated to even read Episode Thirteen. Now, though, I’m very glad I did. I enjoyed the way it was written as a collection of emails, texts, descriptions of raw footage, and journal entries. The character development was very well-done, and each individual had a redeeming quality or two, which made them all likable if not downright relatable. DiLouie did a great job creating atmosphere, and the whole vibe was just…eerie, from start to finish. I would highly recommend adding this to your TBR list.
The Graveyard Thief (Danielle Collins)
Rating: 3/5
I will repeat my praise of the characters, and the need for a willing suspension of disbelief on how far into these cases Eva is being permitted to go. However, I did find something I disliked and could not ignore. Collins repeatedly created situations where Eva would have a conversation with someone, but the content would not be included at the time and would be revealed later in order to not give away the main twist too soon. If you are writing from this character’s point-of-view, even in the third person, you follow everything they say/do. The way Eva figured stuff out was excluded so as not to give away the answers and the plot twist – because the twist wasn’t a strong one.
Ghost Story (Peter Straub)
Rating: 2/5
Okay. This is a difficult review for me. Overall, the story in Ghost Story was a good one. It was definitely creepy. It was also well-thought-out, and Straub had a solid plot with basically zero holes. But oh, my God, did it have to be so LONG?! My attention wandered quite a bit, to be honest, and by the time a point was reached, I didn’t really care anymore. This may be the only instance in which a movie is better than the book it’s based on.
***
I am currently reading The Nightmare Man (J.H. Markert), The Dead Key (D.M. Pulley), and Sinister Summer (Colleen Gleason).
My pace slowed a bit in July because this past month has, frankly, kicked my ass. It seems it should be the other way around, right? What better way to escape from stress than to curl up with a good book? Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way for me. I still managed to finish five books, though, which put me at my goal of 50 reads for 2024 – so I changed my goal to 75.
Five Total Strangers (Natalie D. Richards)
Rating: 3.5/5
I enjoyed Five Total Strangers, except for the initial premise. Honestly, why would Mira accept the ride from a stranger? I understand the circumstances were exceptional, and she was desperate to get home, but I just can’t wrap my head around her decision, especially once she saw that Harper had invited others along as well. Willingly suspending my disbelief, however, I sank into this story and I must admit, it kept me guessing until the end.
Christmas Presents (Lisa Unger)
Rating: 4/5
I found Christmas Presents at our local library. It was a good read and definitely held my interest, but the story jumped from high point to high point without a lot of buildup or description of the progression between these major events. Don’t get me wrong: the way things unfolded made sense! The book just needed a little more descriptive filler to bridge the gaps between each event meant to carry the story forward. Plus, I had figured out the twist… When an author pointedly skates over a character too much, it becomes obvious that s/he is going to play a relevant role.
Rules for Vanishing (Kate Alice Marshall)
Rating: 4/5
I liked everything about Rules for Vanishing except the end. The concept of a ghost story and a childhood game being real, of this road to a different reality and each gate bringing about a new horror, was intriguing. Marhsall’s writing was superb, and all of the dark imagery was portrayed expertly. I was particularly creeped out by the town and the house. (The spiders and the lady will the bells were just…eerie!) However, the fact that this became a possession/exorcism story was rather anticlimactic, and the open ending was not my favorite. Sometimes, not spelling things out works to add to the spooky atmosphere, but in this case, I wanted a definite resolution.
Grandma Got Run Over By a Demon (Olivia Jaymes)
Rating: 3.5/5
While I am rather fond of Ravenmist and its cast of unique characters, Grandma Got Run Over By a Demon took a bit of an odd turn. I’m not even bothered by the events themselves, it just seems Jaymes rushed through some things that are important. I don’t want to include any spoilers, but come on – how do you make a trip to Hell a passing mention? This is the first instance I have been displeased with, though, so I will continue with this series. It’s just fun and quirky and humorous, and I’m not ready to give up on Tedi and the others yet.
A Dark Lure (Loreth Anne White)
Rating: 4.5/5
I loved this book! As someone who favors horror/thrillers, A Dark Lure marked basically all of my boxes: a serial killer with a penchant for hunting and gory postmortem rituals, a survivor who is pretty much a badass, a romance that doesn’t overshadow the plot, and an intricate web of twists and turns that all tie in neatly and grant the reader a catharsis at the end. I would highly recommend you adding this to your TBR pile if you enjoy mysteries, suspenseful thrillers, and/or horror novels.
