Monday, February 10, 2025

"I See Dead People"

 

TITLE: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer (S.C.Y.T.H.E. Mystery #1)
AUTHOR: Maxie Dara
PUBLISHER: Berkley
PUBLISHING DATE: October 1, 2024
PAGES: 352   
SOURCE: Library


FROM GOODREADS: Kathy Valence is forty-two, mid-divorce, and pregnant with her ex's baby. She's also a modern-day grim reaper employed by S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), but frankly that's the easiest part of her life right now. Or at least it was, until her latest client's soul goes missing. 
When she finally tracks down seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, he angrily denies he died of natural causes, despite what his file says. He insists that someone at S.C.Y.T.H.E. murdered him, and he demands Kathy find out who and why. 
Kathy has only forty-five days to figure out what happened to Conner and help him move on before the boy's soul is doomed to roam the Earth as a ghost forever. She’s forced to rely on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband—and some sneaky moves by Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career. . .and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

MY THOUGHTS: This book took me forever to read but it isn't a reflection of how much I enjoyed it.  I think because it was a physical library book, I just kept picking other things up instead.  I made myself sit down this weekend determined to finish it and I'm glad I did.  Now I am excited about the next installment.

Kathy is a grim reaper for S.C.Y.T.H.E.  When someone dies, she collects their souls and makes sure they move on to processing.  It's usually fairly uncomplicated until she is dispatched to the death scene of 17-year-old Conner.  Conner's death was described as a medical condition but when she arrives, his soul is nowhere to be found.  Kathy needs to find him stat because after 45 days of limbo, Conner is destined to be a restless ghost for eternity.  When she does finally find him, he tells her he was murdered, and he thinks someone from S.C.Y.T.H.E. did it.

Kathy is a really fun character.  She believes everyone in her family is cursed and that being a grim is the only thing that she is good out. She cannot tell her husband anything about her job, so she has shut him out and filed for divorce, even though she "accidentally" ends up pregnant after they separated.  She also has a great friend sidekick, Jo, who was a former S.Y.C.T.H.E. employee and who has lived a wild and eventful life.

The mystery in the book was a fun element but what I loved most was the relationship between Conner and Kathy.  Throughout the book they work together to find Conner's murderer and learn a lot about each other, and themselves, along the way.  I would consider it a "found family" trope but with a ghost.  

If you love cozy mysteries with less emphasis on the cozy part, then this book is one you might want to consider.  It's a solid opening to a new series and I can't wait to see what supernatural fun lies ahead!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS



Thursday, February 6, 2025

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Proven Guilty (Dresden Files #8)

 


I can't believe I have been going strong with this series for eight months now.  Thank goodness I have Stormi to motivate me.  This one really knocked it out of the park and is probably one of my most favorites so far.  So read on to hear my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's at Storm Reads for hers.  

 

TITLE: Proven Guilty (Dresden Files #8)
AUTHOR: Jim Butcher
PUBLISHER: Doubleday
PUBLISHING DATE: February 6, 2017
PAGES: 547   
SOURCE: Library


FROM GOODREADS: There's no love lost between Harry Dresden, the only wizard in the Chicago phone book, and the White Council of Wizards, who find him brash and undisciplined. But war with the vampires has thinned their ranks, so the Council has drafted Harry as a Warden and assigned him to look into rumors of black magic in the Windy City. 
As Harry adjusts to his new role, another problem arrives in the form of the tattooed and pierced daughter of an old friend, all grown-up and already in trouble. Her boyfriend is the only suspect in what looks like a supernatural assault straight out of a horror film. Malevolent entities that feed on fear are loose in Chicago, but it's all in a day's work for a wizard, his faithful dog, and a talking skull named Bob....

MY THOUGHTS: As I just mentioned, Proven Guilty is one of my favorite installments in this series yet.  Harry is now a designated Warden which brings on new responsibilities.  The beginning of the book opens up with a dramatic scene (let's be honest, what Dresden book doesn't open with a dramatic scene) which really foretells the direction the book is heading.  

