Review: Cackle

Cackle by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn't set out to read Cackle by Rachel Harrison in one sitting, but I did anyway.  Once I got going, I just didn't feel like putting it back down.  It's not that it is a thriller and you are dying to know what will happen next.  I just enjoyed being in this world so much I wanted to spend time there.  I guess this counts as horror but if you are looking for gore, this is not the book for you.  There are witchy aspects.  That's not a spoiler.  The title should be a clue.  It is really more about finding yourself and the power of real friendship.  At least, that's what I took away from it.   If that sounds too serious or literary fictiony, don't be turned off.  It is much lighter than that.  It is also about finding a really good cup of coffee and delicious baked goods.  These are keys to a good life.  

Bonus points for Ralph!  I have never wanted a pet spider so much.  I don't kill spiders anyway but now I will be checking to see if they are wearing cute hats.  

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Review: One by One

One by One by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One by One by Ruth Ware is the perfect winter mystery.  I tend to be a Ruth Ware fan in general.  Suspenseful but not overly complicated.  Maybe don't read this one on a ski trip.  Definitely don't read it if you are with a bunch of strangers at a chalet in the Alps.  I have only been skiing one time in my life, and that was more than enough for me.  Reading the skiing bits made my heart race more than murder did.  Chilling.  The story is told in alternating perspectives.  This may help you gather more clues to make your own conclusions about whodunit.    If you Clue, Agatha Christie, or locked room mysteries, this is enjoyable.  

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Review: The Final Girl Support Group

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix is a fantastic read for horror movie fans. Those of you familiar with the "final girl" trope will recognize the characters in this book because they are drawn from final girls from some famous horror movies. But what if final girls were a real thing? Certainly, they would need therapy and is it so far-fetched to think they might start a support group? What happens when someone decides to take out all the final girls? That's what this book is about. Will there be a final final girl? If you love horror movies and/or horror movie tropes, you will love this book. Lots of familiar references. Also, pairs nicely with the Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones.

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Review: The Final Girl Support Group

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix is a fantastic read for horror movie fans.  Those of you familiar with the "final girl" trope will recognize the characters in this book because they are drawn from final girls from some famous horror movies.  But what if final girls were a real thing?  Certainly, they would need therapy and is it so far-fetched to think they might start a support group?  What happens when someone decides to take out all the final girls?  That's what this book is about.  Will there be a final final girl?  If you love horror movies and/or horror movie tropes, you will love this book.  Lots of familiar references.  Also, pairs nicely with the Indian Lake Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones.    

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Review: Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I chose to read Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra Peterson, but I bet the audiobook version is great too. I couldn't help but hear Elvira's voice as I was reading along. It is so distinct, and I used to love to watch her show with my mom, a true horror afficionado.

Before picking up the book, I knew just a few bits and pieces of Cassandra Peterson's story outside of Elvira. I mostly knew that she was a strong animal rights advocate which made me love her and Elvira even more. And despite what people might thing based on appearances, I knew she was a feminist. All the other stories were new to me. Cassandra Peterson has had an incredible life. It would be worth a film of its own because she had an uncanny knack of happening upon amazing opportunities. Her career in Hollywood has survived much longer than most and with out major scandal. It's really impressive. Nobody will ever be able to replace Elvira, but we can aspire to be more like her.

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Review: Sorrowland

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was drawn to Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon because of the promise of a "cult."  The main character, Vern, is trying to escape said cultish religious organization.  She leaves with nothing but the few things she can carry and the knowledge she has gained from the doomsday prepping the group did.  The rich descriptions of her time on the run, living in a forest, almost have you believing she can avoid "civilization" forever.  Of course, that would be a very different book.  We would never get to find out what the cult was really doing or why.  At some point, you have to evolve or die trying.  That's  when the story truly gets wild.  Not a book to read if you are looking for a pick-me-up.  But if you want something gritty that reflects on a terrible history of racism in the U.S. with an element of fantasy, you can't go wrong with Sorrowland.   

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Review: The Silent Companions

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell is a creepy, Gothic story.  Depending on what you believe in, it could be about a haunted house or haunted objects, or it could be about mental illness.  It is told through journal-style chapters written by women in different generations of a well-to-do family living in a certain country home.  Terrible things befall people in the house.  All of the tragedies really start happening after the family acquire a set of wooden cut-outs of everyday people.  You've probably seen those life-size cardboard cutouts of celebrities.  Maybe you even have one because you thought it would be fun.  You might think twice about that after reading this. 

