Month: December 2024

It’s almost time to say good-bye to 2024.  Wishing you all a wonderful 2025!  Set your sights high and never give up!

What I’ve Been Reading

Bruises on a Butterfly by Chad Lutzke — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars

Novella.  Earlier this year, Lutzke announced on his Patreon page that he was taking a break from writing.  Whether this is just temporary or winds up being a permanent decision, we will have to wait and see.  Bruises is his “last” published work, and if he decides not to continue writing then I can honestly say that he stepped away from writing on an extremely high note.  This story is everything I’ve come to love and expect from his writing:  coming of age horror that will break your heart.  I know I’ve recommended many of his previous works as good places to start if you are new to his writing, this one is no exception.

Wanderlust:  Extraordinary People, Quirky Places, and Curious Cuisine by Karen Gershowitz — 4 out of 5 stars

Nonfiction.  The title of this one pretty much says it all.  The author has traveled the globe, and this book offers some short essays and commentaries on some of her more memorable trips.  I love reading travelogues, and, for the most part, this was a very entertaining read.

Cozy Mysteries

My theme for December involved cozy mysteries.  I had a few on hand I had planned on reading (I did finish Laura Childs’ Death By Darjeeling, a solid 3 out of 5 stars and a good introduction to her Tea Shop Mystery series), but a message from my friend, Mr Pink Ink, sent me down the rabbit hole of stories and series by Rosie A. Point.  I found several Kindle box series for only 99 cents on the ‘zon so I picked up five different ones.  Not sure where to start (and a bit overwhelmed by all the great choices), I decided on Strawberry Swirl Murder, immediately followed by Mint Freeze Murder (the first two in the Spies and Food Truck series, both 4 out of 5 stars for me).  I loved the characters and the fast-paced narrative (with very good mysteries as well).  But, as is pretty normal with me, I found out at the end of Mint Freeze that this series is tied in to a previous series with the arrival of two guests (I have a tendency to pick up a series in the middle, so this development didn’t really come as a surprise to me)…so that led me back to the ‘zon where I found the Bite-Size Bakery series that I am now devouring (pun intended!).  Murder By Chocolate was a 3.5 stars, but things really kicked up a notch with Marzipan and Murder (4 out of 5 stars).  At around 110 pages, these stories are perfect for a rainy afternoon or for those times I’m in the mood to read but don’t want to get involved in a longer novel.  Thank you again Mr Pink Ink, two thumbs up!

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Until next time, stay safe and Happy Reading!

To say this past year has been interesting would be an understatement.  A year of ups and downs, with an uncertain future ahead, the one constant in my life has been reading.  And this year was a great one for that!

I made two changes at the beginning of the year, which I think set me up for a more successful and enjoyable time.  First, I set my reading goals to a more leisurely rate.  I mean, where’s the joy in cramming ten books at the end of December just to meet some arbitrary number I picked twelve months earlier?  Second, I ditched NetGalley.  I’m still signed up (unless they eventually delete my account for inactivity), but I really have no intentions of going back.  I found that I was overwhelming myself with books I “had” to read and review, rather than just enjoying the ones I already had at my own pace.  Plus, I’m not an influencer by any means so I always felt that my reviews were just shouts into the void.  Eliminating that stress was truly lifting a weight off of my shoulders.

But enough about that…what about the books I did read??

Going back through the titles from this past year, I think it was a very successful reading year.  I have a lot of 3.5 and 4 stars, and some stellar 4.5 and 5 stars (and yes, there were a few duds, but they were easily forgotten).  So, without further ado, here are my favorite reads from 2024!

In no particular order…

FICTION

Those We Thought We Knew by David Joy

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

The Elementals by Michael McDowell

Kill Your Darling by Clay McLeod Chapman

Bruises on a Butterfly by Chad Lutzke

She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister

NONFICTION

Red Sands by Caroline Eden

Beyond the Great Wall by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford

The Rocks Will Echo Our Sorrow by Elin Anna Labba

Monsters on the Couch by Brian Sharpless

Dinner on Monster Island (Essays) by Tania De Rozario

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What were your favorite reads of 2024?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Until next time, stay safe and Happy Reading!

Maybe one of these days I’ll actually post updates in a timely manner!  I’m thinking of creating a schedule for 2025.  We shall see about that…

What I’ve Been Reading

Extreme Medical Services by Jamie Davis — 2 out of 5 stars

Novel.  Who would have thought that a book about a paramedic who helps vampires, werewolves, and the like would be so fricking boring??  Dean graduated top of his class in medical training and was assigned a position at Station U, a relatively “secret” station that provides emergency aid to the large population of non-humans in the city.  His partner, Brynne, is dating a vampire, but don’t get in her business ‘cuz she has it under control.  The “action” is repetitive, the dialogue is awkward (and at times preachy), and unless you’ve watched every episode of E.R. or are a paramedic yourself, you will probably find your eyes glazing over at the medical jargon and tech-speak at every emergency.  There is no plot development until the last five pages or so, when we get the dangling carrot and “stay tuned for the next book!”  For me, this would have been a one star read if not for Gibbie the vampire and the zombie who was a chef when he was alive.

