All Dragons Read

New month, new theme, and some classic reading in store for September!

Science fiction has always had a special place in my heart, and for some reason I always want to read more of it this time of year (kind of like always craving an epic fantasy in the middle of winter, or a roast beef/onion sandwich when I find my favorite pumpernickel bread ).  That being said, I’ve had these on my to-read shelf for some time, so no better time than the present to get started on them!

Believe it or not, I’ve never read the H.G. Wells classic, The War of the Worlds.  I’ve also never seen the movie.  I’m going to fix one of those things in the coming days.  As for Philip K. Dick, I’ll admit that I wasn’t totally impressed with the one work I read (The Penultimate Truth), I remember wondering what the big deal was with his works.  However, with Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, I have to say I am totally looking forward to reading this one…the basis of Blade Runner??  Yeah, I’m down for that!  I’m going in totally blind to the Brian Aldiss novel, and sometimes (and in this case hopefully) that is a good thing!

And I’m finally taking the plunge to see if Dark Matter lives up to all the hype!  Have you read it?  Do you want to buddy read it?  Let me know!

Goodreads Group Reads

You may be wondering why I added Scary to this month’s theme.  Thanks to some of my Goodreads groups (and a hint to my next blog post regarding the books of Halloween), I will be starting my Halloween reading a month early.  Mexican Gothic has been described as a blend of gothic mystery, fantasy, and horror, with the focus seeming to be more on the fantasy and mystery elements.  If that seems a bit low-key for horror reading, then my fan grrrl fav  Kealan Patrick Burke’s Kin should satisfy a horror lover’s thirst for the macabre.   It’s described as a cross between Deliverance and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, complete with cannibals and a survivor’s thirst for vengeance.  Sounds like something I won’t be reading right before bedtime, lights all the way on for this one!

While I won’t be reading the hit novel, All the Light We Cannot See, I wanted to go ahead and include it here as I was planning on adding it to my November  lineup.  If you’ve read it, let me know what you think!

Stay tuned for my 31 Books of Halloween…I’m going to need your help with that one!!

Stay safe, be kind, and Happy Reading!

The last day of August!   I don’t know why, but once August is over, I always think of summer being over as well.  And while we didn’t get to visit some of our normal summer haunts like the Portland Zoo (between the covid closures and the continuing riots, I don’t see us visiting Portland anytime in the near or distant future, too bad since it’s always been one of my favorite big cities), this past week we were able to get in some more hiking at nearby state parks, and I’ve started making large batches of fresh applesauce to put away for the winter…as well as an apple pie thrown in for good measure!

And while I didn’t get to spend as much time as I would have liked reading, I did manage to finish these…

The Week in Books

Loudmouth by Robert Duncan — 4 out of 5 stars!

Robert Duncan introduces us to Thomas Ransom, a boy growing up in a strict environment who finds his voice and freedom through the emerging rock scene of the 1970’s.  This is supposedly inspired by the author’s real-life experiences, which of course had me guessing the entire time what was possibly true and what wasn’t.  Duncan’s prose is amazing, the story entertaining and addictive.  If you’re a fan of stories with the Almost Famous vibe, be sure to check this one out!

Hunger Pangs by Scott J. Moses — 4 out of 5 stars!

This collection of dark fiction/horror from Scott Moses has me hooked and wanting more!  Hunger in its broadest sense is the theme running through these short stories.  Each one stands out on its own (unlike some collections with a common theme); all are well-written and create atmosphere and characters in a shortened format.   A strong debut, I can’t wait to see what Moses brings to the table in the future!  Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for sending me an advance ecopy for review.

The Keep by Jennifer Egan — 1.5/2 out of 5 stars

God, where do I start?  I was actually drawn into the story with it’s potential in the first few pages.  I was even good with the dual storyline that was going on.  But when young Danny (or Denny?  I don’t even care what his name is, that should tell you about the character development) drinks 100 year old wine and has sex with a 98-year-old “crazy hag,” well, that’s about the time I wanted to tap out.  But my inner masochist made me keep reading to see where this train wreck would take me.  And sadly it wasn’t even a decent train wreck!!  I rounded up to 2 stars because there were a few good scenes that helped me keep the faith that it would improve.

