2 Bloggers 1 Series - Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3)

 

So far, I'm managing to keep up with the monthly Dresden file readalong.  I am really enjoying the series but have to admit I found this one a bit slower than the previous one. Don't get me wrong though, I'm still enjoying it. So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's and see hers.

 

TITLE: Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3)

AUTHOR: Jim Butcher

PUBLISHER: ROC

PUBLISHING DATE: September 1, 2001

PAGES: 378   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you're the only professional wizard in the Chicago-area phone book. 

But in all Harry's years of supernatural sleuthing, he's never faced anything like this: The spirit world has gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble - and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone - or something - is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn't figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself....

MY THOUGHTS: Slowly but surely, Harry is encountering all of my favorite supernatural beings.  And seriously, I'm starting to think "Trouble" is actually his middle name.

Harry and his friend, Michael, who is a demon-hunting knight, are fresh off a case which happened off scene. Now, Chicago is being terrorized by ghosts each night - and not the Casper kind.  These ghosts are infiltrating people's nightmares and causing some serious bodily and mental damage.  Harry quickly learns that they are tied to baddie he and Michael last fought so we get to see what unfolded off-book while the story progressed.  To make matters worse, Harry had to return to Nevernever to figure out what is going on which has his Fairy Godmother hot on his tail again. And finally, to top it all off, the vampires are in town and Harry can't work fast enough to find out how everything ties together.

I had a harder time getting invested in this book, but I think it was because it kept referencing a case the reader never encountered.  However, once all the pieces fell into place, I started enjoying it more.  We get to see how Harry and Susan's relationship has developed but I admit I was saddened that Murphy didn't have a bigger role.

Overall, this is another solid installment in Harry's ever-growing adventures.  I'm excited to see what happens next and I'm sure I can't imagine the trouble he will find next.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Vamptember TBR

 

So, the quickest way for me to break a TBR is to make one but since Stormi and I are cohosting this challenge, I felt it was only appropriate that I share some vampire books on my "stack" which I might pull from starting September 1st.  They cover everything from middle grade to literary horror to some unusual finds on Kindle Unlimited.  I'm not providing full synopsis but only a sentence or two but if you click on the titles, they should take you over to Goodreads. And be sure to visit Stormi's booktube to see what she has planned.

Thirst - Mariana Yuszczuk, Heather Cleary:  This is a translated literary fiction book dubbed as "A breakout, genre-blurring novel from one of the most exciting new voices of Latin America’s feminist Gothic."

So Thirsty - Rachel Harrison: I have an arc of this one and have read from the author before.  I won't lie, I'm mainly picking it up for the cover.

Lucy Undying - Kiersten White: "Lucy Westenra has been a tragically murdered teen, a lonesome adventurer, and a fearsome hunter, but happiness always eluded her. Can she find the strength to destroy Dracula once and for all, or will her heart once again be her undoing?"

My Vampire Plus-One - Jenna Levine: I've been waiting for this sequel as Reginald was my favorite character from the first book.  So glad he got his own story.

A Bite Above the Rest - Christine Virnig: A MG book where a kid moves to a town that celebrates Halloween all year long and the mayor just might be a vampire.

Mistress of Lies - K.M. Enright: A vampy fantasy read.

Fang Fiction - Kate Stayman-London: A romance where the MC gets a chance to visit her favorite fantasy novel world, but it just happens to be filled with vampires.

Cloak of the Vampire - Sapir A. Englard: Don't know a lot about this one other than it a romantasy filled with vampires.

The Curse of Ana Dalca - D.S. Quinton: A KU find featuring historical vampires set in 1780 Romania.

Blood in the Water - Carolina Cruz: Another historic KU grab.  Apparently, I have a thing for fangs and ships.

American Ghoul - Michelle McGill-Vargas: Couldn't resist this quote "American Ghoul deftly combines horror and social commentary—with a dash of a buddy comedy—in an innovative twist on the vampire genre."

My Vampire vs Your Werewolf - Paul Tobin: Another MG that features my two favorite creatures.  What's not to love.  Plus, Stormi and I will be buddy reading this one.

Now I know I won't get all of these read but I at least hope to get Bingo on the Vamptember Bingo Board and enjoy a few others along the way.  If you missed my announcement post, you can check it out here.  The more the merrier so please join if you like!