***
I am currently reading Ghost Story (Peter Straub) and Circus of the Dead: Book 2 (Kimberly Loth).
March was a good reading month for me! I temporarily lost track of the Goodreads challenge, though. I’m pretty sure I actually read Pressure by Jeff Strand in February… Oops! I’ll review it here since I missed it last month. (I am usually reading 2-3 books at any given time, so I occasionally mess up this list.)
Pressure (Jeff Strand)
Rating: 4/5
I have read one other Jeff Strand novel (My Pretties), and I find I like his writing style and his twisted ideas. Pressure was a tense story throughout. The reader can feel the frustration of Alex’s dealings with Darren and how hopeless it is to think Darren can be bested. I won’t say anything else because I try my best not to include spoiler alerts, but I highly recommend adding Pressure to your TBR is you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you on the edge.
Virgin Night (Christopher Robertson)
Rating: 5/5
I love Christopher Robertson. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m just devouring his books. Lol. I love his take on all of my favorite horror tropes, and Virgin Night is another masterful ode to 90s slasher flicks. The core characters were well-written and relatable, and the ones you’re supposed to hate…well, you will. The references to AIM, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” industrial/metal bands that were what I listened to back then, etc., just carried me on a wave of nostalgia, while the story itself was crafted in a way that kept you on your toes. There was never a lull in the action: Virgin Night will have you hooked from page one!
Hannah’s War (Jan Eliasberg)
Rating: 4/5
Hannah’s War was sent to me via a “Blind Date With a Book” purchase on Etsy. I put off reading it for a while because I wasn’t sure it was going to be my cup of tea. However, once I started it, I was drawn in almost instantly. This book is historical fiction, set during the final months of World War II. It’s a love story, yes, but all the intricacies of the tale are not drowned in a sappy, over-the-top romance. Hannah is a remarkable woman, intelligent and poised, and the men around her can’t help noticing. She also holds the future in her hands, as she has made a discovery that could alter everything – and she risks losing it all, including her life, to protect that discovery and keep it out of the wrong hands.
Ice Cold Murder (Michele Pariza Wacek)
Rating: 4/5
Another installment in the Charlie Kingsley series, Ice Cold Murder takes the reader on a journey through a blizzard, to a haunted house, for a weekend with estranged family members and a will reading. Only before any business can be handled, the lawyer is found dead in the woodshed. Now, it is up to Charlie and Officer Wyle to discover the culprit. Have they unwittingly found themselves spending the weekend with a murderer?
All I can say is, if you enjoy cozy mysteries, you’ve gotta try this series.
The Ritual (Adam Nevill)
Rating: 4/5
I actually watched the movie based on this novel a while ago, so naturally, I had to read it, too. The Ritual does take a bit of patience to get through. The main characters are lost in the woods, so there are times when nothing much is happening aside from hiking or huddling I tents. However, the shadow of fear lurks around every corner as Luke, Hutch, Phil, and Dom attempt to escape the ancient forest and slowly discover that they’ve stumbled upon a corner of the world where the things that go bump in the night still exist. If you like messed up stories about people who live beyond the outskirts of society and still respect old traditions (including human sacrifice), this is the book for you.
A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Madeleine L’Engle)
Rating: 3/5
I read A Wrinkle in Time many, many years ago. When I found three of the companion novels, I bought them without hesitation. I’m glad I did, but I have to say that neither A Wind in the Door nor A Swiftly Tilting Planet was able to recapture the magic of that first book. A Swiftly Tilting Planet was readable, I just didn’t get sucked in. I had to work to get through it. Here’s hoping Many Waters is better.
The Playroom (Wallace Henry)
Rating: 3/5
I generously gave The Playroom three stars for one reason only: the first part of this book is gloriously fucked-up. The story began like dozens of horror movies I’ve loved. Two cops find a woman covered in blood out in the middle of nowhere, and she has a harrowing tale about a house in the woods where a twisted duo did unspeakable things to her. Sounds promising, right? Yeah, it’s not. The twist killed it for me. You can try it, though. Just brace yourself for the genre-bend about halfway through.
***
I am currently reading Sundial (Catriona Ward) and the next book in the Charlie Kingsley series, Murder Next Door.
This will be my last update of 2023! I reached my goal of 60. I actually surpassed it and finished the year with 63 books read.
Here are the books I read in December with my personal ratings and a little review. If you would like to see my full year-in-review (without having to find the blog posts), you can visit my Instagram account.
