All Dragons Read

Spring is here!

Autumn may be my favorite time of year, but spring is a very close second.  After the dark, cold days of winter it’s always refreshing to see the flowers blooming and the trees leafing out.  Even the rainy days seem warmer and brighter.  The longer days also bring a renewed vigor, making me want to get outside and get some hiking or yardwork in.  Spring also means it’s that much closer to outdoor reading weather, when I can relax in the shade of my big maple tree with a large glass of iced tea and a good book….soon!

The Week in Books

Practice to Deceive by Ann Rule — 3 out of 5 stars

Ann Rule is considered the queen of true crime writing, and I have been a fan of hers since I was a teenager.  Her “True Crime Files” collection (seventeen volumes in total I believe) are addictive, and her earlier full-length investigative books like Green River, Running Red and The Stranger Beside Me  are true crime classics.    Sadly,  her last couple of full-length books just don’t reach the same level of excellence of her earlier works.  Practice to Deceive would have been perfect in shorter form, but either money or publishers called for more so Rule put in a lot of unnecessary filler to create a 336 page book that focuses more on random background stories about people unrelated to the crime than the crime itself.  If you haven’t read any of Rule’s books, I suggest picking up anything written before 2009.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Since I have a bit of Irish in my history, I make sure to wear some green on this day, and tonight I’ll be enjoying a beer (or three, haha!).  That’s about the extent of celebrations in this household.

Today is also the start of a long weekend readathon with the Unexpected Readathon group on Goodreads.  This morning I finished a couple of my current reads,  next I’ll be searching my TBR for a book with green on the cover.  Once again I didn’t make any definitive goals or reading lists, I’m just going to get as much reading time in as I can during the next few days.

The Week in Books

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo — 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of my selections for March.  Detective Harry Hole has made one too many mistakes and has been put on surveillance duty.  While checking into the activities of a neo-Nazi group, he finds himself in the middle of an investigation into the murders of some WWII veterans.  Alternating between the past and present, Nesbo introduces some of the history of Norwegian soldiers who chose to fight for Nazi Germany, and masterfully weaves the sins of the past into the actions of the present.  An additional storyline left me reeling, and from what I understand, will haunt Harry Hole through the next two books.  If you haven’t read any of the series, you can easily start with this one.  Highly recommend.

Little Bird by Tiffany Meuret — 4 out of 5 stars

Josie spends her time playing with her dog and drinking large amounts of vodka in an effort to cope with her father’s death and the end of her marriage.  This lonely, solitary life soon changes when a strange plant starts growing in her backyard, followed by the appearance of an unexpected guest:  a talking skeleton named Skelly.  Where did Skelly come from, and will her wisdom be able to help a grieving Josie?  I really didn’t know what to expect, but I quickly found myself caught up in this story.  Josie may not be the most likeable or sympathetic character, but I could relate to some of the emotions she had regarding her losses.  I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending (maybe I was building up something different in my head?  I don’t know), but overall a great novel, one of my favorites of 2022.  Highly recommend.

Any Man by Amber Tamblyn — 4 out of 5 stars

Amber Tamblyn’s novel looks at rape from a different perspective:  from men who have been victimized and damaged by a serial female rapist known only as Maude.  Utilizing poetry, inner monologues, chatroom exchanges, and other writing skills Tamblyn explores the personal and social fallout that all rape victims, regardless of gender, must face, from suicidal thoughts to victim shaming.  It’s a tough read but one I highly recommend.

Spare Parts:  The Story of Medicine Through the History of Transplant Surgery by Paul Craddock — 4 out of 5 stars

Look for my full review coming here and at MrPinkInk the weekend of March 25-27!

Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies

Devil’s Night by Curtis M. Lawson — 4 out of 5 stars

During the 70’s, 80’s, and much of the 90’s, October 30 was Devil’s Night in Detroit, a night where people would set fires and loot buildings and leave the city in smoldering ruins (think The Purge only with arson instead of murder).  Lawson focuses on one night in 1987 and creates fourteen stories that showcase the horrors of that night.  There are tales that tie in the local myths of Nain Rouge (a devil who brings death to your loved ones until you are the only one left) and Piggy Peggy, a bloodthirsty butcher’s wife with the face of a pig.  A biker faces his own mortality; a stripper is hired to kill a man at a party that isn’t what it seems; a vampiric “angel” is brought back to life; two young boys use a devilish version of Dungeons and Dragons to help their drug-addicted mother.  I thought that this was a strong collection, thoroughly creepy and entertaining.  Be sure to add this to your Halloween reading list.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

Yes, it’s been a while since my last mash-up.  No excuses, really, just a case of the late winter blahs.  But with spring now in sight, and having my daffodil bulbs starting to break through the ground, I’ve been getting a bit of an energy lift!