    

2 Bloggers 1 Series - The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls #5)

 

I knew when I heard this was being released, Stormi and I would end up buddy reading it as soon as possible.  We both really enjoyed the series when we read it (although I know for a fact she enjoyed it more) and we both had pretty much given up hope the author would ever continue.  But thankfully, she did and based on the ending in this one, I would predict she isn't done yet.  So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's at Storm Reads for hers.

TITLE: The Black Bird Oracle (All Souls #5)

AUTHOR: Deborah Harkness

PUBLISHER: Ballatine Books

PUBLISHING DATE: July 16, 2024

PAGES: 464   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Deborah Harkness first introduced the world to Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and witch, and vampire geneticist Matthew de Clairmont in A Discovery of Witches. Drawn to each other despite long-standing taboos, these two otherworldly beings found themselves at the center of a battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Since then, they have fallen in love, traveled to Elizabethan England, dissolved the Covenant between the three species, and awoken the dark powers within Diana’s family line. 

Now, Diana and Matthew receive a formal demand from the Congregation: They must test the magic of their seven-year-old twins, Pip and Rebecca. Concerned with their safety and desperate to avoid the same fate that led her parents to spellbind her, Diana decides to forge a different path for her family’s future and answers a message from a great-aunt she never knew existed, Gwyneth Proctor, whose invitation simply reads: It’s time you came home, Diana. 

On the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, the Proctor family home, and under the tutelage of Gwyneth, a talented witch grounded in higher magic, a new era begins for Diana: a confrontation with her family’s dark past, and a reckoning for her own desire for even greater power—if she can let go, finally, of her fear of wielding it.

MY THOUGHTS: This book picks up with Matthew and Diana's twins being seven years old.  It had been so long since I read the last book, that it took me about 75-100 pages to figure out what I had forgotten. The twins, Pip and Rebecca, are starting to come into their own magic and The Congregation wants to have them tested to see just how powerful they are.  Diana and Matthew both know The Congregation does not have the children's best interest in mind and are really wanting to learn how they can best use the children to serve them going forward.  One afternoon, Diana and Rebecca receive a mysterious visit by a black bird which leads Diana off to Ravenswood, her father's childhood legacy.  She hopes to find something that will help, and her Matthew protect the children, however, what she finds is her darker side of magic - a side she has refused to use up until now and a side which she does not understand.  Can she learn all about it, stay alive, protect her children and keep her marriage intact?  

There was a lot to grasp in this book.  The reader is introduced to a whole new set of characters from Diana's family as well as some rival witches who also live nearby.  The children are adorable (for children) and I especially love Diana's dog and Pip's familiar, who is a griffin but is usually masked as a dog as well.  I don't feel like the reader sees much of Matthew in this book and he doesn't really have his own plot, but rather his actions are done to prop up Diana and assist her in uncovering her new magical strengths.  I will say that while the plot is interesting, the whole book really sets the scene for what is to come.  I did enjoy the few magical battles the reader witnesses but all along, I keep feeling an undertone that what the author was doing was creating a wedge between Matthew and Diana we have not seen the end of.

Overall, this was a solid read.  I would say it's more accurately a 3.75 but will round up for the sake of Goodreads and making things easier.  I hope we don't have to wait too long for the next installment though because I finally feel like I once again have a decent grasp on the All Souls world.  One parting thing though, I NEED GALLOWGLASS!  Please Harkness, give him a book of his own.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

A Rehabilitated Zombie?

 

TITLE: Notes on a Zombie

AUTHOR: Daniel Betts

PUBLISHER: Amazon

PUBLISHING DATE: January 19, 2024

PAGES: 68   

SOURCE: Kindle Unlimited

FROM GOODREADS: A young man finds himself stuck in hospital with meningitis. The drugs are great, the food is terrible, and the zombie next door keeps hogging all the nurses. Why are they keeping that thing alive in here? Just let the dead die, right? The incessant moaning and vomiting were bad enough, but then came the new noise...Now drastic, borderline-absurd measures are required, otherwise that undead prick might just outlive him. But if he wants to get through this, he’ll need to look past his own petty prejudices and ask himself the big, difficult — Why do we all have such disregard for the elderly and infirm?— Is there more going on inside that thing’s head than just a yearning for flesh?— When will they restock the vending machine?— Is my bed actually that comfy or do I need to chill out on the morphine? With time running out, is there any hope for either of them? 

