Retro Horror Vol. 8 - The Buddy Read Version

 

This time around Stormi already had a book chosen for her pick and as I been meaning to do some King re-reads,  I jumped on it along with her.  However, somehow, I ended up with the extended version and I didn't even KNOW there was an extended version.  What is about King wanting to make long books even longer?  So the outcome of this story brought to light the fact that I am now questioning how much I love King.  I have always said I love older King better, but seriously, I'm rating newer King much higher.  Go figure. So read on for my thoughts on Needful Things and then hop over to Stormi's  at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and check out her thoughts!

TITLE: Needful Things

AUTHOR: Stephen King

PUBLISHER: Gallery Books

PUBLISHING DATE: March 20, 2018 (original book in October 1991)

PAGES: 816

SOURCE: Own library

FROM GOODREADS: 

Master storyteller Stephen King presents the classic #1 New York Times bestseller about a mysterious store than can sell you whatever you desire—but not without exacting a terrible price in return.

The town of Castle Rock, Maine has seen its fair share of oddities over the years, but nothing is as peculiar as the little curio shop that’s just opened for business here. Its mysterious proprietor, Leland Gaunt, seems to have something for everyone out on display at Needful Things…interesting items that run the gamut from worthless to priceless. Nothing has a price tag in this place, but everything is certainly for sale. The heart’s desire for any resident of Castle Rock can easily be found among the curiosities…in exchange for a little money and—at the specific request of Leland Gaunt—a whole lot of menace against their fellow neighbors. Everyone in town seems willing to make a deal at Needful Things, but the devil is in the details. And no one takes heed of the little sign hanging on the wall: Caveat emptor. In other words, let the buyer beware…

 MY THOUGHTS:  I'm just putting it out there up front.  This book is too long.  Now that I have that out of the way.  Leland Gaunt cruises into Castle Rock one day and starts work on opening up a mysterious store.  He sells a hodgepodge of things which individually caters to each person who enters the store.  His prices are always negotiable but he always ends up roping the seller into playing a trick for him.  But are they actually purchasing something or selling their soul?

This book has a HUGE cast of characters and for the most part, I was able to keep them all straight.  I loved some, I hated some and I felt badly for some.  The little kids Gaunt manipulated made my heart break at times and the people who were already "bad" at the core, sometimes I felt like they had what was coming to them.  There was also a dog and parakeet death which I could have lived without.  Kill all the people but leave the pets alone!!!!

While I basically crammed this book into an entire week, by the last 100 pages or so, I could have sworn Gaunt had used his magic and was making the book longer.  I really kept reading because I wanted to know what happened to Alan and Polly and because I refused to let this book beat me.  Twice is enough for me and although I'm sure when I read it in 1991, it became a quick fave, that is not the case today.  I enjoyed seeing some hints at other King plots mentioned but let's be honest, some of the people in Needful Things were just characters from his other books with different names.  Just try to convince me that Ash Merrill is not Trashcan Man from The Stand.  A great character study for any King fan but not one I'll pick up again.  

RATING: 3 PAWS

Can't Wait Wednesday (317)

 

Can't Wait Wednesday 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.

FROM GOODREADS: In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that's just legend, the village gossips talking.

Twenty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys, reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods? 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I've always been a HUGE fan of Sleepy Hollow tales so I can't wait to see Henry's take on this spooky classic.  And how great is that cover???

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOODREADS: The Black Sheep Knitters are on the case when a club member's ex-boyfriend is accused of murder at the Plum Harbor Farmers and Crafts Market in the fourth installment of New York Times bestselling author Anne Canadeo's knitting-themed Black Sheep & Co. Mystery series.

Romantic entanglements and handcrafted murder tie the Black Sheep knitters in knots when the local farmers' market becomes a haven for a killer . . .

Phoebe Myers, Black Sheep Knitting Shop's assistant manager, finally comes out from behind the counter to sell her own creations--Socks by Phoebe--at the Plum Harbor Farmers' and Crafts Market, a lively, colorful venue that draws shoppers from miles around. But her excitement cools when she learns the previous tenant of her booth, farmer Jimmy Hooper, committed suicide. She's barely raised her Grand Opening banner when Hooper's death is upgraded to murder.

