Binge Watching - Why You Have to Watch Riverdale!

Do you spend hours in front of the TV, maybe days?  Did you ever want to chat with other Binge Watchers or ask people for suggestions or maybe just review the season you watched.  Stormi from Books, Movies, Reviews, Oh My! and Michelle from Because Reading had the perfect idea to create a bi-weekly meme to do just that. 

This week I'm sharing with you a TV series which Greg from Book Haven raved about and Stormi recently watched as well - Riverdale.

Riverdale is a teen drama which aired on the CW earlier this year.  It's based on the Archie comics but all I can say is this isn't the Archie comics I remember.  This Riverdale is much darker and more edgier.  When the season opens, there has been a murder in town of a very popular high school twin. The remainder of the season centers around the investigation and what happened with some very interesting side stories thrown in.  While somewhat creepy (in a tame way) the scariest thing to me about the show was the surviving twin.  I was pretty sure there might be an incest twist popping up somewhere the entire time I watched it.

I honestly can say the characters of Archie and Betty interested me the least, despite them being the main leads initially, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED Jughead, and was very taken with Veronica as well.

I never thought I would enjoy this show so much and all I know is now I can't wait for Season 2.  Riverdale is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

The Well - A Really Good Horror Read

TITLE: The Well
AUTHOR: Marie Sexton
PUBLISHER: Self Published
PUBLISHING DATE: May 22, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: Twenty years after prom queen Cassie Kennedy is brutally murdered, six teenagers break into the house where she was killed to hold a seance. Haven knows his cousin Elise only wants to scare the crap out of him and his friends, but he's willing to put up with one of her pranks if it means a chance to spend a few hours with the new kid in town, Pierce Hunter.

But when morning comes, Elise has disappeared without a trace.

Twelve years later, Pierce and his twin brother Jordan are professional paranormal investigators, starring in their own ghost-hunting TV show. When Pierce calls Haven, insisting they return to the supposedly haunted building one last time, Haven reluctantly agrees. He's nervous about seeing Pierce again, but he's determined to get some answers. Did they really speak to Cassie's ghost that night? What happened to Elise? And the biggest mystery of all - how did she know the secret of the well?

MY THOUGHTS: 
It took me way to long to review this book even though I really loved it. Twenty years ago a popular high school student and 5 of her friends decide to spend the night in a supposedly haunted house. Although Cassie loves to play jokes and her cousin, Haven expects a night of twists and turns, things go horribly wrong and Cassie ends up dying. Haven has never really gotten over the death of his cousin and now, two of the twins that were originally there have a "ghost hunting" show and contact Haven because they want to go back to the scene of the crime. Haven used to have a secret crush on one of the twins, Pierce, so he agrees to go back home.

I really liked the way the book is told in dual timelines. The author makes it easy for the reader to understand what is going on now and what has happened in the past. As the take unravels, I really started connecting with Haven and really wanted him to find out once and for all what happened to his cousin and how it ties it to a mysterious well on the abandoned property. I also really enjoyed that Haven and Pierce's budding relationship wasn't "in your face" and instead complimented this tale of horror - not take it over.

This is a really good thriller/mystery. There is just enough horror for it to be considered a horror novel, but not a whole lot. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to give horror a try but doesn't want to go all out and gruesome. Also, it's a really fast paced read and did a wonderful job of getting me through a potential slump. I really glad I picked up "The Well" and hope more people give it a chance.

I received a copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

RATING: 4 PAWS

 

Saga Vol. 6 - The Love Continues

TITLE: Saga Vol. 6
AUTHORS: Brian K. Vaughn & Fiona Staples
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PUBLISHING DATE: July 5, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: After a dramatic time jump, the three-time Eisner Award winner for Best Continuing Series continues to evolve, as Hazel begins the most exciting adventure of her life: kindergarten. Meanwhile, her starcrossed family learns hard lessons of their own.


MY THOUGHTS:  The Saga series has cemented itself among one of my most favorite graphic novels of all time. In this volume, we see Marko and Alana searching for their daughter, who is being held in a sort of intergalactic prison camp. Haze, their little girl is now 5, attending school, and is wise beyond her years. The Lying Cat once again makes a small appearance and I hope we see more of him in the future. Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ghus and honestly hope this little seal man keeps on surviving. His courage in protecting the prince is this volume is so courageous. So basically, if you haven't picked up this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!!!

RATING: 5 PAWS

AND FOR SOME EXTRA ADDED PLEASURE....

Meet Ghus.  Isn't he just the cutest thing ever????

Stacking the Shelves - 119/Sunday Post

Stacking the Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves or TBR piles, may it be physical or virtual.  This means you can include books you buy in a physical store, online, books you borrow from the library or friends, review books, gifts and of course, ebooks! The original meme was started over at Tynga's Reviews. And it now has a new co-host where individuals can link up as well - Marlene from Reading Reality.  Clicking on the book (or title) should take you to the Goodreads page.  I'm also now linking up with the Sunday Post which is hosted by Kimberly@Caffeinated Book Reviewer. I'm hoping to discover some new blogs to love.

I ordered two books from Abe Books and they finally arrived this week.  I originally saw Shock Rock I over at Sci-Fi & Scary and when I went searching for it, found out it was no longer in print.  I also then discovered there was a Shock Rock II.  I was able to find both on Abe Books for less than $7.00 total (including shipping) so I took the plunge.  They are in decent shape and remind me of old-time pulp horror.  I hope to read both of these collections in October. (Also pictured is a new lawn ornament Mr. Barb bought me for our Pet Memorial Garden we have in our back yard - isn't he cute?)