MY THOUGHTS:  I saw this book pop up or mentioned on social media somewhere and when I saw it was on Kindle Unlimited, I took a chance.  I don't want to say too much because it's a short novella, but I am glad I did.  

This book is told from the POV of a young man in the hospital for meningitis.  He lives in an age where the zombie apocalypse has already happened, and a cure has already been found.  The key to survival is catching it early thought and taking medications within the first month.  Suffering and healing in his hospital bed, a zombie is moved into the room next door.  What happens next is a hilarious but introspective look into humanity and what does it really mean to be human.

I loved the tale, and this book touched my cynical little heart.  The narrator is realistic and blunt at times but humane and kind at others.  If you are looking for a fun read with a hint of horror, this one is for you.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - Cold Eternity

 

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 8, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge housing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth’s most wealthy citizens. The ship and its cryo program are long defunct, but Halley starts to think she sees figures crawling in the hallways, and there’s a constant scraping, slithering, and rattling echoing in the vents. It’s not long before Halley realizes she may have gotten herself trapped in an even more dangerous situation than the one she was running from….

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I don't read a lot of sci-fi but when I do, I really need it to have a horror aspect. I loved "Dead Silence" from this author and am reading "Ghost Station" right now.  Doesn't that cover look super creepy?  

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

Farm News - August 18, 2024

 

It's been a while since I've done a general update, but life has just gotten in the way lately.  I am glad that I am still managing a few posts each week but come the weekends, I tend to slack off.  I also haven't done a book haul in ages so look for a separate post this week spotlighting all of my recent acquisitions. 

First of all and most importantly, today is a very special day here at Booker T's Farm. My dear Ezekiel Kwon (aka - Zekey) turns 1!  I can't believe it.  We will be having him a small party later today so look for pictures soon.  I'm so glad he joined our family and even though he is a tad odd, he's our little oddball and we all love him so very much.

I got the score on Friday at the end of the day for my second project for the year-long training I've been doing.  I got a 91/100 and you had to get an 80 to pass so I was thrilled.  It was a lot of work and I'm glad it paid off.  Now I have six months to study for the final exam and take the test and if I pass it, I will become a certified trainer.  

We have some major repairs coming up at the farm.  A project we knew for several years would need done finally reared its ugly head so sometime in the next few weeks our life will be disrupted for two days.  As much as I dread it, I know we are blessed it came at a time where we had the money put back already.  

As for reading, I finished three books this weekend so I will show you what I recently finished, and what I am looking forward to this coming week.  

You May Now Kill the Bride: Kate Weston - This book was a blast and a great example of how I can totally despise all of the characters and still enjoy the tale.

Corrupt (Devil's Night #1): Penelope Douglas - This was a book where I hate the book as much as I hated all the people in it.  You can find my review HERE.

Notes on a Zombie: A novella with heart, teeth and a little bit of brains...: Daniel Betts - I read this to fulfill a prompt on my Kindle Quarterly Reading Challenge.  I really enjoyed it and hope to review it for you guys soon.

Here is what I am working on this week:

Grave Peril (Dresden Files #3): Jim Butcher

Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places: Claire Kann

Ghost Station: S.A. Barnes

And finally, in case you missed it, Stormi and I are co-hosting a reading challenge the whole month of September called Vamptember.  You can find the announcement and all the information in my previous post HERE.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and staying safe.  Thanks for stopping by!

Apparently, I Like Torturing Myself

 

TITLE: Corrupt (Devil's Night #1)

AUTHOR: Penelope Douglas

PUBLISHER: Berkley

PUBLISHING DATE: November 7, 2023 (originally published November 15, 2015

PAGES: 503   

SOURCE: Kindle Unlimited

FROM GOODREADS: Dreams might be a heart’s desire, but nightmares are its obsession in the first novel of a dark romance series from New York Times bestselling author Penelope Douglas. 

Erika Fane’s boyfriend's older brother is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college's basketball team gone pro, he's more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than he is with her. But she saw him. She heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid... 

For years, Erika bit her nails, unable to look away. Now, she’s in college, but she hasn’t stopped watching him. He’s bad and the things she’s seen aren’t content to stay in her head anymore. 