Phoebe worries that her stall is jinxed when things go from bad to worse. The last person she wants to see, her ex-boyfriend Harry "The Potter" McSweeney, appears in the stall across the aisle to sell his wares. The Black Sheep advise Phoebe to be strong and resist the handsome artist's spell. But romantic sparks and tempers explode in a very public scene--and a pile of broken pottery. Before Phoebe can get back to business, her stall is trashed, her Facebook page hacked, and another vendor is found dead.

The Black Sheep worry for Phoebe's safety, especially when Harry becomes the prime suspect in both crimes. Phoebe refuses to believe he's a killer and is determined to prove him innocent. Her friends are not convinced, but for Phoebe's sake--and her safety--the Black Sheep puts their wits together to catch the crafty marketplace killer who's hiding in plain sight . . .

WHY CASSIUS CAN'T WAIT:  I don't think Mom has read ANY of this series but I'm featuring this one today strictly because of the cover.  See that look on that brown pup's face?  I look at Apollo that way...DAILY!

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

Top Ten Tuesday - The Best Animal Characters!

 

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to That Artsy Reader Girl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.

This week I am sharing some of my favorite animal characters.  Look, a topic made just for me!!!!

This book actually has two of my favorite animal characters of all time - S.T. the crow, who is the best foul-mouthed narrator EVER, and Dennis the bloodhound, his best pal.  You can see how much I loved this book HERE!

Another book which has two of my faves - Jake, the blind rescue dog, and Ulysses, the moose.

I ADORED Guffer!

Jack is the PERFECT neighborhood dog.  He belongs to everyone and has a knack for bringing people together. 

Kirby and his attitude should be appreciated by everyone!

You wouldn't know from this cover but this book, and the series in general, has the cutest rescue Pitbull named Piggy.

I can't forget Smooshie!

So what way to end a list - with Pearl the killer pig.  Although I like to consider him merely misunderstood!

So there you have it. I can't wait to see everyone's lists this week!

What's Happening... (04-24-21)

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer

So the job is still going really well and I feel like I'm getting more of a foothold on things.  It's the kind of work though where you're always learning new things so I think it will take me a while to reach a comfort level though.

Cassius and Apollo are doing well.  Cass has a bit of a tummy ache as I type this but I don't think it's anything the Pepto I've given him and a lot of cuddling won't cure.  This week was the anniversary of when we lost Booker T so that's always rough for us.  

Gpa is back in the hospital.  It's kind of a long story but the last time I mentioned him, he was in the hospital after being found barricaded inside his home.  We managed to get him into a nursing home for a short-term stay because he couldn't be home alone and because Stupid Uncle never did all the paperwork he should have done months ago.  Anyway, he was in quarantine for 14 days and I only got to see him once through a window for few minutes.  My Aunt and I managed to figure out they weren't giving him the right meds, despite me telling them they weren't and even driving 75 miles to give them a medical print out.  Stupid Uncle came in Thursday and when I called Friday to arrange a visit for today since he was to be out of quarantine finally, learned he had abnormal blood work and that an x-ray earlier this week indicated they may have been a hip fracture.  He is now in a different hospital and a fracture of his left femur near his hip has been confirmed and he may need surgery.  I don't think he'll survive it so I'm waiting for a call for an update at the hospital (because COVID limits visitors) as I type this.  Poor guy.  That nursing home is going down!

I have been reading quite a bit but somehow I let Stormi convince me to read Needful Things with her for a buddy Retro Horror read this month and it's killing me.  I like it but it's so long and I'm having a hard time concentrating.  I did actually visit a book store last weekend and found this cool Shining bookmark.

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A post shared by Barb (boxermommyreads) Briggs (@boxermommyreads)

And Tor Nightfire was kind enough to send some e-arc invitations my way and I can't express how thrilled I am. I've already read Certain Dark Things but I do see a reread in my near future.  I loved it so much.

 

So I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.  I'll close with a picture of our lovely son Booker in his favorite Walking Dead cap.

