The Title Could Have Been Shorter

 

TITLE: The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association

AUTHOR: Caitlin Rozakis

PUBLISHER: Titan

PUBLISHING DATE: May 27, 2025

PAGES: 368   

SOURCE: Library 

FROM GOODREADS: Two parents and their recently-bitten-werewolf daughter try to fit into a privileged New England society of magic aristocracy. But deadly terrors await them – ancient prophecies, remorseless magical trials, hidden conspiracies and the PTA bake sale. 

When Vivian’s kindergartner, Aria, gets bitten by a werewolf, she is rapidly inducted into the hidden community of magical schools. Reeling from their sudden move, Vivian finds herself having to pick the right sacrificial dagger for Aria, keep stocked up on chew toys and play PTA politics with sirens and chthonic nymphs and people who literally can set her hair on fire. 

As Vivian careens from hellhounds in the school corridors and demons at the talent show, she races to keep up with all the arcane secrets of her new society – shops only accessible by magic portal, the brutal Trials to enter high school, and the eternal inferno that is the parents’ WhatsApp group. 

And looming over everything is a prophecy of doom that sounds suspiciously like it’s about Aria. Vivian might be facing the end of days, just as soon as she can get her daughter dressed and out of the door…

MY THOUGHTS: Let's be real for a moment.  My main thought is why can I never get this title right when talking about this book?  Trivial but true.  Thank goodness that didn't stop my enjoyment though and the pretty cover and sprayed edges almost makes up for it.

Vivian's family have recently moved.  She and Aria were hiking one day when Aria was brutally attacked by a werewolf, causing her to contract the infliction.  Now there are living in a magical community they aren't really a part of and don't understand with a Kindergartner who "wolf's out" any time she gets nervous.  Daniel still has his job in the city, but Vivian left hers behind to care for Aria and desperate to fit in when she is clearly a non-magical being, she joins the PTA.  What follows is a lot of mistakes made by many which touch on topics of supernatural beings, decades old town curses, unaccounted for money in the PTA budget and marital woes. Unbeknownst to Vivian, she has basically joined the "mean mom's club" which is driving her crazy and Aria has to get a better grip on her magical abilities, or she will be kicked out of school and the family forced to move once again.

Although all tied in a magical cozy book, the root of (insert long book title) is acceptance and not changing to please others. While I found the book a bit slow in the beginning, I was definitely interested enough to power through.  I think part of my problem was there are a lot of players in this book, and they are all some different supernatural creature with different roles and different family dynamics.  I will say I loved how hard Vivien and Daniel worked to help Aria adjust to her new normal and some of the situations in the book were just plain fun to read about.  Also, there is a small found family element with the werewolf clan, once Vivien and Daniel finally agree to accept their help, and I'm a sucker for found family tropes.

If you are looking for a low-stakes cozy read, then look no further.  I have another book by this author sitting on my shelf and now I'm even more excited to pick it up.  

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - Road Trip with a Vampire (My Vampires #3)

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

September 23, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She'd grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.

Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.

But when an alarming message from Peter's past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can't keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they're looking for in each other.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I absolutely love this light rom-com with a supernatural twist series. I can't wait to get my hands on this installment.  If you haven't read the first two in the series, I highly recommend them! 

Summer of Horror - Ghostbusters!

 

I am participating in an informal event created by my friend Tammy over at Books, Bones & Buffy and she is doing a book cover love feature. This week I am focusing on haunted houses.  I will preface this by saying I've not read all the books I'm showing here so I don't know how heavily the haunted house plays a role. Also, I am featuring one of my favorite books which happens to feature a haunted hotel - my post my rules!

I found so many that I decided to do a special section focusing on YA/Middle Grade horror.  I haven't read any of these but have the whole Mina trilogy on my TBR.

Here are so older books, including my beforementioned favorite.  I've actually read all four of these although it's been YEARS since I read Ghost Story.

I had to showcase some read and black covers as that is one of my favorite color combinations.  I've read the entire Locke & Key graphic novel series and highly recommend them.

And finally, here are a few newer titles.  I read the Grady Hendrix book and really liked it, however, I have an unpopular opinion about The Last House on Needless Street as that book drove me mad!

So, there you have it.  Have you read any of these?  I know there are tons more out there and this was such a fun topic!

August Coming Attractions

 

I didn't do a Coming Attractions post for July, but I blame my vacation at the end of the month.  I did read a lot of good books during the month, and it was kind of a low-pressure month for me when related to what I wanted to read.  I had fun and that is what matters right?  Let's see what you might see on the blog in August.

First up are my buddy read/book club obligations.  Stormi and are continuing on with both the Dresden Files series as well as the Hope's Crossing one.  Side Jobs is a collection of short stories, and I don't know if I will read them on and off during the month, or all at once.

I feel behind last month in my series read of The Innkeeper Chronicles, but I am really enjoying the books and need to catch up.  I'm also hearing good things about The Compound and grabbed it from my library.

I have a long list of ARCs to get to this month and I'm not fooling myself that they will all get read, but I hope to knock out quite a few.

And finally, I am pretty sure We Are All Guilty Here will be the first book I pick up in August.  I am excited for a new Karin slaughter series. 

And of course I plan to continue on with Tammy over at Books, Bones & Buffy Summer of Horror 2025! Look for some more cover features.

Have you read any of these?  What are your August plans?

Oh and since August is the Dog Days of Summer, here are Apollo and Zekey in Zekey's favorite sleeping position - on top of his brother!