Because he's finally noticed her. 

But Michael Crist knows the hold he has on Rika, how much she fears him. She looks down when he enters the room and stills when he’s close. He knows she thinks only of him. When Michael’s brother leaves for the military, leaving Rika alone and unprotected, he knows the opportunity is too good to be true. 

Three years ago, she put Michael’s friends in prison, and now they’re free. 

Every last one of her nightmares is about to come true.

MY THOUGHTS: I have a few disclaimers before I dive in.  First of all, even though I'm going to be bashing this book, I'm not bashing the author or people who have enjoyed this book.  Secondly, there might be a few spoilers here and there but I figure if you visit my blog, this isn't your typical genre (it's not mine either), so there's a good chance you won't read it anyway.  And finally, yep, I could have DNF'ed this and saved myself but I seriously wanted to know what happened and just how bad it would get.  Spoiler alert - it got REALLY bad.

Erica "Rika" Fane grew up with all the amenities a lot of rich, spoiled, entitled brats seem to have. Granted, she lost her father when she was young but that only solidified her entitlement because it made her the sole heir to the Fane fortune.  Her mother became aloof after her father's death and turned to alcohol and indifference, so Rika ended up basically growing up the home of rich family friends.  Also, in that home is her boyfriend Trevor, and his brother Michael.

Michael is a pro basketball star and every year on Halloween, he and his three besties turn into "The Horseman" where they terrorize their town for one night (insert abuse women, burn down things and wreck overall havoc) and get away with it.  Until one night they didn't, and Rika is to blame.  Rika is OBSESSED with Michael and tags along one night, the same night that leads to the imprisonment of three of the Horseman.  But now they are out of jail and want revenge.

Let me just say, I don't care how good-looking a guy is or how rich, if you are an ass, you are an ass.  And Michael is an ass.  Not only is he spoiled and entitled, but he is also mean and unfeeling.  He has always felt a connection to Rika and regrets that she dated Trevor but that doesn't stop her from encouraging his friends to reap revenge on a woman he adores.  And I'm talking physical abuse, near rapes, kidnapping her mother and gaslighting Rika on her whereabouts, freezing all her financial accounts and burning down her house. Rika is obsessed with danger and apparently pain and allows Michael to keep coming back for sex, even when she is stating in the prior sentence how much she hates him. 

I had planned on giving this book at least 2 stars.  I mean, honestly, even though it was probably for sadistic reasons at one point given the book is 503 pages, I did keep reading it.  But then came the epilogue.  The epilogue that flashes back to when Rika was 13 and she witnessed Michael strangling a dog with his bare hands after it was hit in the road and suffering "for its own good."  Yep, as if the crap I read wasn't enough, we just HAD to kill an innocent animal.  

There are three more books in this series which apparently follows the other three Horseman.  I have no desire to find out what happens to them because EVERYONE in book one should have died to begin with - except the dog.

MY RATING: 1 PAW

 

Vamptember Reading Challenge!

 

I've been commenting on and off all year that I am loving the vampire revival we are seeing in the publishing world.  And honestly, I've been accumulating quite a few vampire books.  So, some thoughts started rolling around my head, I had a few discussions with a great friend, and thus, Vamptember was born.  And not only will you find lots of Vamptember content here in the month of September, Stormi, from Storm Reads as well as her booktube channel which you can find HERE, has agreed to co-host with me. 

There are two ways to participate with us.  First there is a level system where you can simply commit to read the number of books associated with some of our favorite vampires.  The books can have vampire main characters, side characters or even as you will see, vampire animals.  The second way you can participate is by using our Vamptember Bingo Board. 

THE LEVELS:

The Littlest Vampire - Read only 1 book.

Bunnicula - Read two books

Damon Salvatore - Read three books

Dracula - Read four or more books

BINGO BOARD:

This challenge will run the entire month of September.  I plan on having posts sharing my TBR, some of my favorite vampire books, and maybe even a post about favorite movies.  If you want to join the fun, feel free to leave a comment saying so, grab some graphics from her and make an announcement on your own forms of social media.  I want this to be a low-key, no-pressure event but would love to see it grow and maybe become a yearly thing.  

Feed Your TBR - American Ghoul

 

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 3, 2024

FROM GOODREADS: You can’t kill someone already dead.