TBR and Beyond Tours - Sugar and Spite

 

TITLE: Sugar and Spite

AUTHOR: Gail D. Villaneuva

PUBLISHER: Scholastic

PUBLISHING DATE: April 20, 2021

PAGES: 208

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: 

Jolina can’t take Claudine’s bullying any longer! 

The taunts and teasing are too much. Though Jolina is still learning her grandfather’s arbularyo magic and isn’t supposed to use any on her own, she sneaks into his potions lab to get her revenge. There she creates a batch of gayuma, a powerful love potion. 

And it works! The love potion conquers Claudine’s hateful nature. In fact, Claudine doesn’t just stop bullying Jolina—now she wants to be Jolina’s BFF, and does everything and anything Jolina asks. 

But magic comes with a cost, and bad intentions beget bad returns. Controlling another person’s ability to love—or hate—will certainly have consequences. The magic demands payment, and it is about to come for Jolina in the form of a terrible storm…

Magic and reality mingle in this brilliant new middle-grade novel about true friendship that asks whether it’s ever okay to take away someone’s free will.

MY THOUGHTS:  This is such an adorable MG novel and I can think of tons of people, both young and old, who might enjoy it.  Jolina and her family moved to help her grandfather following her grandmother's death.  Her father now runs the family restaurant and her mother gets a job in an up-scale ocean front resort.  Jolina spends her time between hanging out with her best canine pal Kidlat, her grandfather and school.  Her grandfather is teaching her arbularyo magic but Jolina can't quite get the hang of it.  When she sneaks and uses it to make the town's bully Claudine like her, will it work out the way she planned or have unintended consequences?

This book was super sweet.  I loved the family relationships, the pets and how important a role they play, and message it sends about friendship, being different, and bullying.  In fact, let me break it down.

THE TOP 5 REASON YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!

1.  Kidlat - he's super adorable and the bond between him and Jolina is priceless.

2.  You'll learn something - I had so much fun learning about Filipino culture from the food, the locale and the healing magic.

3. I ADORED the relationship between Jolina and her grandfather.

4.  It teaches a very important lesson about acceptance and bullying.

5.  It has such a fun and colorful cover!

So there you have it.  I do have to say there is an animal death in this book and you guys know how that effects me.  But other than that, Sugar and Spite is a fantastic read.

RATING: 4 PAWS

CHECK OUT THIS LINK FOR THE REST OF THE TOUR

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gail D. Villanueva is a Filipino author born and based in the Philippines. She’s also a web designer and an entrepreneur. She loves pineapple pizza, seafood, and chocolate, but not in a single dish together (eww). Gail and her husband live in the outskirts of Manila with their dogs, ducks, turtles, cats, and one friendly but lonesome chicken. Her debut novel MY FATE ACCORDING TO THE BUTTERFLY (Scholastic, 2019) was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, an Amazon Best Book of the Month Editor’s Pick, and a NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People. Gail’s next book, SUGAR AND SPITE, will be published by Scholastic in Spring 2021. Learn more at www.gaildvillanueva.com.

It Needed a Bigger Avalanche!

 

TITLE: The Sanatorium

AUTHOR: Sarah Pearse

PUBLISHER: Pamela Dorman Books

PUBLISHING DATE: February 2, 2021

PAGES: 400 

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: 

You won’t want to leave. . . until you can’t. 

Half-hidden by forest and overshadowed by threatening peaks, Le Sommet has always been a sinister place. Long plagued by troubling rumors, the former abandoned sanatorium has since been renovated into a five-star minimalist hotel. 

An imposing, isolated getaway spot high up in the Swiss Alps is the last place Elin Warner wants to be. But Elin’s taken time off from her job as a detective, so when her estranged brother, Isaac, and his fiancée, Laure, invite her to celebrate their engagement at the hotel, Elin really has no reason not to accept.

Arriving in the midst of a threatening storm, Elin immediately feels on edge–there’s something about the hotel that makes her nervous. And when they wake the following morning to discover Laure is missing, Elin must trust her instincts if they hope to find her. With the storm closing off all access to the hotel, the longer Laure stays missing, the more the remaining guests start to panic. 