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Stay tuned…my September list will be popping up soon!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and Happy Reading!!

There’s a hint of autumn in the air…and I couldn’t be happier!

Summer’s fine and all, but there’s something about the longer nights, the cooler temperatures, the changing colors that I just love.  Oh, and there’s also  Halloween!  Since 2020 has been one long horror movie I’ve been tempted to start bringing out my Halloween decorations a bit early.  Hmmm, I have no plans this weekend………..   😀

The Week In Books

Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones — 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Some friends find a mannequin and use it in a prank…then things start to go horribly wrong.    I can’t say too much about the plot without giving the story away but once again SGJ shows his skill at getting us into the minds of the characters while throwing in some twists and turns that will leave your head spinning.  Great horrific fun!

A Fine Dark Line by Joe Lansdale — 3.75/4 out of 5 stars

I totally get the hype behind Lansdale’s stories.  For this one, I think I read it too soon after Boy’s Life, as I couldn’t stop making comparisons in my head as I read.  Set in a small east Texas town in 1958, this is a coming of age story featuring young Stanley, his sister Callie, loyal dog Nub, and a wide variety of other memorable characters with a plotline involving small town politics, racism, and a couple of unsolved murders.  Overall a very good story, but there were times that things felt hurried or unfinished.

After Sundown edited by Mark Morris — 3.475 out of 5 stars

This anthology definitely offers a wide variety of stories, something that I always appreciate.  There were some strong showings, including my personal favorites Butterfly Island by C.J. Tudor and Swanskin by Alison Littlewood.  But many of the stories fell in the 3 star range for me, good but not something that stayed with me after I finished.  I’d still recommend this though, it’s a great introduction to a wide variety of authors and styles.

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It’s almost September, what will be on your reading list?  My September theme is coming soon!

Stay safe and healthy, and Happy Reading!

Now this was one NightWorms package I couldn’t wait to get my hands on!!

So let me start with this—

Stephen Graham Jones is one of my top five fan grrrl authors, I would stand in line to read an advanced copy of a hemorrhoid cream commercial if he wrote it.  So, needless to say, I was super excited to get his latest….added bonus is getting it a full month before it’s official release!  I wound up reading it the other night, look for my thoughts in the next weekly mash-up!

I read Josh Malerman’s hit novel Bird Box last summer and really enjoyed it; finding out the sequel, Malorie, was going to arrive this month saved me the time tracking down a copy to buy–I need to find out what happens in this strange new world!

Also included: signed name plates, a bookmark featuring the art of Ethan Pollard (the ink smithe on Insta), and tea that tastes like…s’mores?!?!  Can’t wait to brew up some of that (not to mention my s’more loving son has put dibs on the first cup!).

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Have you received any fun book mail recently?  Hit me up, let’s chat books!  I love seeing what everyone is reading!

Meanwhile, stay safe and sane, and as always…Happy Reading!

Sometimes, a day spent with Mother Nature…

…enjoying the sun…

…is just what a person needs to refocus.

That, and some great reading of course!

The Week In Books

Comaville by Kevin Bigley — 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Josh lays in a coma, but not in complete silence.  His mind stays active, visiting places and people from his past.  Meanwhile, in his hospital room, his parents and sister try to deal not only with his condition but with their own family dysfunction.    Truly amazing work; I especially enjoyed Josh’s childhood teddy bear transformed into an oversized drunken thug.  Highly recommend.

Burn Fortune by Brandi Homan — 4 out of 5 stars

Described as a “story in fragments,” this is the tale of young June, growing up in a small town, and her obsessions with actress Jean Seberg and Joan of Arc, obsessions that stem from trauma.  Homan’s poetry background really comes through, giving this story a free-form poetic feel.   The format is not for everyone (I admit I was a bit put off by it until I got into the rhythm), but still one I would recommend.  Side note:  I had to google Jean Seberg as I had never heard of her, now I’m obsessively searching for the two biographies about her!