That’s what Lavinia keeps telling her jailer after—allegedly—killing her mistress, Simone Arceaneau. But how could Simone be dead when she was taking callers just a few minutes before? And why was her house always so dark?

Lavinia, a recently freed slave, met Simone, a recently undead vampire, on a plantation in post-Civil War Georgia. With nothing remaining for either woman in the South, the two form a fast friendship and head north. However, Lavinia quickly learns that teaming up with this white woman may be more than she bargained for.

Simone is reckless and impulsive—which would’ve been bad enough on its own, but when combined with her particular diet Lavinia finds herself in way over her head. As she is forced to repeatedly compromise her morals and struggle to make lasting human connections, Lavinia begins to wonder if is she truly free or if has she merely exchanged one form of enslavement for another. As bodies pile up in the small Indiana town they’ve settled in, people start to take a second look at the two newcomers, and Simone and Lavinia’s relationship is stretched to its breaking point...

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  Anything vampy always catches my attention and as you will see with a post coming tomorrow, I have a surprise announcement, and this book will tie right in. 

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

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2)

 

This month Stormi and I continued with our Dreden Files series read.  Like I might have mentioned, I read the first five years ago, so they are technically rereads.  However, I am finding I remember VERY little about them so it might as well be the first time around.  So read on to see how I enjoyed book two and then hop over to Stormi's @ Storm Reads to see what she thought.

 

TITLE: Fool Moon (Dresden Files #2)

AUTHOR: Jim Butcher

PUBLISHER: Roc

PUBLISHING DATE: January 9, 2001

PAGES: 401   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work — magical or mundane. 

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise. 

A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses--and the first two don't count...

MY THOUGHTS: When this book opens, Harry is still feeling the fallout and ramifications from the ending of book one.  His relationship with the police has taken a strong hit so Murphy isn't calling him for jobs like she used to.  While struggling to survive, Harry is glad when he is pulled into a new murder investigation - well, not glad someone died but glad to have some work.  He is hoping this work will repair his relationship with Lt. Murphy but before he knows it, he's pulled neck-deep in a string of murders where pawprints are left as evidence, gangs, organized crimes and his mess of a love life.

It's apparent early on that werewolves are involved in this book in a major way.  The reader is introduced to werewolf lore, how the hierarchy functions in Harry's modern-day world, and who is out to get who.  I loved that we get to learn more about Harry's history and of course, being a huge werewolf fan, I found myself right in my element.  

The mystery in this book is pretty complex and there are lots of players.  The action kept my attention and I couldn't wait to see what happens next.  In addition, Harry and Murphy are at odds for most of the book and I was excited to see if their relationship could be salvaged.  I honestly recall that some characters in this book show up in the next few books and it clear Marcone, the organized crime leader, isn't finished trying to lure Harry to the dark side - or maybe I should say darker side.  If you love urban fantasy, paranormal elements and a good mystery, then this series is for you.

On a side note, I remember SyFy launching a series following these books some years ago.  I never watched them and I'm not sure the series even lasted long but clearly someone missed the boat because there is a ton of material and a huge cast of characters.  Maybe someone should look into reviving this.  Anyone have any Netflix connections???

MY RATING: 5 Paws

July Wrap Up

 

Well, late again as always but better late than never.  July saw me reading a variety of genres and I had a few faves pop out.  Overall, I was pretty pleased with all of them and my lowest ratings was two 3-paw books.  I'll take it as a win!

The Presence (Harrison Investigations #2)

A Fatal Groove (Record Shop Mystery #2)

White Trash Zombie Unchained (WTZ #6)

Whalefall

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2)

The Missing Body

Still, Dark Places

A Novel Love Story

Middle of the Night

Finding Mr. Write

I am really glad I starting read The Dresden Files series with Stormi.  I enjoyed the second installment even better.  The Middle of the Night really surprised me, and I am heartbroken that The White Trash Zombie series is finished.  My favorites of the month were probably Finding Mr. Write and A Novel Love Story.  I also feel like I'm missing a book.  Maybe I'll figure it out eventually.

What did you read this month?  Any new favorites?

Feed Your TBR - Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)

 

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 1, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for. 

Online, Xander had it a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I loved the first Vera Wong book and although yes, it's technically a cozy mystery, it also had a great found family aspect which I love.  In addition, I love older characters in cozies!  

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