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Review: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman is classified as a romance but even I could stomach it, so don't let that turn you off if romance isn't your thing.  If you like books and trivia, this is a fun read.  Nina Hill is a character I very much enjoyed spending time with even if we both probably would have preferred to be alone.  I can also be fiercely competitive at trivia and very much enjoyed the trivia competitions.  I have played some of those teams before.  If you are looking for something delightful, curl up with this book.

Bonus points for Phil!

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Review: The Last House on Needless Street

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is one of those books that just kept turning up everywhere I went.  Eventually, I decided I better read this book.  It didn't hurt that one of the characters is a cat.  You can come at me all you want for anthropomorphizing animals, but I still love a story told from an animal's point of view.  The story is told from a couple of different points of view, not just a cat's in case you need humans.  There is a mystery surrounding a girl who goes missing at the beach.  The titular house might be haunted.  There are a lot of layers, but it doesn't feel overly complex.  If you want to read a brain-bender and are not easily triggered, give this book a shot. 

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Review: The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls

The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I so enjoyed reading The Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls by Julie Schumacher.  The format is an essay written for A.P. English.  I do love a nontraditional story format.  I am not a book club person at all, so I could relate to the apathy the girls have at being forced to participate in a summer book club with their moms.  That being said, the books they read are definitely some of my faves, and I loved the integration of the books into the overall story.  There is a little hint of a mystery but for the most part, it's a humorous, sometimes dark, story about one summer in the lives of four teenage girls.   If you like The Breakfast Club or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, this could be a good fit.    

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Review: The Invited

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Invited by Jennifer McMahon is a great ghost story.  When a couple give up big city living to move to rural Vermont and build their own home, they find they aren't the only ones feeling a strong connection to the land.  I felt this was also a bit of a cautionary tale for antique lovers.  Be sure you know the history of what you are bringing home!  I liked the different character perspectives and loved the idea of building your own dream home from scratch using repurposed items.  I would probably get too distracted by woodland creatures to ever finish, but that's just me.  Without giving too much away, I was surprised by a few things. I thought the story would go in a certain direction, and then I would be wrong.  That's always keeps the interest going.  Best to be read when camping.

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Review: The Lost Village

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten follows a fictional documentary crew doing a film about a ghost town in Sweden.  The entire town vanished leaving only one woman burned in the town square and an infant behind.  The crew doesn't plan to solve the mystery so much as just tell the tale through compelling imagery.  They quickly find out that some ghosts don't want their stories told. If you like your horror told documentary-style, pick this up!  

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Review: Light From Uncommon Stars

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A friend of mine had told me I really needed to read Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki.  I dutifully added it to my figuring I would get to it eventually.  Then, I had the unexpected pleasure of spending a weekend with Ryka at WisCon in Madison this year.  Ryka is an amazing person, incredibly warm, and didn't shame me even once for not having read her book.  Now, I have finally read the book!  It's a bit of The Devil Went Down to Georgia mixed with Star Wars.  The unique pieces don't look like they would fit together and yet they do perfectly.  

I couldn't help reading the story in Ryka's voice.  It was like meeting up with a friend.  We talked about a lot of things that weekend, food a dominant topic, so it was not a surprise that Ryka would incorporate so many rich flavors into this story.  I felt like snacking the whole time, and if you can come away from it without wanting to hit up a donut shop, you are a stronger person than I am.  Read this book!

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Review: Comfort Me With Apples

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente is a short story based on a tale as old as time.  I don't want to give anything away since it is so short.  There are elements of horror, but it is more unsettling than anything.  I enjoyed the evil Home Owner's Association with the draconian rules, a gated community nightmare.  I found that part quite fun in a devilish way.  You always have to ask yourself why a rule was created.    

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Review: The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery is the account of the author's experiences meeting various octopuses and the impact they had on the people around them.  I learned a few new things about octopuses along the way, but this isn't the book to read if you just want octopus facts.  I'm far more interested in learning how other species choose to interact with the world, in particular with humans.  Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, people still choose to believe that animals don't think or feel just because we can't understand their methods of communication.  If animal consciousness interests you, you should enjoy this book.

Please be aware that some of the octopuses featured in this book were/are held in captivity.  That can raise other philosophical questions for people and may impact your enjoyment of the content.  

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