Month: June 2024

First up, this month’s selections from NightWorms and Fantastic Strangelings…

In the Hour of Crows is set in a small town in Appalachia and is the story of Weatherly Wilder, a young woman who is a “death talker” (someone who can talk the death out of the dying and save them).  She sets out to find the truth behind her cousin’s untimely death.  Described as a mix of Southern gothic, mystery, and magical realism, this is one I’ve put on my to-read list for July.

The Red Grove is an isolated, protected space for women, but even with the magic surrounding the place, Luce’s mother goes missing and she sets out to discover what happened.  The premise does sound intriguing, but I know I’m going to have to be in the right frame of mind to get into this one.

I read Woodworm shortly after it arrived and I have to say, it was…different.  I really don’t know how to describe it, other than it’s about a house built on sinister secrets and the generations of women who live there and cannot leave.  By the end, I still felt like I had more questions than answers, so I gave it three stars out of five.

Another winning month from LibraryThing giveaways!  Docile is Hyeseung Song’s personal story of growing up as the daughter of Korean immigrants, the expectations placed upon her, and her journey to healing and self-discovery.

I went to the Thriftbooks site to look for a particular title, couldn’t find it, so decided to buy these two instead!  I’ve been a fan of Alan Baxter for a while, so I just had to get his latest title.  I’ve also heard some great things about Moonfellows, a story about a failed moon landing set in (here’s the kicker) 1906!  Sounds like a fun ride.

Did you add any great titles to your collection this month?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Until next time, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

May book mail included a couple of highly anticipated novels…

I’ve been hearing some great things about Indian Burial Ground and The Day of the Door, so I was happy to find these in my NightWorms package.  I had originally planned on saving these two for my Halloween readathon, but I don’t know if I can wait!

The Fantastic Strangelings selection, Real Americans, asks the question “Are we destined or are we made?” as we follow the story of Nick, a young man trying to unravel his family’s past.  I enjoy a good generational, family secrets tale so I’m looking forward to this one.

Some of the best book mail are surprises sent by long-time friends!

My good friend, M., sent me a package that included this personalized signed copy of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest.  Loosely based on The Island of Doctor Moreau, it sounds like a mix of strange and sinister, and I am here for it!  I’ve added this to my June TBR and can’t wait to dive in.

What are your June reading plans?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Until next time, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Every year for Pride Month, I look for titles that represent the LGBTQ+ community.  Earlier this year, I came across these two memoirs that I knew I just had to put on my June TBR list.

I’ve adored Harvey Fierstein for many years so I jumped at the chance to get a copy of his 2022 memoir.  I started reading this last night and so far I’ve found it engaging and entertaining (much like Harvey himself).

While I haven’t read any of his fictional works, I was familiar with author Reinaldo Arenas.  Before Night Falls is his story of growing up in Cuba and finding freedom through his writing.

As for my MAY TBR…

I finished Cormac McCarthy’s Child of God early in the month and I still can’t shake some of the imagery.  Man, that one was brutal!  I tried a couple of times to start Brian Lumley’s Vamphyri but I found I just wasn’t in the mood for it, so I have shelved it for now.

Overall, May was a successful reading month, with twelve books completed.  I’m hoping to keep on track this month by finishing ten books.

Do you have any reading goals for June?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Until next time, stay safe and Happy Reading!