Feed Your TBR - The Little Coffee Shop of Horrors

 

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 12, 2024

SYNOPSIS: Will true love brew in this killer coffee shop?

One new owner. One hot barista. And one seriously weird coffee shop

Adele is down on her luck. She’s just been kicked out of her latest musical theatre gig, and it now looks like the bright lights of Broadway are behind her for good. So, when the opportunity comes up to take over a Brooklyn coffee shop, it feels like at last things are going her way.

The only issue is the coffee shop comes with strings attached in the form of one very grumpy (but roasting hot) waiter, Ben. He’s worked there for years and he’s not about to move on just because there’s a new owner in town.

But soon it’s not just Ben who’s smoldering, because strange things are happening with the old coffee roasting machine in the back of the shop, with roaring flames and weird noises that seem to come from nowhere. She’d ask Ben for help, but he never seems to be around when there’s a problem to fix. And to add to it all, now some of the regular customers are nowhere to be seen…

Trouble is brewing for Adele and, before she knows it, she’s in a whole latte trouble.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  While the synopsis does sound pretty good, I'm not going to lie and admit I will solely be picking this up because of the cover. 

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

I'm Kind of Mad I Didn't Hate This!

 

TITLE: Middle of the Night

AUTHOR: Riley Sager

PUBLISHER: Dutton

PUBLISHING DATE: June 18, 2024

PAGES: 367   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul-de-sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle? 

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate. 

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present.

MY THOUGHTS: Is it wrong to go into a book almost sure that you aren't going to like it?  Even worse, I kind of didn't want to like it because after the debacle that was "Final Girl" and the Grape Soda and Xanax experience I've never partaken in but felt like I did - over and over again - had me close to writing off Sager's book forever.  But I decided it was time to give him a second chance so I could forever write him off my "do not read" list but guess what?  That didn't happen.

Middle of the Night starts as Ethan Marsh returns home to live in his childhood home following a split from his wife and his parents finally moving to a condo in Florida.  Ethan has always dreaded returning because when he was 10, his best friend Billy disappeared one night without a trace while the two were camping in the backyard.  Ethan's case was never solved and now Ethan is sure Billy is back.  Lights around the cul-de-sac keep mysteriously going on and off and he keeps finding baseballs in his yard, a trick Billy used to do to signal to him it's time to play.  Is Billy back, is Ethan losing his mind, and what really happened 30 years ago?

So, what did I enjoy about this book?  The supernatural elements kept me intrigued even though I was pretty sure there were real-life explanations to what was happening (you'll have to read it to see if I was right). There were a couple of pretty intense scenes, but I will admit that I found a certain element of the mystery falling a bit flat at the end.  Ethan's childhood babysitter is also back in town helping her dad, along with her son Henry, who I will admit was the star of the show for me. I enjoyed learning more about Ethan and his past and loved that the book was told in alternating timelines.  In addition, it was nice that each flashback to the past was told from the POV of a different resident of the cul-de-sac from when Billy disappeared. This technique was a great way for the reader to piece things together. Sager also manages to land a few bombs I didn't expect which is always nice.

Now the bad news - I don't think I can write Sager off for good yet.  This is his first book featuring a male protagonist so maybe that's why it worked better.  Of course that being said, he still painted some pretty questioning portrayals of some of the females in the book.  I enjoyed the story, the way it was told, as well as the supernatural elements here and there.  It was also a quick read and actually quite a bit of fun.  Guess the third book I decide to pick up will be my deciding factor.  But not for a while because I don't want to push my luck!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Farm News - July 21, 2024

 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend wherever you might be and whatever you are doing.  Things here at The Farm have finally cooled down a bit.  And by cool down, I basically just mean that the heat indexes aren't in the 93-104 range.  This is the hottest summer I've experienced in a long time. The boys have not been happy about missing their long evening walks, but it's just been too hot and boxers with their smooshed noses have breathing problems as it is.  We have been playing in the shade in the backyard and doing things inside to stimulate them though.  

Mr. Barb found out this past Thursday he has to go out of town for 4 days for a conference.  Nothing like last minute planning.  So, this weekend has been a lot of gathering things up and making sure he is packed and ready to go Monday afternoon.  I am worried about how the boys will be because they know when he usually gets home and start watching the door around 3pm every day.  I will do my best and we will be reading and watching movies Mr. Barb usually wouldn't like while he is gone.  Oh, and cooking for one which means less healthy options I am sure.