The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier — 3 out of 5 stars

Novel.  This was one very strange story.  After the mysterious death of her sister, Morgan Bright checks into the Hollyhock Asylum as a “troubled housewife” to find out what really happened.  What seems pretty straight-forward quickly turns into a total mind-fuck as layers are peeled away to reveal the dark underside of the asylum (having an unreliable narrator doesn’t help much either).  I had mixed emotions about this book.  Overall I liked it, it was weird and, at times, creepy, but there were a few things that just left me feeling like I was missing something, leaving me with more questions than answers by the end.

Kill Your Darling by Clay McLeod Chapman — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars

Novella.  Forty years ago, Glenn Partridge’s 15 year old son was brutally murdered, the killer never found.  Still haunted by his death after all these years, Glenn’s wife enrolls him in a creative writing class, hoping this will help with his grief.  But Glenn’s writing seems to have a life of its own…    This is by far my favorite of Chapman’s stories, grief horror at its best.  Beautifully written, haunting, and heartbreaking, I am still thinking about this one several weeks after finishing it.  Highly recommend.

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby — 4 out of 5 stars

Novel.   Titus Crown, the first black sheriff in Charon County, discovers things are not what they seem after a teacher is shot by a former student.  As he searches for a reason behind the shooting, he finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole of depravity and dark secrets.     I have yet to read a novel by Cosby that I haven’t liked, and this latest offering is no exception.  Strong character development, fast action, and some crazy twists make this a great read for anyone looking for a dark noir novel.

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So, I realize that I forgot to post my theme for November!!  November was Native American Heritage Month, and these are the two excellent books I read…

Red Paint:  The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk by Sasha LaPointe — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars

Nonfiction.  Sasha LaPointe shares her story of tragedies, abuse, and her search for herself in this amazing, heartfelt memoir.  I grew up in the same small area as Sasha, so seeing her mention certain places brought her story to life even more for me (I can still smell the mix of stale cigarette smoke and frying grease as well as see the battered red vinyl booths at the Horseshoe Cafe).  Her writing is amazing, at times I could feel the raw emotions coming through the pages.  Don’t miss this memoir.

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars

Nonfiction.  A compelling look at the murders that shook the Osage Indian nation in the early 1900’s and the long road to finding justice and closure.  Grann does an excellent job with his research and with introducing the many key players.  I’ve heard mixed reviews regarding the 2023 movie.  If you’ve seen it, let me know what you thought of it!

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

NightWorms and Fantastic Strangelings did it again…

I was super excited for NW’s November theme, “Horror Royalty,” as it featured Stephen Graham Jones’ long out of print collection, After the People Lights Have Gone Out.  I’ve been searching for this one for some time and any copies I’ve found online have been over-the-top expensive.  Thank you Open Road Media for bringing this one back to life.  Also included was Nick Cutter’s latest, The Queen.  I swear, if this book has yet another turtle die horribly, I’m going to call it quits with this author.

The FS selection, Eleanore of Avignon, is set in 1347 Provence.  Eleanore is given the opportunity to become apprentice to the pope’s personal physician.  Add a pregnant disgraced queen and the fast-moving Black Death, and you have the makings for an intriguing historical drama.

A few months ago, one of my favorite authors, Chad Lutzke, announced on his Patreon page that he was “taking a break” from writing.  Now, whether this break is short or long, temporary or final, is still unknown.  In the meantime, I picked up two of his recent titles that hadn’t yet found their way to my shelves.  Cannibal Creator was written as a sort of homage to those low-budget “B” horror movies, while Bruises on a Butterfly sounds like a true Lutzke style novella mixing coming of age with grief horror.

Did you pick up any new books in November?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Stay safe, and Happy Readin

The year is winding down (and rather quickly at that), so for my birthday month I’m focusing my reading on some fun cozy mysteries…

I read a lot of darker themed books for most of the year, so I like to have a few of these quick reads on hand to lighten things up a bit.  Mint Chocolate Murder is the third installment in Meri Allen’s Ice Cream Shop series.  I enjoyed the first two and I can’t wait to see what kind of trouble Riley and her companions find themselves in this time.

Laura Childs is a name that seems so familiar to me, but I have never read any of her books!  Time to end that by diving into her Tea Shop Mystery series, starting with Death by Darjeeling.  I was so optimistic that I would love a story set in a tea shop in South Carolina that I went ahead and picked up the second book, Gunpowder Green.

And as for Death of a Coupon Clipper…I saw it was set on a snowy day so I’m adding that to my monthly list as well.

As of this writing, I am two books shy of reaching my Goodreads goal of 125 books for the year.  I also have three titles left on my personal “20 must-read” list:  The Thicket by Joe Lansdale, The Ragged Edge of Night by Olivia Hawker, and The Fisherman by John Langan.  I’ve started all three and they are incredible (so far).

What are your reading goals for the month?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

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Stay safe, and Happy Reading!