The Week in Books

Dead Mountain:  The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar — 4 out of 5 stars

Look for my full review here and at MrPinkInk coming out the weekend of February 25-27.

Song of Kali by Dan Simmons — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

Robert Luczak travels to Calcutta in the attempt to find out what happened to a famous poet.  What he will discover is unimaginable horror.  Originally published in 1985, this was Simmons’ first novel, a pretty powerful debut.  I could feel the setting and the oppressive heat and humidity, and I could smell the foul streets.  I would probably describe this as a slow-burn horror that will sucker punch you and leave you wondering what the hell just happened.

The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow — 3 out of 5 stars

David Crow recalls growing up with an extremely violent, abusive, and manipulative father and a psychologically fragile mother, telling not only of his own abuse but the abuse and misdeeds he did as a youngster at the behest of his father.  While definitely tragic and brutal, there was a certain sort of pride that came through Crow’s descriptions of the terrible stunts he did against others (mainly Navajos and Mexicans) that left a bad taste in my mouth.

Death of a Knit Wit by Peggy Ehrhart — 3 out of 5 stars.

While the mystery itself was good (an unpopular professor is poisoned at a luncheon, leaving a list of suspects that weren’t too upset he was gone), sadly this book fell a bit flat for me.  I just couldn’t connect with any of the main characters (I wanted more of the members of the Knit and Nibbles club and less of Bettina’s wardrobe), and the extremely detailed (and sometimes repetitive) descriptions became annoying by the 50% mark (Pamela’s car is serviceable.  We get it.).  I may try another book from the series to see if this was just a case of wrong book at the wrong time.

Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies

The Backbone of the World by Stephen Graham Jones — 4.5 out of 5 stars

Rounded up to 5 for NetGalley and Goodreads.  Millie Two Bears has a husband in prison, is facing eviction, and is fighting a losing battle against prairie dogs invading her property.  Enter a young woman named Frog and things really start to get strange!  I would categorize this as a blend of  contemporary fantasy and horror, and is easily one of my favorite short stories by SGJ to date.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms by Tim McLoughlin — 4.5 out of 5 stars

Tim McLoughlin offers up six street-wise short stories and seven nonfiction essays in this fast-paced collection.  His life experiences from living in New York and being a peace officer for thirty years lend a grittiness to the entries (however, I did find Maharaja for a Year to be pretty darn funny).  Great writing and a good variety of topics.  Highly recommend.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw — No rating

I can now say I’ve read this book…and that’s all I’m going to say.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

As I’ve mentioned before, I love a good mystery.  Mysteries and horror are the two genres that I immediately gravitate towards whenever I enter a bookstore.  But how in the world do I narrow down my choices?

This year I decided to select two titles from my TBR bookshelf that fall under one of my favorite mystery sub-genres, Nordic Noir.

I’ve been a fan of Jo Nesbo for a few years now, and for some reason I’ve been reading the Harry Hole series out of sequence.  After having read books one, two, and four (among others), I decided to finally fill in the gap and read book three, The Redbreast.  It looks like Detective Hole’s bad temper and even worse decisions take him down yet another rabbit hole, this time linking past crimes from World War II to the present.

Kjell Eriksson is a new-to-me author, and his Ann Lindell books caught my attention a couple of years ago at a used book sale where I picked up four of the titles (unfortunately not the first in the series).  I have yet to find the first book, The Princess of Burundi, so I decided to just dive in with the second book, The Cruel Stars of Night.  A serial killer is targeting older men and Ann Lindell must track him down without falling into one of the killer’s traps.  I’m hoping this is one of those series that doesn’t have to be read in order to be fully appreciated.

Goodreads Group Reads

Keeping with my mystery theme, there are a couple of selections from my Goodreads groups that I want to check out as well…

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham  features Chloe, a psychiatrist whose father was arrested for being a serial killer when she was younger.  Now, new murders are happening that seem to be linked to Chloe’s past.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney  is touted as a domestic thriller, with a couple celebrating their ten year anniversary by traveling to Scotland.  Oh, the husband has “face blindness,” a condition where he doesn’t recognize anyone, including his wife.  That could get interesting!