I have been doing pretty decent with my reading but as always, feels as if I have too many options and am not reading fast enough.  I just need to remind myself it's not a race.  I currently have three books going.

A Fatal Groove (Record Shop Mystery #2): Olivia Blacke

The Drowning House: Cherie Priest

Expiration Dates: Rebecca Serle

I will do a haul next time and in fact, may actually do a separate post.  I've been gathering some books when Kindle has them on sale while also trying to take advantage of the KU I pay for every month.  I think Amazon needs an all-inclusive rate if you ask me - Prime, KU and Kindle Music.  It would be a lot nicer than paying three different fees each month.

Hope you guys have a wonderful week.  Look for a few reviews this week, my norma, Wednesday Feed Your TBR post and perhaps another Buried by Books Library post.

THANKS FOR VISITING BOOKER T'S FARM!

I Can't Believe It's Over!!!!

 

TITLE: White Trash Zombie Unchained (WTZ #6)

AUTHOR: Diana Rowland

PUBLISHER: DAW

PUBLISHING DATE: September 5, 2017

PAGES: 354   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Angel Crawford has finally pulled herself together (literally!) after her disastrous dismemberment on Mardi Gras. She’s putting the pieces of her life back in order and is ready to tackle whatever the future holds. 

Too bad the future is a nasty bitch. There’s a new kind of zombie in town: mindless shamblers, infectious and ravenous.

With the threat of a full-blown shambler pandemic looming, and a loved one stricken, Angel and the “real” zombies scramble to find a cure. Yet when Angel uncovers the true reason the plague is spreading so quickly, she adds “no-holds-barred revenge” to her to-do list. 

Angel is busting her ass dealing with shambling hordes, zombie gators, government jerks, and way too many mosquitos, but this white trash chick ain’t giving up. 

Good thing, since the fate of the world is resting on her undead shoulders.

MY THOUGHTS: I finished this series up in June and am now getting around to doing a review.  Good thing it's the sixth one which prevents me from going into too many details for fear of spoilers.

As this book opens, Angel is still facing some ramifications of a few bad choices she made in the last book.  In fact, her life is kind of a hot mess but as a reader, I wouldn't have it any other way.  The baddies are now trying to release the zombie plague on the human population and have found a quick and easy way to do it.  It is up to Angel and her team to stop it before it happens while managing to protect those she loves.  Plus, she still has her job at the morgue, college and a new boyfriend who recently found out she is a zombie, to juggle along the way.

Words cannot express how much I love Angel.  She is definitely going on the list as one of my favorite characters ever.  Even though she is not with flaws and problems, she has a huge heart and will do anything for those she loves.  I've enjoyed seeing her relationship with her father mend and grow throughout the series and even enjoyed seeing some of the bad guys jump ship and fight beside her.

I would be remiss though if I didn't mention my two absolute favorite characters in this book - Biggie and Tupac.  See the two gators on the cover?  That's them.  They play such a big role in this installment and at the end, I just wanted to give them a hug.  Which probably is a bad idea looking back but oh well.

If you love urban fantasy and action-packed books, you HAVE to pick up this series. I have given each and every one of the six books a 5/5 rating and it is now one of my favorite series ever.  I only wish there were more because I'd love to see what the future holds for Angel and the gang!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - These Vengeful Wishes

 

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.

February 4, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: A teen girl moves to a small town and discovers a mysterious wishing well possessed by La Cegua, a vengeful female spirit with the face of a horse skull, in Vanessa Montalban’s new YA fantasy standalone.

When her stepfather is arrested, aspiring artist Ceci moves back to her mother’s hometown of Santa Aguas, an eccentric small town steeped in the legend of La Cegua, the specter of a wronged witch who appears on lonely roads at night, luring untrustworthy men to their deaths.

Ceci and her mother take up residence in the abandoned manor of the Sevilla family, rumored to have been cursed by La Cegua, where she begins to uncover a past that seems to be connected to her mother. The more she learns of the Sevillas, the more Ceci finds herself forming a strange affinity with the feared Cegua, who she suspects is the one inspiring her paintings of a mysterious door in the forest.

When the very door Ceci has been painting appears in the woods, she decides to venture through it with her new friend, Jamie. Together, they discover a well, guarded by the statue of a veiled woman. A well for granting wishes. The well of La Cegua.