There are no baddies invading Chicago who take the form of horror movie monsters and feed on someone's fear. Someone has summoned these creatures, and Harry needs to figure it out before more people die.  Along the way, Harry ends up getting help in some form from about everyone we have encountered previously, including Michael, Murphy and Thomas.  My beloved Mouse plays a big role and even though there is a scene where he gets hurt, I will assure you Mouse does not die (if he ever does, I'll probably stop reading).  We also get a lot of Molly, Michael's daughter. There are quite a few new developments and reveals in this book and Molly is at the center of both of them.

This book had it all - action, character development, strategic reveals and of course, Mouse.  I loved it when Harry and Murphy work together and seriously, just kiss already guys.  This book contains very little romance, which is fine, but I seriously need these two together stat!  I also enjoy seeing Thomas working with Harry and am loving seeing the brotherly love between these two grow.

I am so glad Stormi convinced me to read this series and am looking forward to what the next one has to offer.  I can now see why so many people love this series.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS


Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Feed Your TBR - Sour Cherry

 

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: In a mysterious apartment filled with ghosts, our unnamed narrator attempts to explain this to her child - how do I talk about this? she wonders.

The truth must become something beautiful. We must begin with a fairy tale.

And so she begins to construct a beautiful fairy tale for her child - one that begins with a strange baby boy whose nails grow too fast and whose skin smells of soil. As he grows from a boy into a man, a plague seems to follow him everywhere. Tragedy strikes in cycles - and wife after wife, death after death, plague after plague, every woman he touches becomes a ghost. These ghosts call out desperately to our narrator as she tries to explain, in the very real world, exactly what has happened to her.

And they all agree on one thing, an inescapable truth about this man, this powerful lord who has loved them and led them each to ruin.


WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I initially fell in love with the cover and after reading the synopsis, I grew a bit confused.  I need to read this one to learn more. It sounds really weird and sometimes I just love a weird story!

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

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Farm News - February 2, 2025

 


Can I express how happy I am that January is finally over!  We had lots of snow and frigid temps.  The coldness led to frozen pipes because when we had plumbing done over the summer, they didn't replace the heat tape.  We got it unthawed after three days.  

Then my husband's contractor friend needed some money because he had been out of work for three weeks due to the weather and called and asked if we had any projects we wanted done.  Normally we wouldn't have done anything in January, but we wanted to help him out.  He came and insulated our basement ceiling and thus the pipes that had recently unthawed, insulated a wall beneath the chair rail in our dining room, replaced out bathroom floor and put down new laminate, and replaced out toilet.  Then came disaster. He was replacing the sink and vanity and broke the shut off valve.  Our house is 125 years old, and he tried and tried but after three days, couldn't get anything in the bathroom to run without massive leaks.  And because the sink shut off valve was broken, we had to turn off the water to the entire house.  We finally gave up and contacted a plumber, but they were booked until Wednesday.  However, they were able to come over and get us up and running but it ended up being an additional five days without water.  I kept reminding myself how blessed we were compared to some, but it was frustrating to say the least. 

Then to top it off, that same Wednesday, my mom fell and fractured her pelvis in several places.  She is currently in the hospital, but surgery is not needed. They are managing her pain and getting her used to using a walker to get around.  She will need 4-6 weeks to heal but at least she doesn't live alone, and her boyfriend is around to help.

All of this interfered with my desire to read, and I didn't read as much as I wanted in January.  I have to catch up in February somehow.  I did obtain some great arcs the past two weeks though and can't wait to share them here.






Something I Keep Upstairs: J.D. Barker
Mayra: Nicky Gonzalez

I have picked up a few books on sale for my Kindle so I will save them and share the during my next update.  I hope you were able to catch my new feature, Coming Attractions, which I posted Friday.  I hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying lots of good reads.