Elin is under pressure to find Laure, but no one has realized yet that another woman has gone missing. And she’s the only one who could have warned them just how much danger they are all in. . .

MY THOUGHTS: I love a good snowy thriller and when this one threw in the word "Gothic" it made it move that much more quickly on the TBR.  However, I'm sad to say that I've been burned a lot in 2021 by my the promise of isolated, snow-filled murder, mayhem and horror and The Sanatorium is just another book on that list (I'm looking at you Near the Bone and Shiver).

Elin Warner is a detective who has taken some time off after almost being drowned by a serial killer.  This trauma only added to one she experienced as a child, one where her baby brother also drowned.  Now Elin and her boyfriend are traveling to a new hotel in the Alps to meet her older brother and his fiancee and celebrate their upcoming wedding.  However, Elin isn't going to celebrate.  She is going in order to confront her brother and learn what role he actually played in his brother's "accidental" death.  

Soon after their arrival, the fiancee goes missing and Elin is pulled into an investigation she didn't plan on spearheading after an avalanche cuts the staff and guests off from the police as well as a way out.

This book sounded so good and I even heard comparisons to The Shining.  Seriously, did the people that compared it ever READ The Shining?  And even if they just watched the movie, the two STILL have nothing in common.  This book is not a Gothic horror.  It's a thriller at best which is probably doing so well because it just happens to have the Reese Witherspoon sticker on the front.  In fact, I'm actually surprised I got it so easily at the library because when I returned it, there were at least 8 people on the list behind me.  

I easily guessed the murderer and as for the childhood trauma, I saw that explanation coming a mile away as well.  I've said before that even if characters are unlikable, I can still enjoy a book.  But The Sanatorium had the most depressing cast of characters I've ever experienced.  They were all boring and miserable and I wished a bigger avalanche had wiped them all out - about 200 pages in.

I don't know who I would recommend this book to so I'm going to leave it at that.  If you are looking for a snowy thriller, read Shiver instead.  I didn't necessarily like it when I read it but this novel makes it look like a masterpiece.

RATING: 2 PAWS

2 Bloggers 1 Book - Near the Bone

 

So this time around Stormi and I tackled an author I really enjoy who just happens to be one she was giving one last chance.  We were both really excited to read Near the Bone and honestly, I think I was a tad disappointed and I know she was REALLY disappointed.   I even tried to convince her to DNF the book but she didn't listen.  And she usually DNF's so much more easily than I do.  So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's @ Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! and read her review - I'm sure it will at least be entertaining!

TITLE: Near the Bone

AUTHOR: Christina Henry

PUBLISHER: Berkley Books

PUBLISHING DATE: April 13, 2021

PAGES: 336

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: 

A woman trapped on a mountain attempts to survive more than one kind of monster, in a dread-inducing horror novel from the national bestselling author Christina Henry. 

Mattie can't remember a time before she and William lived alone on a mountain together. She must never make him upset. But when Mattie discovers the mutilated body of a fox in the woods, she realizes that they're not alone after all. 

There's something in the woods that wasn't there before, something that makes strange cries in the night, something with sharp teeth and claws. 

When three strangers appear on the mountaintop looking for the creature in the woods, Mattie knows their presence will anger William. Terrible things happen when William is angry.

MY THOUGHTS: I really don't pay attention to trigger warnings.  I mean, I read horror so I've ran into them all at one point I'm either not phased or else cold and heartless (my money MIGHT be on that one).  But I do have to say, this book is not for everyone. There are strong depictions of domestic violence, rape and incest.

Mattie lives on a mountain with her much older husband, William.  He is very controlling and abusive and there is definitely a reason they live off the grid.  One day Mattie stumbles upon something odd going on in the woods (and is later beaten because of it which didn't start me out on a good foot).  As the story progresses, William and Matttie learn there is some kind of creature sharing their mountain and William, believing it is a demon God has sent for him destroy, sets out to kill it.  However, Mattie knows the unknown creature isn't the only monster on the mountain, and she is trying to figure out how to escape them both.