What starts off as harmless fun quickly escalates into something sinister when Ceci realizes that the wishes are putting the people she loves in danger and testing her own penchant for vengeance. After learning others are also searching for the well, Ceci must confront the truth of her mother’s past and prevent La Cegua’s wishes from being used for the wrong reasons. Ceci knows too well how much people will sacrifice for power. Every wish has its price, and La Cegua never forgets the ones who have wronged her.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  If I pick up a YA book nowadays, it is usually horror, and this is one I can't wait for.  I love the cover and can't wait to learn more about La Cequa.  I do feel the synopsis is a tad too long though.

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

The Missing Body Blog Tour

 

TITLE: The Missing Person

AUTHOR: Kerry Wilkinson

PUBLISHER: Bookouture

PUBLISHING DATE: July 12, 2024

PAGES: 331   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: I ran to get help. But her body disappeared. Will anyone believe me? 

Megan is unpacking in the spare room of her sister’s house when she hears the scream. 

Racing to the nearby woods, she is shocked to see a young woman’s unconscious her pink top bright against the earth, her long, dark hair wet from a nearby stream. But when desperate Megan returns with the police, all they find is empty woodland.

She’s been through so much, her sister whispers, welcoming her home with a kind smile. You can’t blame her for seeing things.

But Megan knows what she saw – and her past shouldn’t come into it. Was the young woman dead, or dying? How can a body just disappear? 

Megan left home for a good reason. Now, confronting the past could be the only way to find the truth. But what if Megan is in danger, too? And what price will she have to pay, to find the girl from the woods? 

An absolutely gripping mystery thriller that will make you question who to trust and have you racing through the pages. Perfect for fans of Mark Edwards, Claire Douglas and T. M. Logan.

MY THOUGHTS: While The Missing Person is a thriller, it is definitely a slow-paced one which has a lot going on - sometimes too much.

Megan has left her home and her husband and moved into her sister's attic.  The reader is aware there is a good reason Megan left, but it isn't until the middle of the book that we learn why.  She is there a few days and when she hears a scream from the woods behind the house.  She heads out to look and finds a woman floating in a stream.  She is able to pull her to the bank and offer assistance, but she is too late.  She runs back to call the police but when they return the body is gone.  Megan's sister and the police lead Megan to believe she imagined the whole thing.  And Megan herself might even be convinced if so many other things were so weird such as a tooth she later finds at the crime scene, the secrets her sister and her husband Ben seem to be whispering about when no one is looking, Megan's new business venture despite being thousands of dollars in depth and the kitchen staff working in a locked room at her sister's cafe which Megan has been told to never enter.

Like I said, there is a lot going on in the book and at times I wished the action would pick up a bit.  Yet saying that, every time I put the book down, I would quickly pick it up again saying "Just one more chapter" because I REALLY wanted to know what was going on.  The ending was very satisfying and the way everything wrapped up was done more quickly than anything else in the book. I was cheering for Megan to prove to everyone she wasn't unstable and enjoyed her relationship with her estranged father growing as everything else fell apart.

I have not read from this author before, but if the subject matter piques my interest, I will definitely pick up another book by them again. If you like slower-paced thrillers with lots of mystery elements, then you might just enjoy this one!

MY RATING: 3 PAWS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Kerry Wilkinson is from the English county of Somerset but has spent far too long living in the north. It’s there that he’s picked up possibly made-up regional words like ‘barm’ and ‘ginnel’. He pretends to know what they mean.

He’s also been busy since turning thirty: his Jessica Daniel crime series has sold more than a million copies in the UK; he has written a fantasy-adventure trilogy for young adults; a second crime series featuring private investigator Andrew Hunter and the standalone thriller, Down Among The Dead Men.

https://kerrywilkinson.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KerryWilkinsonBooks/
https://twitter.com/kerrywk

June Wrap Up

 

Well, better late than never.  Seems July has gotten away from me, with vacation, a work project and a few renovations around the house.  I am desperately behind on reviews but hope to catch up soon.  In the meantime, it's about time I shared what I read in June.  I would say the theme of the month was "4 paw reads" because that's the majority of the ratings.  

An Enchanting Case of Spirits 

The Presence (Harrison Investigations #2)

Life's Too Short

Annie LeBlanc Is Not Dead Yet

We Used to Live Here

Secrets in the Dark (Blackbird Trilogy #2)

White Trash Zombie Unchained (WTZ #6)

Pardon My Frenchie

Dark Things Crawl Out

Nosy Neighbors

Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1)

My biggest surprise was Nosy Neighbors, and I can't recommend it enough.  I loved reading about Darius Rucker so that was a fave as well.  My biggest disappointment has to be We Used to Live Here.  I think it's one of those books you are either gonna love or find "meh."