Month: August 2024

I’M BACK!!   Maybe??  Hopefully!

The past couple of months have been strange for me, to say the least.  I really couldn’t motivate myself to write anything about the books I finished, even the ones I absolutely loved.  I even questioned whether or not I wanted to continue this blog.  I decided I really do enjoy sharing my reading journey so I will keep going for at least another year (I’ve paid for this website for that long so I intend to use it, haha!).

To help me out, I bought a couple of reading journals that I’ve been keeping next to me for writing down thoughts/feelings, page numbers I want to revisit, etc..  I know  many of you already do something like this, so I thought I would try it out for a bit to see if that helps me to stay on track with my reviews.

And, of course, I had to get back into the swing of things before my favorite time of year, my annual 31 Books of Halloween, starts September 1st!

While I wasn’t feeling inspired to write much, I did at least stay motivated to keep reading.  Here are some highlights…

What I’ve Been Reading

Dahlias:  Beautiful Varieties for Home and Garden by Naomi Slade and Georgianna Lane — 5 out of 5 stars

Naomi Slade has put out a delightful series of nonfiction books dedicated to a variety of flowers and plants.  Each book offers general information, histories, and care tips, as well as more detailed looks at different varieties.  While I do appreciate Slade’s light banter and information, the absolutely gorgeous photos by Georgianna Lane are the true showstoppers.  Dahlias is another great addition to this series, and you really can’t go wrong with any of the other titles.

House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias — 4 out of 5 stars

This is the story of five childhood friends in Puerto Rico, who, as a hurricane approaches, find themselves facing tragedy and evil.  Gabino Iglesias is a master at what I call “barrio noir with supernatural twists,” and I think this is his best novel so far.  HoBaR grabs you by the throat very early on and doesn’t let up.  The characters are well-written, and as for the supernatural “twist?”  Let’s just say, I did not see that coming!  This is definitely not for everyone (lots of violence), but I think this is a great starting place if you are interested in checking out Iglesias’s work.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

My taste in reading material tends to gravitate towards the darker side, but I do enjoy a good light-hearted, uplifting read, and The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers hit the mark on that aspect (plus, after having just finished the deeply disturbing Child of God, I really needed something to brighten the mood!).   We meet young Clayton, who was abandoned at birth and left to the care of a group of eccentric wordsmiths.  When his adoptive mom, Pippa, passes away, she leaves behind clues for Clayton to unravel in order to discover not only his past but his future.    I really enjoyed this book and didn’t want to put it down.  My only complaint would be I wish there had been a little more character building, especially with the main players.

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Some other great titles I would recommend:

The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow by Elin Anna Labba — 5 stars!

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune — 5 stars!

I Was Better Last Night by Harvey Fierstein — 4.5 stars!

Moonfellows by Danger Slater — 4 stars!

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden — 4 stars!

Until next time, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

To say July was an “off” month for me would be putting it mildly.  However, one of the positive things to come out of the past thirty-one days was my desire to restart what I began with this blog:  to share my love of reading.

My favorite reading months are almost here (31 Books of Halloween for September and October), so I thought I would go the nonfiction route for this month, featuring some lighter memoir/autobiography reading…

Chelsea Handler is one of those people you either love or loathe.  She is definitely not for everyone, but there’s something about her snark and don’t give a shit attitude that I love.

Since I will be attending my first live music concert in over twenty years this month, featuring two favorites (Mudvayne and Megadeth), I thought it would be appropriate to read Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine’s memoir.  I started this a couple of days ago and it’s pretty entertaining so far (and yes, I’ve always  believed Dave was screwed over by Metallica, IYKYK).

In keeping in line with metal legends, I recently ordered a copy of Lemmy Kilmister’s autobiography, White Line Fever.  The founder, lead vocalist, and bass player for Motorhead was one of my first introductions to heavy metal in the early 1980’s, and for some reason has always been one of my favorite old-school frontmen.  It looks like my order is on track to arrive soon so I can include this title on my monthly checklist.

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

I’m looking forward to moving ahead again with my reviews.  Until next time, stay safe and Happy Reading!

Two things I love and appreciate with my monthly book subscriptions are the variety of themes and the diversity of the featured authors.  This month was no exception.

I joined Fantastic Strangelings almost a year ago now, after checking out their past selections and deciding to try something new.  Most of the titles sounded good, but I’ll admit that I would have probably passed them by in a book store or library.  I’ve read about half of the ones I’ve received and have thoroughly enjoyed them!  This month’s title, The Lost Story, has vibes of The Chronicles of Narnia (one of my favorite childhood series).  Two young boys disappear in a local forest, only to reappear six months later under mysterious circumstances.  Years later, one of the boys becomes a missing persons investigator.  He alone remembers the fantastical world that they visited, and believes it holds the clue to finding a missing girl.  I’m looking forward to starting this one very soon!

Over five years ago, I signed up for a relatively unknown little local subscription called NightWorms.  Owners Sadie and Ashley took their love for all things horror and ran with it, showcasing indie presses and new/up-and-coming authors.  This month’s theme, “Strange and Unusual,” was quite fitting for me, as July turned into quite a strange and unusual month.  Bora Chung’s short story collection, Your Utopia, is described as “haunting, funny, gross, and terrifying,” and I am here for it!  As for The Eyes Are the Best Part, well, the title pretty much says it all.

Did you find any great new reads last month?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Until next time, stay safe and Happy Reading!