I did enjoy quite a few things about this book.  I love Henry's writing and everything flowed well.  And you know me, I also love my secluded, snowy settings (although they have really burned me lately so I may have to rethink that).  I really wanted to see Mattie succeed and the other characters Henry introduced were likable too.  Well, one was a bit annoying but he was written that way so it was no big deal.  And I have to give Henry credit.  I've ran into many unlikable characters during my reading journey but William crossed the unlikable category and went immediately to the hated-his-guts category. 

Another thing I have to add.  I taught domestic violence classes for over nine years and Henry nailed that element of the book.  The tactics William used to manipulate and isolate Mattie were classic DV 101.  And how everything he did effected Mattie was spot-on as well.  The scenes between the two weren't easy to read but on the other hand I really respect the time Henry put into creating them.

Now for the dislikes.  I honestly think this book is being marketed wrong. Everyone thinks it's primarily a horror novel but I would argue it's more of a domestic thriller with some supernatural aspects.  Dare I say I didn't get enough of the creature?  And the explanation for it at the end kind of angered me.  I wasn't pleased.  I actually picked this book up for the creature, not the crazy-ass fanatical wife-beater.  

And finally, I must ask this question.  Who the hell was Heather?  If you've read this and have an answer, please leave it in the comments.  I either really missed something or am not smart enough to pick up on some deeper meaning.  

If you want a hard-hitting domestic thriller, then look no further.  But just prepare yourself for the hard-hitting part.  

RATING: 3 PAWS

Can't Wait Wednesday (316)

 

Can't Wait Wednesday 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.

FROM GOODREADS: The Conjuring meets Sadie when seventeen-year-old podcaster Dare takes an internship in a haunted house and finds herself in a life-or-death struggle against an evil spirit.

Dare Chase doesn’t believe in ghosts.

Privately, she’s a supernatural skeptic. But publicly, she’s keeping her doubts to herself—because she’s the voice of Attachments, her brand-new paranormal investigation podcast, and she needs her ghost-loving listeners to tune in.

That’s what brings her to Arrington Estate. Thirty years ago, teenager Atheleen Bell drowned in Arrington’s lake, and legend says her spirit haunts the estate. Dare’s more interested in the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death—circumstances that she believes point to a living culprit, not the supernatural. Still, she’s vowed to keep an open mind as she investigates, even if she’s pretty sure what she’ll find.

But Arrington is full of surprises. Good ones like Quinn, the cute daughter of the house’s new owner. And baffling ones like the threatening messages left scrawled in paint on Quinn’s walls, the ghastly face that appears behind Dare’s own in the mirror, and the unnatural current that nearly drowns their friend Holly in the lake. As Dare is drawn deeper into the mysteries of Arrington, she’ll have to rethink the boundaries of what is possible. Because if something is lurking in the lake…it might not be willing to let her go.  

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I'm in a real horror mood lately and it's pretty much all I want to read.  Although I'm sure that will change soon, doesn't this one sound great?  And that cover!  I know people tend to love books with podcast elements so this has that going for it as well. 

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOODREADS: Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn . . .

When she's abandoned just before Christmas, Peggy the pug is taken in by a foster family with a unicorn-mad little girl. Peggy thinks that her new friend, Chloe, wants a unicorn for Christmas - not a puppy. Believing that anything is possible, Peggy decides that she will turn into a unicorn. All she needs is a long silky mane, a glowing horn, and the ability to do magic! Easy, right?

Peggy is determined to make her new friend's Christmas wish come true. And if she does, maybe she'll finally find a forever home . . .

WHY CASSIUS CAN'T WAIT:  I've been looking for some books for Apollo.  I mean, that kid needs to read more and torment me less.  I think he'll enjoy this one.  It would be so cool if he was a unicorn, but don't tell Mom I said that.

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

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Shadow and Bone

 

I'm sure there are tons of people out there starting this series in anticipation of the new Netflix series releasing later this month.  Well, you might say Stormi and I hopped on that bandwagon as well.  So read on to see what I thought about the first book and then hop over to Stormi's  at Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My! to see what she thought.

TITLE: Shadow and Bone (Shadow and Bone Trilogy #1)

AUTHOR: Leigh Bardugo

PUBLISHER: Henry Holt & Compant

PUBLISHING DATE: June 5, 2012

PAGES: 358

SOURCE: Own library

 

FROM GOODREADS: 

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 

Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 

Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.