Thanks for visiting Booker T's Farm!


Friday, January 31, 2025

February Coming Attractions

 


Today, I'm starting a new feature here at Booker T's Farm.  I am not a strict TBR reader, but I do like to have an idea of what I am reading for the month.  So, I thought I would use this space to give you a brief wrap-up of the prior month's reading and then a look at what you might see in the upcoming month.  This was the best title I could come up with, so I hope you enjoy this new feature!

The month of January, I only read seven books.  This is kind of low for a month that seemed to last forever, but check in Sunday for some more news on that.  I do have three carryovers which I am more I am hoping I can finish early, and which will add to the February stats.


I have a few February review books that I really have to, as well as want to, make time for this month. Sick Houses is a non-fiction which sounds really interesting, Hollow Ground is the start to a new series (and look - a dog!) and I've heard good things about Listen to Your Sister, a new horror being blurbed as for fans of Jordon Peele. 

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I have three buddy reads with Stormi this month.  White Night will be our 9th Dresden File book, Deep Midnight is the third book in the Alliance Vampires series, and Ghost Walk is the third book in the Harrison Investigations series.

And finally, I have two "twisted romances," My Funny Demon Valentine and Butcher and Blackbird because after all, it is February and a cannibal book, The Reddening, for my online horror book club.


Have you read any of these books?  I'm sure I won't get to them all but a girl can hope right?


Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Cold Weather Zombies?

 

TITLE: Winter People
AUTHOR: Jennifer McMahon
PUBLISHER: Doubleday
PUBLISHING DATE: February 11, 2014
PAGES: 336   
SOURCE: Own Library


FROM GOODREADS: West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter. 
Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara's farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that has weighty consequences when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished. In her search for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea's diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother's bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked into the historical mystery, she discovers that she's not the only person looking for someone that they've lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.

MY THOUGHTS: I ended up reading this as it was the January selection for an on-line horror book club I participate in. I've had it on my shelves for years and was glad for the motivation to finally pick it up.  

The book features two distinct timelines which collide at the end.  In the early 1900s, we are following Sara and her family.  When Sara was a child, her mother died and she was raised by her father, and a mysterious woman who lived in the mountains known as Auntie.  Auntie was a practitioner of alternative healing and medicine although many people considered her a witch.  This is where the reader is introduced to the "sleepers."  Deceased individuals who have been ritualistically brought back to life.  

In the current day, we meet Ruthie, her mom and sister.  Ruthie has just graduated high school and wants nothing more than to leave West Hall. She returns home from partying one night to find her mom missing and her six-year-old sister Fawn home alone.  Ruthie now has more responsibility than she ever dreamed and she and her sister start looking for their mother.  What they find and learn along the way may lead back to Sara.  Throw in a bunch of other characters, a lot of drama, some eeriness and evil child who may be more victim than actual evil and you have an atmospheric read perfect for a January read.

I have to say this book kind of started off slowly and it wasn't until about 45% in that I felt it picked up.  I really enjoyed the dual timelines and eventually became really invested in the activities in both. I also felt there were too many characters thrown in at first but at least they all played a part in the end.  I was pleased with how everything wrapped up and have to admit that this was a good choice for a book club discussion.  If you are wanting a more atmospheric horror tale, and I honestly think it's a stretch to call it horror, then this definitely an option to consider.  I felt like my rating is a strong 3.5 but for Goodreads purposes, I'm rounding down to 3 instead of up because it just doesn't hang in comparison to some of my other 4-star read.

MY RATING: 3 PAWS





Saturday, January 25, 2025

Buried by Books #6

 


It's time for another wacky edition of my series where I show you books I've recently put on hold at my library or through Libby.  I've expanded to books I've added to my Kindle Unlimited wish list as I'm trying to get the most out of my monthly subscription.  This will be another KU edition. 




Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies: Catherine Mack - I know this is a rather popular book and I received an email a few weeks ago it is now available on KU so I added it to the list.  I also see this is now a series, so I apparently need to get cracking on book one. 