A Waffle Lot of Murder — Lena Gregory — 3.5 out of 5 stars

Gia is the owner of The All-Day Breakfast Cafe, has an adorable dog, supportive best friend, a detective boyfriend…and a knack for getting involved in local homicides.  I really enjoyed the autumn/Halloween theme of this cozy mystery (the main reason I requested it); it was well-paced and included a couple of good twists.  I also appreciated the focus on friendships rather than romance.  However, it fell under “typical cozy” for me, meaning it was predictable and followed the ABC’s of the genre without offering any real stand-out character or unique plotline.  Still, a good way to spend an afternoon.

Beneath Ash and Bone by D. Alexander Ward — 3.5 out of 5 stars

Set in the days before the Civil War, Sheriff Sam Lock makes his way to the isolated Evermore mansion to search for a missing boy.  Once there, he finds an evil he wasn’t expecting.         This had a lot of potential to make a great story, but by the end I just felt…unsatisfied I guess.  The writing and the characters were both good, and there were some truly creepy moments, but there were some plot gaps that left me wondering “What happened to —?  Why is this even happening to begin with?”  Still, at only 160 pages, I’d say give it a shot.

Africa in My Blood: An Autobiography in Letters by Jane Goodall — 3 out of 5 stars

The use of personal letters can be a great thing in nonfiction as it gives the reader intimate glimpses into the subject and their life.  But this collection was just tooooo much.  This first volume starts with Goodall’s childhood writings (age 10 I believe) and goes through 1966, just as she was starting to make some breakthroughs in her chimpanzee research.  I found the nature and chimp observations interesting, but I found myself skimming over the more personal letters requesting sweaters or inquiring after family pets.  And no, I won’t be reading the second volume any time soon.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout — 3 out of 5 stars

Good God, what a totally depressing novel!!  And not depressing as in “my favorite character died, how depressing” but in a thoroughly “life sucks, give up on any happiness while you’re alive” kind of depressing.  This is actually a series of short stories, all of which somehow include the namesake, Olive Kitteridge, who is her own kind of miserable.  I get the hype behind this book as it is well written, but I’m not a fan of stories where every single character is gloomy and pathetic.

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Until next time, stay safe and sane, and Happy Reading!

This past week was not a good one in any way, shape, or form.  Over the past few days I’ve experienced extreme anxiety (to the point I thought I was having a real heart attack, chest pressure, pains, and all, not to mention the headaches and insomnia), extreme rage, depression…then out of nowhere…a glimmer of hope.  I found my dark humor again.  I was able to focus on reading again.  I was able to shake myself off like a dog after a bath and refocus.

I know I’m not the only one with these feelings and currently facing these situations.  I know this is not just a personal,  local, regional, or national thing, but world-wide.  I was brought up to be tough and to face every challenge life gives me head-on.  But there are times when I can’t always be that tough Glenda; there are times when I need to grieve, to rage, and to take time to process life’s sucker-punches.  I thank you for allowing me to do just that.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming!

I have decided to delay my August theme and selections until November (which works out well since I was still trying to come up with a good November theme!).  My son played a role in the book selections again, and I will be using the winner of the photo “contest”  I had on my Facebook page.  Don’t worry, September is set and ready to go!

I’m also playing a bit of book tag with my good friend Jacques, aka Mr. Pink Ink.  I can’t wait to share the results!

And, as always, there will be more of…

The Week in Books

Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon — 5 out of 5 stars!

This is one of, if not THE, best coming-of age novels out there.  We have the story of young Cory Mackenson, who lives in the small town of Zephyr, Alabama in the mid-1960’s.  There really is a bit of everything:  small-town politics and unforgettable, often eccentric, characters; friendships; love and loss; childhood magic, and even some real magic thrown in as well.  Oh, and let’s not forget about the mysterious murder that starts out the story!  This was my second time reading, and it’s just as mesmerizing as the first time ’round.   Highly recommend.