Thanks for stopping by Booker T's Farm!

 

Feed Your TBR - Japanese Gothic

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

April 21, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: October, 2026: Lee Turner doesn’t remember how or why he killed his college roommate. The details are blurred and bloody. All he knows is he has to flee New York and go to the one place that might offer refuge—his father’s new home in Japan, a house hidden by sword ferns and wild ginger. But something is terribly wrong with the no animals will come near it, the bedroom window isn't always a window, and a woman with a sword appears in the yard when night falls.

October, 1877: Sen is a young samurai in exile, hiding from the imperial soldiers in a house behind the sword ferns. A monster came home from war wearing her father’s face, but Sen would do anything to please him, even turn her sword on her own mother. She knows the soldiers will soon slaughter her whole family when she sees a terrible a young foreign man who appears outside her window.

One of these people is a ghost, and one of these stories is a lie.

Something is hiding beneath the house of sword ferns, and Lee and Sen will soon wish they never unburied it.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I love the sounds of this one and that cover is beautiful. I haven't read from this author yet and have heard good things.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

Feed Me Seymour!

 

TITLE: Eat the Ones You Love

AUTHOR: Sarah Maria Griffin

PUBLISHER: Tor

PUBLISHING DATE: April 22, 2025

PAGES: 288   

SOURCE: Own library

FROM GOODREADS: A twisted, tangled story about workplace love-affairs, and plants with a taste for human flesh.  

During a grocery run to her local shopping center, Shell Pine sees a ‘HELP NEEDED’ sign in a flower shop window. She’s just left her fiancé, lost her job, and moved home to her parents’ house. She has to make a change and bring some good into her life, so she goes inside and takes a chance. Shell realizes right away that flowers are just the good thing she's been looking for, as is Neve, the beautiful florist who wrote the sign asking for help. The thing is, Neve needs help more than Shell could possibly imagine. 

An orchid growing out of sight in the heart of the mall is watching them closely. His name is Baby, and the beautiful florist belongs to him. He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’ll do just about anything to make sure he can keep growing big and strong. Nothing he eats – nobody he eats – can satisfy him, except the thing he most desires. Neve. He adores her and wants to consume her and will stop at nothing to eat the one he loves. 

This is a story about possession, and monstrosity, and working retail. It is about hunger and desire, and other terrible things that grow.

MY THOUGHTS: I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book but since I preordered it and paid full price on Kindle, I was hoping to love it.  And I'm kind of shocked to say I really did.  This is supposedly inspired or a retelling of sorts of "Little Shop of Horrors" which I've never seen, but I didn't matter.  I kind of fell in love with Baby anyway - which is very, very twisted and has my bestie worried about me.

Shell's live has dismantled over the past few years.  At 33, she and her fiancé split, her job went under, and she moved back home with her parents and two siblings.  The day while visiting the local run-down mall, Shell is drawn to a "Help Wanted" sign in a local florist shop.  She goes in to apply and is taken by the shop owner, Neve.  Neve immediately hires Shell and over the next couple of weeks, they teeter on a work/flirtation tightrope.  However, Neve belongs to another.  Deep within the mall, in the locked terrarium, grows Baby.  Neve and Baby have known each other for years and Neve has helped Baby feed his hunger.  Baby has plans for Shell, but will she figure out the plans before it's too late?  The mall is set to close down soon, and Baby needs a way out.

This book is marketed as horror and while I would say it is to a point, it's also very weird fiction.  Baby is not only obsessed with Neve, but the both of them enter into a very problematic relationship.  I mean come on; Baby IS a plant after all.  As expected, there is quite a bit of body horror but there is also a sort of found family.  Shell meets Neve's mall friends and starts to come out of her shell (no pun intended) and sees a future where before it was nothing but darkness.  I really enjoyed this friend group with their very differing personalities and quirks.  I also liked Neve although I grew to question many of her choices.

Not to say this book wasn't without issues.  I had a hard problem with formatting.  There are no real chapter breaks but rather parts to the book and I felt that made the book seem much longer than its 288 pages.  Also, Baby narrates quite a bit of the book but there was no real indication of when Baby would take over the story which made for difficult transitions.  

The entire time I was reading this book there was a feeling of dread over me.  It is very atmospheric in that sense, and I wasn't sure where the story was headed and even now, a day after reading it, am not sure what I read.  There may be some deep meaning in this book, but I prefer to keep it at surface level.  I don't know who I would recommend this book to, and it doesn't have the best reviews, but I did enjoy it and will be looking for more from this author in the future.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Summer of Horror - Don't Go Into the Woods!

 

I am participating in an informal event created by my friend Tammy over at Books, Bones & Buffy and she is doing a book cover love feature.  This week I chose to participate and share some covers featuring spooky and scary trees.  Per usual, some of these I've read but many are just ones that have crossed my path, and I added to the ever-growing "maybe" pile.

I only saw the movie based off of The Ritual, but it was pretty decent.  I love Hunter Shea though and have read many of his books and he has even been a guest here on the blog.  I highly recommend all of his horror.

Speaking of Hunter Shea, Creature is probably my all-time favorite of his.  If you haven't met Buttons the beagle dog, you really have to.  And don't worry - he lives.

I remember not caring much for Slender Man when I read it, but it still qualifies as really creepy cover.  I read the Wendy Morgan duology years and years ago but seeing it again makes me want to try to get my hands on it again. 

So, there you have my spooky tree edition.  Have you read any of these?  Did I miss any of your faves?