MY THOUGHTS: I've always been curious about this series and actually bought all three on sale in ebook form at one time or another where they proceeded to sit on my Kindle for years.  So I guess the Netflix series has at least motivated me to start reading them which I guess it good.  

Overall I could say I wasn't overwhelmed with the first book.  Alina and her friend Mal grow up in an orphanage and then enter the military.  One day while crossing the dark and treacherous Fold, they are attacked and in order to save Mal, who she has secretly been in love with since children, she unleashes a powerful, blinding light.  Once this happens, Alina becomes the center of attention for the leader of the Grisha, the Darkling.  She is immediately enamored with him but can he be trusted? And being forced to leave Mal behind, will they ever reunite.

So I'll admit it.  For a hot minute I was under the Darkling's spell.  And I STILL wish I had his "boom clap" power.  However, my love affair ended quickly when his true colors, mostly black, begin to show.  I mean, he's not called the Darkling for nothing right?  Alina was an okay protagonist but I believe she has "special snowflake" syndrome except in her case it's "annoying low self esteem special snowflake" syndrome.  If I had to listen to how plain she looks or how thin she is much longer, I'd have gagged.

All and all I did enjoy the story but didn't find it spectacular.  I also felt that for at least 70% of the book, nothing really happened.  I am curious about what happens next so I believe I'll pick up the next book sometime soon.  I've heard lots of people hate Mal as well so I need to know what awful thing he does.

RATING: 3 Paws

Can't Wait Wednesday (315)

 

Can't Wait Wednesday 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.

FROM GOODREADS: The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks. 

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  Just look at that cover.  And I really enjoyed Get Out so I'm hoping I'll enjoy this one as well.

CASSIUS'S PICK:

FROM GOODREADS: Holiday mischief abounds in this third book in the middle-grade series that feels like The Secret Life of Pets meets Toy Story .

It's the holiday season at Good Dogs doggy day-care! Lulu takes some time off from growing her Instagram fame to enjoy Jasmine's family, King and Cleo learn their family is about to grow some more, and Napoleon can't help but brag about his family's eight nights of presents.

But Hugo has the biggest challenge of all. His new puppy brother, Waffles, starts talking about how Santadoodle, Santa's dog, puts presents for dogs into their owner's shoes on Christmas morning.

Hugo is skeptical at best: he's never heard of Santadoodle and never found presents in his humans' shoes that he didn't put there himself. But he can't bear for Waffles to be disappointed, especially on Christmas. That means the Good Dogs have a new chaos-filled mission!

This third installment of the Good Dogs series brings fun holiday cheer and lessons about expectations, adapting to change, and appreciating what you have.

WHY CASSIUS CAN'T WAIT: I've already put this on my Christmas list.  Mom definitely has to get this one for us because I want to hear all about Santadoodle.  

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

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I'd Gladly Throw Into the Ocean

 

The top 10 weekly meme used to be hosted by The Broke and the Bookish they  handed over the reins to That Artsy Reader Girl who can be found HERE.  Each week she will focus on lists which cover various topics related to books and reading.

This week's topic is books I'd gladly throw into the ocean.  This should be easy enough and I bet you'll see some old favorites - or should I say not-so-favorites.

This one was definitely not what I was looking for when I read it. 

This one will fit right in floating around in the ocean.

If you've been visiting my blog for any amount of time you knew this one would be featured here.

Here's another one that should be a shock to no one!

I found this thriller to be pretty boring.

Here's one I just finished and haven't even reviewed yet.  I can't wait for the ocean to melt all that snow and sweep away all those depressing people!

Looking back I think 2 stars was a generous rating for this one.

Since the MC is thinking of ending things, it won't be upset to be helped along with a push off the side of a boat.

Deer can swim right?  I wanted to like this one so badly.

This is actually the only book I've read by this author that I haven't liked.  I loved The Unwanted Guest.

So there you have it.  I know a lot of people love these books and I'm not saying anything negative about the books, the authors, or the people who love them.  They just weren't for me.

Did any of these make your list???