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton — 4 out of 5 stars!!

Believe it or not, I went into this one totally blind on the subject matter and storyline.  But I have to say, this is one of those classics that is just as important today, perhaps even more so, as when it was originally published in 1948.  I really think everyone should read this timeless story of race, class lines, and humanity in general.  I can’t even begin to describe it adequately so I’ll just say this:  Highly recommend!

Coyote Songs by Gabino Iglesias — 4 out of 5 stars!

Wow, wow, wow.  These interwoven stories are set on the U.S/Mexican border, and include narratives from a “coyote” who wants nothing more than to save all the unwanted children from fates worse than death (with the Virgin Mary as his guardian and guide); the ghost of a grieving mother; a man fresh out of prison wanting to change his life; a woman who uses live vlogging to make a point.  And that doesn’t even begin to paint the portrait of what this book is truly about (something that I can’t even begin to really put into words).  All the stories are very different and distinct, yet all share the same elements of hopelessness, sorrow, familial bonds, rage and redemption.  I was wrecked after some of the conclusions, and  I can’t wait to read more of Gabino Iglesias’ works in the future.  Highly recommend.  **Note:  there is a lot of Spanish that is not translated, especially the prayers.  I have a rudimentary knowledge of the language so I could piece together much of the simpler exchanges (especially the cuss words, lol!).  This would have been a 5 star read if I had taken the time to translate the longer passages, so that is all my bad.**

The House That Fell From the Sky — 3 out of 5 stars

A dark house appears out of nowhere, taking over a city block and destroying anyone who tries to enter it.  Four friends win a chance to spend the night and win some money; will they survive??  I’m still trying to put together a review for Netgalley but I will share this:  take my advice and skip the first 200 or so pages and go straight to Part 3:  The House.  Believe me, you won’t miss anything and hopefully it will make your reading experience a helluva lot better than mine!!

Wither by Amy Miles — 2 out of 5 stars

A virus sweeps around the world, infecting and killing millions (sound familiar??).  Good news–a vaccine is created that stops the virus.  Bad news–the vaccine turns out to be worse than the virus, turning humans into quasi-zombies known as withers or moaners.  There was potential with this take on the zombie apocalypse but damn, talk about a hot mess!  By the 30% mark I felt like I had reading whiplash from the sheer amount of plot twists and turns  without any rhyme or reason behind them.  And writing a novel in first person narrative works more effectively when the main character isn’t passed out or drugged for long periods of time, thus missing out on the action that I wanted to read about!  Overall, I felt like there were huge gaps in the storyline, and with a wishy-washy main character that I really didn’t give a crap about left me not really giving a crap about the rest of the series.  Too bad.

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Stay safe, be kind, and Happy Reading!!

 

2020 has been, to say the least, a terrible year all around.  In the past 36 hours, it caught up to us and delivered a hard kick to the proverbial balls.  I have actually made myself physically sick from the anxiety, shock, and anger so I have decided to take a break from social media for an unknown amount of time.  I will continue to update on Goodreads and I am hoping to at least keep  posting my Week in Books here, since at this moment reading is the only thing keeping me sane.

I truly am looking forward to getting back to everyone, but at this time I feel it’s important for me to step away and refocus my energies.

Please take care of yourselves and please be kind to others!

Until next time, and as always, happy reading!

This may come as a shock, but I am a bookaholic.  😀  I love going to thrift stores and finding obscure titles; to large used book sales and packing as many titles as I can carry into heavy-duty shopping bags; wandering the library aisles and discovering new favorites.  So, needless to say, these past few months of closures and lock-downs have left me jonesing for some book-buying time, and earlier this month I got my fix!

First up…

My plunge into Joe Lansdale territory.  I’ve heard so many good things about his works, including the acclaimed Hap and Leonard series, that I decided to try out a few.  The top three are part of the H&L series, with Savage Season being the first (I read this one last week, let’s just say I’m hooked) with the other two being stand-alone titles that sound amazing.