Also on my reading radar is Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes.  This one has been getting a lot of attention and it sounds like something right up my alley!  A sci-fi/horror/thriller novel about a salvage crew in outer space who stumble upon a seemingly deserted spacecraft, one that went missing on its maiden voyage.  We all know that this can’t end well!

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

Stay safe and Happy Reading!

This past week I took part in a readathon put on by Destiny and the Unexpected Readathon Time group on Goodreads.  The past few readathons I’ve participated in have not been very productive on my end, as I’ve been in a downward spiral of falling short on my page and TBR goals.  This time, I made zero plans, no TBR list, no page total or time goals.  And it worked!  It felt good to make a dent in my unread piles and, with the exception of one novella, truly enjoy everything I read!  My seven-day totals came out to 1,219 pages read, finishing two novels, three novellas, and one short story collection.  I’m already looking forward to the next one!

The Week in Books

Upgrade by Blake Crouch — 4.5 out of 5 stars

If you’re a fan of Blake Crouch and fast-paced sci-fi thrillers, be sure to  mark your calendar for Upgrade‘s release on July 12, 2022!  In the near future, Logan accompanies a SWAT raid, only to become infected with a strange virus.  Instead of extreme illness, the virus rebuilds his DNA, making Logan stronger, smarter, a more super-human version of himself.  Who created this virus and for what purpose?  What will Logan have to give up to learn the truth?  I was quickly pulled into the story, and I loved the fast pace and the mind-blowing twists.  I can’t wait to get a physical copy to add to my library (and to read again!).  Highly recommend.

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell — 4 out of 5 stars

One of my most anticipated reads and it did not disappoint!  Some may say this is just a modern-day version of Lolita, and in part it is.  But it’s also much more.  This story comes from the victim’s point of view and examines the complex emotions brought on by years of abuse.  I wish Vanessa would have developed more self-awareness than she did, but overall a haunting piece of fiction.

Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies

Beneath a Pale Sky by Philip Fracassi — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars

One of my February selections.  Fracassi’s collection offers some fresh takes on old-school horror.  There’s a classic story of a meteor falling to earth with a buggy twist; a man looking back at his childhood and growing up with his best friend, who just happens to be Death; a creepy small town and its mysterious lake.  Fracassi’s writing is amazing, and even the couple of stories that I marked as “weird/???’ in my notes blew me away with the writing.  The closest to a 5 star collection I’ve read in a looooong time!  Highly recommend.

Waif by Samantha Kolesnik — 4 out of 5 stars

This arrived on Wednesday in my latest NightWorms package and I immediately dropped what I was doing and started reading!  Best described as body horror, it’s the story of Angela and her obsession with a stranger, which later leads to a series of truly fucked-up plastic surgeries and a journey into the dark world of “specialty” porn.  It’s a crazy ride and definitely not for everyone.

Every Time We Meet at the Dairy Queen, Your Whole Fucking Face Explodes by Carlton Mellick III — 4 out of 5 stars

I wanted to call this bizarro novella an anti-Valentines story, but there really is a love story here, so I’ll just call it the most fucked up love story you’ll ever read.  What’s more endearing than a tale of young love, about an awkward boy who falls for a cute, yet very weird, girl?  By the way, when the girl gets excited, her face explodes.  Yes, you read that right.  I thought this quirky, disgusting, and downright bizarre little tale was hilarious and entertaining.  Not for everyone, but worth a try if you’re looking for a different kind of love story.

See You When the World Ends by Simon Paul Wilson — 4 out of 5 stars

Tim and Naomi are great friends who are slowly realizing they may be in love with each other.  While Naomi is away for a family wedding, Tim begins to have strange nightmares about her.  Upon Naomi’s return, things take a strange turn to the supernatural.  The build-up was great, and the horror aspect was creepy as hell.  A great choice if you prefer scary over gory in your horror reading.

Burning Bridges Along the Susquehanna by Paul Nelson — 2 out of 5 stars

This short tale (the first in a series) starts out okay, with siblings traveling back in time to escape some bad stuff in their current lives, but I soon found myself trying not to roll my eyes (and not succeeding very well).  Aimed at YA but the writing is very middle grade and the plot holes are enormous.  I won’t be traveling any further with this series.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

Sometimes, some things really are better late than never…

This amaryllis bulb, which was supposed to bloom around the holidays, decided to take it’s sweet time and bloom instead in time for Valentine’s Day.  I have to say, it’s a nice surprise…and the colors are very fitting!

And speaking of better late than never, I feel like I’ve finally put my reading slump behind me.  Of course, it probably helped that I finally finished a book I’ve been slogging through for over four months.  It really did feel like a weight had been lifted once I reached the end of that one!