Dracula (Bram Stoker)
Rating: 4/5
The story itself was really good. It definitely held my interest. The writing style, however, took some getting used to. (Yes, I am aware when it was written and that Stoker was Irish. Lol.) If this is a classic that you have also not read thus far, I would highly recommend it.
The Witch of Halloween House (Jeff DeGordick)
Rating: 2/5
I was not a fan of The Witch of Halloween House. It was very simply written and rather predictable, and I didn’t care for how DeGordick wrapped it up. This is apparently part of a series, but I doubt I will be pursuing its successors.
You Love Me (Caroline Kepnes)
Rating: 2/5
Okay. I have overlooked a few things I do not care for in this series (like Kepnes’ insistence on waxing poetic about her liberal beliefs via Joe), but this novel… This was the worst of the series so far. I will not include spoilers; however, I will say that too much time is dedicated to the building of Joe’s relationship with Mary Kay for the book to end the way it does. Unfortunately, I am not a quitter, and I’ve made it this far, so I am going to read For You and Only You.
Camp Slaughter (Sergio Gomez)
Rating: 3/5
If you want a slasher without any deeper plot and with some graphic descriptions that might make you gag, Camp Slaughter is the book for you. It’s like a cross between Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Sergio’s writing style was not my favorite, but I do think I’ll try out the sequel, Halloween Slaughter.
Witching on a Star (Amanda M. Lee)
Rating: 3/5
So far, Witching on a Star has been my least favorite of Amanda M. Lee’s “Wicked Witches of the Midwest” series. I do enjoy the cozy mystery genre, but Lee is teetering on a little too much seriousness. I will continue this series; if the books continue in this vein, though, I will likely stop reading them.
Redemption (David Baldacci)
Rating: 4/5
This was my first Baldacci. I received it when I did one of those “blind date with a book” things on Etsy. As someone who is not a huge fan of books that center around cops, FBI agents, etc. as the main focus, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Redemption. To my surprise, I enjoyed this one! Detective Amos Decker was quite likable, as was his former partner, Mary Lancaster, and the man Decker saved from death row, Melvin Mars. Redemption was the fifth book in Baldacci’s “Memory Man” series. I may have to go back and read its predecessors.
Twelve Slays of Christmas (Jacqueline Frost)
Rating: 4/5
Have I mentioned my love of cozy mysteries? I saw Twelve Slays of Christmas recommended on Instagram and decided to try it. After all, ’tis the season! This is definitely a book you choose when you’re going to be wrapped in a blanket, sipping tea or cocoa, and indulging in a merry murder mystery! I’m about to dive deep into this series, even if Christmas is almost over.
Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow (Christina Henry)
Rating: 4/5
Horseman was an interesting re-imagining of the well-known legend of Sleepy Hollow. Learn the “real” story of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane, the man who won Katrina’s heart and their granddaughter who bucks social norms and sets her own path. This was a fun read, a well-written page turner. I already have my next Christina Henry novel picked out: Alice.
**
If you read anything in 2023 that you particularly enjoyed, drop a comment and tell me about it!
My November was even slower than my October, in regard to the reading challenge. To be fair, that could have something to do with extra hours at work and my week-long trip to Colorado…
Anyway, I have only read five books since my last update. I did reach my goal of 55; time to raise the number again.
So here are the books I finished, complete with ratings and brief reviews. Enjoy, and remember to recommend anything you think I’d find interesting!
None of This is True (Lisa Jewell)
Rating: 4/5
None of This is True was an intriguing read – until the very end. The story was enough to hold my interest, and Lisa did quite well in keeping certain things shrouded in mystery. However, the big reveal was a mite disappointing and, frankly, dissatisfying. I would still recommend it, though, because not everyone will feel as I do about the conclusion.
Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
Rating: 2/5
After hearing about Frankenstein for years, I finally decided to read it. How had I missed such a classic, right? Especially given how much I love all things horror. Well… having read this infamous novel, I feel that I could have continued living without it. I’m sure many of you will herald Frankenstein as a must-read, and I do understand its importance in literary history, but I just couldn’t get into it. Victor pissed me off. That’s the gist of my complaint. I won’t bore you with my opinion on this particular book any further.