Next up are some books I grabbed for my Kindle (aka - Paul Anka).  They were either cheap deals or free and since they are combined from the last 2 weeks, I'm not really sure which were which.  I know I paid full price for "A House at the Bottom of a Lake" because it was a reward for going 4 weeks without any soda.  "Black Widow" and "Thor and Peace" were daily deals at some point.  "A Beautiful Poison" was my Kindle First choice this month and "Thea" and "The End of Me" were free. Gee, I guess I do remember!

Finally I received a few books for review.  I've been looking forward to "Graveyard Shift" and "The Big Get-Even" and "Friend Request" sound like decent thrillers.

So what did you add to your shelves this week?  Have you read any of these?

Weekly Reads (07/14/17)

So it's always hard returning to work after vacation but overall, it's been a smooth transition back. Mr. Barb has to work this weekend (he works one a month) but he had two extra days off more than I did so it won't be too bad.  I plan on running errands, doing some cleaning and binge watching some TV while he is at work.  He still gets home by 4pm so that's not bad.

Thursday, July 13th was my Grandfather's 96th birthday.  I got to see him briefly when he was in town and will go and visit him Saturday morning.  My Uncle is on the barge in stormy Illinois/Wisconsin so he won't make it in but they celebrated before he left.  Going to take him a surprise birthday cake!

So we did mange to watch Kong: Skull Island before we went back to work.  I really liked it even though I had to cover my eyes during parts of the movie.  I'm such a  "kill all the humans you want but leave the animals alone" watcher.  The effects were good and for once, I actually didn't like a character portrayed by Samuel Jackson - that doesn't happen too often.

I've gotten quite a bit of reading done lately although some of it has been graphic novels.  I've just started "Final Girls" so it's at the top of the stack but here are all the books I hope to at least crack open over the next seven days.

Also, I've heard rumblings that Riley Sager is a pen name for a popular author.  Has anyone else heard that and if so, any clues?  Stuff like that drives me NUTS!

Hope everyone has a productive, safe and fun week!!!!

I Want More! (Gwendy's Button Box Review)

TITLE: Gwendy's Button Box
AUTHOR: Stephen King & Richard Chizmar
PUBLISHER: Cemetery Dance Publications
PUBLISHING DATE: March 16, 2017

FROM GOODREADS: The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told... until now.

There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974 twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong (if time-rusted) iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside.

At the top of the stairs, Gwendy catches her breath and listens to the shouts of the kids on the playground. From a bit farther away comes the chink of an aluminum bat hitting a baseball as the Senior League kids practice for the Labor Day charity game.

One day, a stranger calls to Gwendy: "Hey, girl. Come on over here for a bit. We ought to palaver, you and me."

On a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat like for a suit, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat...

Journey back to Castle Rock again in this chilling new novella by Stephen King, bestselling author of The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, and Richard Chizmar, award-winning author of A Long December. This book will be a Cemetery Dance Publications exclusive with no other editions currently planned anywhere in the world!

MY THOUGHTS: 
So having just finished this book, and by just I mean within the last hour, I'm kind of going with an impulse rating. Part of me wants to go with 3/5 but then there really isn't anything horribly wrong with it and there are a few things that I really like that to me deserve more than a 3/5, so I'm going a tad higher.

The summer before she starts middle school, Gwendy spends everyday running up the "suicide steps" at her local park. Before school finished, some classmates had taken to calling her "goodyear" because she is somewhat on the chubby side, and Gwendy is determined to have a fresh start. Toward the end of summer, she is approached by a man at the top of the stairs wearing a black suit and hat. Gwendy thinks the man is a creeper, but she talks to him anyway and at the end of the encounter, she is given a box with two levers on the sides and different colored buttons on top. One lever opens a door which produces a tiny chocolate candy which makes her no longer want to overeat and crave food, and the other produces a silver coin, worth quite a bit of money. The buttons are a different story and Gwendy knows that if she chooses to push one, something bad will likely happen. The remainder of the story revolves around Gwendy's care of the box, the decisions she makes and the things that happen to her.

My main issue with "Gwendy's Button Box" is its length. Call me crazy, but I'd rather read one of King's mammoth tomes than a book which has less than 200 pages. I like his character development and how everything from the town to its people weave together and I just believe there was a lot more in this story that could have been fleshed out. Overall it felt kind of rushed. However, in my opinion, the concept is pure King. The book has some cool artwork sporadically throughout and on a side note, my hometown has its own set of suicide stairs which made for a fun extra. The ending of the tale is quite satisfying and I was immediately attached to Gwendy and cared what happened to her.

So basically my opinion is this - if you are a big King fan, you're probably going to read this book. I don't think it's one of his stellar works, but it's a strong read and quite enjoyable. If you're not a collector of his books, grab this one from your library because it was somewhat painful to pay such a high price for this Cemetery Dance hardback release given it is so short. However, I don't regret my decision one bit!

RATING: 4 PAWS

Can't Wait Wednesday (114)

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:  Everyone in Vallen knows that ice wolves and scorch dragons are sworn enemies who live deeply separate lives.

So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he has to question whether they are even related. Still, whether or not they’re family, Anders knows that Rayna is his best and only true friend. She’s nothing like the brutal, cruel dragons who claimed her as one of their own and stole her away.

To learn what he needs to rescue her, Anders will have to enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves that values loyalty to the pack above all else. But for Anders, loyalty is more complicated than blind obedience, and friendship is the most powerful shape-shifting force of all.

New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman delivers heart-pounding adventure and breathtaking magical inventions in this unforgettable story about finding one’s place in a sharply divided world.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  First of all, I've heard lots of good things about the author, Amie Kaufman.  Secondly, that cover (actually that should probably be first).  And last but not least, I love wolves and can't wait to learn more about a school for young wolves.

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