Next up…

A little bit of everything here, short stories, horror, non-fiction.  Within an hour after receiving it, I was tearing through Samantha Kolesnik’s brutal True Crime and I just finished Gwendolyn Kiste’s haunting collection And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe.  I may need to pace myself!!

And the winners of best covers go to…

Chaplinsky’s stories have been described as strange, weird, and the ultimate, bizarro, so this anthology could get interesting!  The Magpie Coffin is the first in a series of “splatter westerns” put out by Death’s Head Press, and if the story is anything like the cover picture,it should be right up my alley!

 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t include my July package from NightWorms!

These monthly packages have helped to satisfy my “need” for new books, and this month offered up the new gothic horror sensation, Mexican Gothic.  Also included was a book of poetry by newcomer Adrian Ernesto Cepeda.  These free-style poems were influenced by Sylvia Plath’s The Glass Jar.  

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I want to give a shout out to Clash Books, Powell’s, and Daedalus Books for their wonderful customer service and continuing to offer great selections during these trying times.

Have you received any fun book mail lately?  Drop me a line, I love seeing what everyone is reading!

And until next time, Happy Reading!!

What’s this, the end of July already??  Needless to say we haven’t done much with our summer here other than staying close to home and venturing out every so often for groceries and dog food.  But on the positive side I have more time to participate in reading marathons!

I belong to a couple of groups on Goodreads who organize readathons on a regular basis.  This week, the 27th through the 31st, I’ll be keeping track of my pages and hopefully put a dent in my TBR hoard!  Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Meanwhile, this past week was pretty productive reading-wise.

The Week in Books

The Living Dead by George Romero and Daniel Kraus — 4 out of 5 stars!

I’m still putting my thoughts together on this one (and a huge thanks to Netgalley and Tor/Forge for sending me an early ecopy for review!) but I will say this:  clocking in at nearly 700 pages (over 1,000 on my ecopy), this is pretty much for zombie horror fans who also enjoy well-written (but sometimes overwritten) backstories of the characters mixed in with the chaos.  I did have a couple of problems with it, namely the repetition (there are only so many ways to tear apart the human body!  And I can’t believe I would ever have any reason to write those words!!!), but overall, despite the sheer volume and a few slow parts, this was something I couldn’t put down, even when I really needed to for my own mental health.

Savage Season by Joe Lansdale — 3.75/4 out of 5 stars

The first in the acclaimed Hap and Leonard series, this is a great noir-ish read, complete with double- and triple-crosses, a sultry siren, and two MC’s who shouldn’t fit together but they do.  I’ve heard the series only gets better from here, and I can’t wait!

Short Stories, Novellas, and Anthologies

And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste — 4 out of 5 stars!

Watch out, Gwendolyn Kiste is on my radar now and after this collection I am sooo looking forward to reading more from this talented young woman!  These are stories that remind me of the real Grimm Brothers, not the watered down Disney version of their fairy tales.  There is darkness,  a bit of witchcraft, and just some really disturbing imagery, both modern and ancient.  Combine that with Kiste’s  poetic prose…well, I can’t tell you what to read, but you should really think about adding this to your TBR list!

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman — 4 out of 5 stars!

I’ve been meaning to read this classic short story for some time now and finally got to it this weekend.  The narrator’s descent into madness is both chilling and disturbing.  Great choice for a quick Halloween read.

Madhouse by Miguel Estrada — 3 out of 5 stars

A kindle freebie, this tells the tale of a young boy who runs away from home, only to find himself in deep shit after accepting a ride from a stranger.  Totally predictable but it didn’t suck, there were some good bits mixed in.

Mostly Dark: A Collection of Small Pieces by Miranda Kate — 2 out of 5 stars

Ahh, the kindle freebies strike again, this time with a collection of supposed flash fiction that started out pretty good then turned underwhelming very quickly.  I can tell you there were four (or maybe five) distinct parts, and most of the stories dealt with toxic relationships, but beyond that I can honestly say not one story stood out for me enough to remember even an hour after finishing.