The Week in Books

Hot and Sour Suspects by Vivien Chien — 4 out of 5 stars

It’s been a while since I’ve visited Lana Lee and her crew at the Ho-Lee Noodle House, and I may have missed a couple of books along the way, but I was immediately swept back into everyone’s chaotic lives and friendships in this eighth installment of the Noodle Shop Mystery cozy series.  Lana hosts a speed-dating event at the restaurant; her friend winds up making a connection with a very eligible bachelor…then he winds up dead.  Will Lana be able to prove her friend’s innocence?  Yes, the whole cozy mystery formula is at play here, but  Ms. Chien has brought a fresh, fun look to the genre, and I wish her a strong recovery in her current battle with cancer.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky — 3 out of 5 stars

After hearing about this book for ages, I finally had the chance to read it…and, well, it just didn’t live up to the hype.  Maybe I was expecting too much, or something different, but this just fell flat.  At times it felt like one of those Afterschool Specials by trying too hard to bring every aspect of teen angst to light then slapping a band-aid on it and calling it good.  I can see why so many love it, but it just wasn’t for me.

The King of Nightmare by A. Rogers — 3 out of 5 stars

I can honestly say I cannot begin to describe this reading experience, but I can say that I want to try whatever drugs the author was on while writing this weird “horror” novel. I don’t care about the length of a story if it keeps me entertained and involved, but if it takes me 3+ months to get to the 50% mark ? In a genre that I love?? Not a good sign. The last 20% of the book kept this from being a 2 star rating.

Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies

Growing Dark by Kristopher Triana — 4 out of 5 stars

One of my picks for February.  If you’re interested in trying Triana’s work but not sure you’re ready for the full-on splatterpunk horror experience, this collection is a great place to start.  There are still plenty of scary images, from the part-time zombies in Eaters to the dark souls of murdered babies seeking revenge in The Bone Orchard.  One of my favorites, Before the Boogeymen Come, is a great mix of humor and horror with some of childhood’s most famous nighttime monsters (you know the ones, under the bed, in the closet, and the corner shadow creepers) do their best to keep their place in a kid’s imagination as well as his room.  Great variety, great collection.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

What a great start to the day to find a pre-approval for the new Blake Crouch novel waiting for me in my inbox!

Sorry, current reads, I may be putting you all aside for a couple of days…

Other than that, things have been pretty quiet in my corner of the world.  All the more time to get some decent reading hours in…

The Week in Books

The Doomsday Mother by John Glatt — 4 out of 5 stars

The disappearances of Tylee Ryan and her brother J.J. Vallow, and later the discovery of their bodies, made national headlines in late 2019 and in 2020.  What made these tragic deaths even more disturbing were the actions (or rather lack thereof) of their mother, Lori Vallow.  After suddenly moving (some say fleeing) to Hawaii after the disappearances, Vallow’s refusal to cooperate with investigators began to raise suspicions.  In 2021, she and her new husband, Chad Daybell, were charged with the murders of the two children and one other person.      What would lead a mother down this road?  Author  John Glatt has done some extensive research and gives us Lori’s backstory, from her childhood to her obsession with Chad Daybell and his books predicting the coming apocalypse.  This is a disturbing, at times even eerie, look at religious cults, mental illness, and mysterious deaths.  For true crimes fans like myself, this is a must-read.

The Flamer by Ben Rogers — 4 out of 5 stars

A coming-of-age story that checks all the boxes:  first kiss, budding sexuality, fitting in…and with a few explosions thrown in for good measure.  Young Oby is a boy whose obsession with anything combustible will lead him down the path to adulthood, while meeting some interesting characters along the way.  Entertaining and compulsively readable, I highly recommend this one.

Growing Up Dead in Texas by Stephen Graham Jones — 3.5 out of 5 stars

As you know, I’m a big fan of SGJ and I’ve loved everything I’ve read by him…sadly, until now.  I can’t really tell you what the book was about, it was a mix of mysterious fires, family dynamics and deeply hidden secrets, deaths, and people getting the crap beat out of them (granted, they usually deserved it).  What brought this down for me were the dizzying time jumps at every turn and in nearly every paragraph.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate the story, and once I got the hang of the writing style I began to enjoy it, but I just couldn’t really get past clipped thoughts and scattered storyline.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

There’s an art to writing a good short story.  To be able to tell a full tale, with developed characters and plot without the feeling of being rushed or unfinished, is something that I think all authors have dabbled in, with varying degrees of success.  For the short month of February, I wanted to check out some collections of shorts by authors whose longer works I’ve read and enjoyed…

Growing Dark by Kristopher Triana  offers 10 of his earlier works.  Knowing how twisted his novels can be, I can’t wait to see what’s in store with these terrifying tales.