Ghost (Kat Blackthorne)
Rating: 3/5
Ghost is the first in Kat Blackthorne’s “The Halloween Boys” series. I like the concept behind this book, and I love Kat diving into several facets of the supernatural. On the other hand, I lost my patience with Blythe, the female lead. I’ll give the short version of what didn’t win me over: everyone wanted Blythe, she accepted what was going on way too easily, and – I can’t believe I’m saying this – most of the smut was unnecessary.
Witching You Were Here (Amanda M. Lee)
Rating: 3.5/5
Amanda M. Lee’s “Wicked Witches of the Midwest” series are considered cozy mysteries, and that description is accurate. I read most of Witching You Were Here on my flights to and from Colorado. This is the third book in the series, and while I do enjoy the quirky relationships among the Winchester witches and their friends/significant others, I am waiting on a more intricate plot, or even a darker scenario like the murders in the first book. Still, these are fun and easy reads. I highly recommend grabbing your favorite blanket and a mug of tea (or coffee) and curling up with one of these books.
The Drowning Kind (Jennifer McMahon)
Rating: 4/5
My mom read The Drowning Kind first and told me that I would enjoy it, and she was right. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll say only that I was hooked from page one, I devoured this novel in three days, and this story carried me through a lot of emotions. It actually made me cry quite a bit. Read this. Read it now. Trust me.
**
I am currently reading Dracula (Bram Stoker) and The Witch of Halloween House (Jeff DeGordick).
It’s been a semi-slow month for me in regard to reading. I did reach my new goal of 50 books for 2023, though. Guess I have to reset the goal again. I feel like I’m getting through so many books because I use the Kindle app and read on my lunch breaks at work. My coworkers think I’m weird, but whatever. Losing myself in a good book makes me happy and, I swear, lowers my blood pressure when I’m having a stressful shift.
Anyway, I have finished 6 books since my last update. My favorites were The Cotton Candy Massacre and its sequel, written by Christopher Robertson. If you like gore-filled slashers, these are the books for you! And now for my usual list of what I read, along with a brief review of each.
Nightseer(Laurell K. Hamilton)
Rating: 3/5
I have read a lot of books by Laurell K. Hamilton, most of them part of her Anita Blake series. I’ve tried two of her stand-alone novels, including this one, and I enjoyed both. Nightseer had a good plot and decent story, but I had to knock off a couple of points for the way it built so gradually, only to end very abruptly. I wondered if she intended to continue this story at a later date, for the ending left it wide open for a sequel.
The Nightmare (Lars Kepler)
Rating: 3.5/5
The Nightmare is the second book in Lars Kepler’s Joona Linna series. These novels are intricately crafted, in-depth, and filled with twists and turns, but they are fairly quick reads because of how they are written, and they certainly grab and hold your interest. So far, The Hypnotist has been my favorite. With The Nightmare as its follow-up, I am sure I will finish this whole series.
Every Witch Way But Wicked (Amanda M. Lee)
Rating: 3.5/5
I didn’t realize how many series I have started until I was putting this list together. Every Witch Way But Wicked is the second book in Amanda M. Lee’s Wicked Witches of the Midwest series. I would call these books “cozy paranormal mysteries.” They’re fun and humorous and great for indulging while curled up with a fuzzy blanket and a mug of tea. I highly recommend checking them out.
Shadow Girl (Gerry Schmitt)
Rating: 4/5
I did one of those Blind Date With a Book orders on Etsy and was sent this novel. I was wary, because I don’t typically enjoy stories about cops, detectives, etc. However, I actually liked Shadow Girl. Perhaps my favorite thing about it was the way the characters were written, particularly Afton Tangler. Afton has goals, she wants to be a detective, but she’s not superwoman, and I appreciate that. So often authors make the mistake of having a main character who is super smart or unrealistically tough or something that puts them above their surrounding cast. But Gerry Schmitt has made a relatable, likeable protagonist in Afton, someone you can root for and that you want to see succeed.
The Cotton Candy Massacre and The Cotton Candy Massacre: Part Toots (Christopher Robertson)
Rating: 5/5
This was a nightmare carnival ride of clowns, gore, and creative kills. As stated, if you’re a fan of slashers – and if you hate clowns, or love them – these are books you should read. The characters were vivid and interesting and likeable, in their own way, and Leigh was just a straight badass. I loved both books and will definitely be reading the third one if it’s written (which Christopher has implied will happen).
***
As planned for October, I have begun reading Frankenstein. I’m also totally engrossed in Lisa Jewell’s None of This is True and Jennifer McMahon’s The Drowning Kind.
Mostly Music 