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Stay healthy, stay safe, and Happy Reading!!

It took a while, but it finally feels like summer!  And with the warmer, dryer conditions, my favorite part of summer is here…

  

Fresh berries (and cherries), yummm!!!   I was so happy my other half, Dave, brought home fresh raspberries.  They are my all-time favorite food and I wasn’t able to get any last year.  I’m happy to report I made some raspberry freezer jam, as well as put a couple of bags of the fruit in the freezer for winter consumption!  Oh, and I ate a big ol’ bowl, fresh and delicious!

We have a wonderful friend who has a strawberry farm, so I’m always excited to get these amazing gems from him every summer.  Added bonus:  he grows the everbearing strawberries so from now until mid-September I’ll be able to get fresh-picked berries, not something that I take for granted and something  I truly appreciate!  I will be stocking our freezers with jam and sliced berries to be used on cereal, ice cream, and what not during the long, dark winter months.  Sure, it’s a bit of work now, but being able to taste a bit of summer on our toast or in a sandwich in the middle of winter makes it all worthwhile.

 

The Week In Books

True Crime by Samantha Kolesnik — 4 out of 5 stars!

After years of abuse and torture, two siblings kill their mother and go on a crime spree road trip.  But what happens after the spree ends is just as disturbing.  I was impressed by this debut novel;  the horror is truly real, without extreme graphic details but just enough info to make the reader know the untold story and to feel disgusted/haunted/angry/shocked/slightly nauseous…you get my drift.  I can’t wait to see more from this author!

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell — 4 out of 5 stars!

I tend to be a bit over-critical, often quite cynical, when it comes to these “chick-lit thrillers” as I’ve come to dub them.  In the wake of successes like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train it seemed like everyone wanted to be the next Gillian Flynn, offering up the same obvious twists, the same unstable characters.  But I have to say, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Then She Was Gone.  Sure, you can see the plot twists a mile away, but Jewell’s writing kept me going, wanting to find out the whys and hows.  Plus it moves quickly, making it a great choice for a summertime afternoon beach read.

Eden by Tim Lebbon — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars

Earth in the not-so-distant future sports some attempts at saving the environment.  Named The Virgin Zones, these places are off-limits to humans, heavily guarded, and totally reverted back to their natural states.  Add some “extreme adventure racers” who are determined to infiltrate the oldest of all of these zones (Eden) just to say they did it, a missing family member from an earlier breach, and some really pissed off plants and animals, well, that’s the best way I can sum up this book!  This book was strange in that it was truly slow-moving, yet I could not leave it for any length of time. I would read a couple of chapters, feel the need to put it down, but an hour or so later I had to pick it up again.  I don’t know who I would recommend it to, but I do recommend giving it a shot…..and I will never take my orchids for granted again!!

North Country by Howard Frank Mosher — 3 out of 5 stars

Mosher takes us on his journey along the Canadian/United States border, sharing tales from the various small towns he visited along the way.  Overall, this wasn’t bad, there were some good observations as well as some insights from supposedly random people he fortuitously met along the way.  I was a bit miffed that my home state of Washington was pretty much an afterthought, even though the end of his journey was at a very important and interesting area on the west coast.  But hey, we got to learn all about his fishing adventures so there’s that. Don’t get me wrong, this was a pretty good read, but at times it just felt a little bit too convenient.

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs — 3.5 out of 5 stars

It’s been a few years since I read Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children so perhaps that’s the reason why I just couldn’t get into book two.  Or maybe it’s because the first half was pretty boring!  Well, maybe not exactly boring, but I just didn’t feel the same magic I felt in the first book.  The second half did pick up and by the end I was once again looking forward to the next installment.  Of course, if and when I actually get around to that is another story!

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So enough of my snarky self!

Stay safe, stay sane, and Happy Reading!