Beneath a Pale Sky by Philip Fracassi has eight stories described as a mix of supernatural strangeness and old-school horror.  That sounds right up my alley!

Goodreads Group Reads

Looking for more reading ideas?  Here are some titles from my Goodreads groups that I highly recommend…

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

This was one of my five-star nonfiction reads of 2021.  Machado’s memoir tells of her abusive same-sex relationship and it’s aftermath.  Stylistic prose makes each chapter it’s own story.

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

This book solidified Cosby’s place as one of my top personal “auto-buy/clear all other books and read this first” author.

The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles

It’s been a few years since I read this classic, but I still remember the vivid imagery of the African settings.  When I get the chance, I would definitely like to revisit this story.

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What’s on your reading list for February?  Drop me a line and let’s talk books!

Stay safe and Happy Reading!

There’s something about getting flower and seed catalogs in the mail on a dark, cold winter day that truly lifts me out of my winter blahs.  With a hot cup of tea, I can easily spend an hour or so admiring the colorful spring and summer blooms or deciding between green bean and lettuce varieties for my own little veggie patch.  With two months left of winter I know these plans are a ways off, but these colorful pieces of mail offer, in their own way, a reminder that things will get better.

And even though I spent a lot of the past week with my nose in one book or another, for some reason I only completed one…

The Week in Books

The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama — 4 out of 5 stars

Written in diary/journal form, this is the story of Stephen, a young Chinese man who goes to live at a family home in Japan due to health issues.  Over the course of the next year (from September 1937 to October 1938) he will meet several people who will teach him about love and compassion, and will help him in his own self-discoveries.    There’s something about Ms. Tsukiyama’s writing that just pulls me in every time.  It’s rich, layered, lyrical, even a bit haunting.  This is definitely a character-driven story with strong ties to the historical happenings of the day.  As a shorter book, this would be a great place to start if you are new to the author’s works.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!

It’s still winter, and I’m still here.  That’s about the extent of what’s been going on in my little corner of the world!  😀

On the plus side, after a slow start to the new year, I broke out of my reading slump and haven’t looked back!  Which is a good thing since I’m a bit behind on my NetGalley reviews.

Feel free to drop me a line and let me know your current reads, past favorites, or whatever other bookish topic you want to chat about!  Let’s talk books!

The Week in Books

Malevolent by Jana Deleon — 4 out of 5 stars

I must say, this fast-paced thriller lifted me out of my recent reading slump!  Shaye Archer was found in an alley, bloody and abused, with no memory of how she got there.  Nine years later she opens her own private investigation office where her first client is a woman who is convinced she is being stalked by her husband.  The only problem?  She had killed her husband a few weeks earlier!   I was immediately drawn into this story, and Deleon kept me guessing right up to the end!  Great start to a series I hope to read more of in the very  near future.

Atlin: Where Everyone Knows Your Dog’s Name by Bradford Smith — 4 out of 5 stars

Look for my full review coming here and at MrPinkInk the weekend of January 28-30.

The Whale Tattoo by Jon Ransom — 4 out of 5 stars

An amazing debut novel!  Our MC Joe believes that death follows him and that the river speaks to him.  Through vivid dreamscapes and backstories, Joe’s story emerges as one of love, lust, and loss, and a personal journey that ultimately leads to the path of acceptance and redemption.  I’m already looking forward to Jon Ransom’s future works.

Hell in the Heartland: Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls by Jax Miller — 3.5 out of 5 stars

In the wee hours of December 30, 1999, flames consumed a mobile home in rural Oklahoma.  In the rubble, the bodies of Danny and Kathy Freeman were found, and their teen daughter, Ashley, and her best friend, Lauria, were missing.  In the months and years following the murders and disappearances, rumors swirled, hinting at drug deals and police corruption, while grieving families searched for the truth.    Jax Miller did a lot of research and reached out to a lot of people in the attempt to bring clarification (and perhaps closure) to these horrific crimes.  And while Miller does have a gift for descriptions that bring the places and people to life, I think this actually brings the book down a bit.  This is not the type of story that needs flowery embellishments and the author’s introspection that I feel ultimately bog down the narrative.  I would still recommend this for true crime fans, just be prepared for a lot of unanswered questions.

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Stay safe and Happy Reading!