Helloween: Duncan Ralston - Halloween, dangerous entity, teens fighting for their lives (although I believe this is an adult book). I mean, what's not to like.  The one thing holding me back is apparently this book is 696 pages.  That's one long Halloween night.

St. Lucifer's School for Girls: A.M. Caplan - All I basically needed was the title to add this to the list of books I might read one day.  The cover doesn't hurt either. 


So, there you have it.  Have you read any of these by some chance?  Where would you start if these were on your list?


Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Feed Your TBR - 13 Months Haunted: A Novel

 

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.


August 12, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: Piper Lowery, a public library clerk in charge of liaising with the local middle school, can tell right away there’s something strange about the new girl in eighth grade. Avery Wallace won’t touch any kind of technology, not even the computers at the library, and her mother comes to school with her every day, refusing to leave her side—not even when Avery uses the restroom.

And then there are the rumors, the whispers Piper hears from kids in the hallway and parents around Avery’s mother is a witch. Her sister and father were killed by something supernatural. A strange virus killed them.

Seeing how isolated and lonely Avery is, Piper befriends her but quickly realizes it might just be the worst decision she’s ever made. Because there’s something dark inside Avery Wallace, and it’s spreading . . .

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I still haven't read Dead Eleven but I do recall loving the concept so much I ran out and bought a physical copy.  I need to know what darkness is inside Avery and I love this this features a librarian.  

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

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Beware the Duppy!

 

TITLE: Honeysuckle and Bone
AUTHOR: Trisha Tobias
PUBLISHER: Sweet July Books
PUBLISHING DATE: January 14,, 2025
PAGES: 320   
SOURCE: ARC


FROM GOODREADS: On the run from her own dark secrets, a teen girl becomes the nanny for a prestigious family on their extravagant Jamaican estate—but things aren't quite as they seem, and she quickly discovers even paradise may be haunted. 
Carina Marshall is looking to reinvent herself, and what better place to do it than Jamaica, her mother’s alluring homeland where she conveniently has access to an au pair gig for the wealthy and politically powerful Hall family. After months of being the target of vicious rumors and hate online (which she just might deserve), the luxurious Blackbead House seems to hold everything she wants, a world of mango trees, tropical breezes, and glamorous parties—and a place to disappear. 
Once there, Carina joins up with her fellow junior staff members, the self-named Young Birds, and finds herself sinking right into her busy, but comfortable, new life. Yes, the Halls run a tight ship, and yes, there is some tension amongst the family, but she’s content flying under the radar, doing her job, and hanging out with her new friends—not least, the handsome and charming Aaron. 
But when inexplicable things start happening to her in the house, only getting worse each night, Carina realizes that someone—or something—is out to get her. Is it the house itself? The Halls? Or, worse, is it her own past catching up with her? With the help of Aaron, she must figure out what is haunting her, and fast, before she is forced out of Blackbead House for good. 
Eerie, propulsive, and full of intrigue, Honeysuckle and Bone is a deliciously atmospheric, young adult novel, following an imperfect yet courageous teen as she seeks to remake herself in the homeland she always idealized, only to discover that new beginnings don’t always come easy.

MY THOUGHTS: This book caught my attention when I saw it tagged as an atmospheric, Gothic horror.  Throw in the Jamaica setting and I knew it was one I needed to read.

Unbeknownst to Carina's parents, she has headed to Jamaica for the summer to work as a temporary au-pair for the Hall family, a prominent family tied up in Jamaican politics.  Carina is running from her past and obtained the job under fraudulent circumstances, but she quickly falls into routine and makes friends with the other young individuals employed by the Halls.  However, nothing can explain the mysterious things happening at the Hall residence.  Carina is haunted by a duppy whom she believes is trying to kill her.  But is the duppy someone from the past Carina is clearly running from, or someone completely different trying to send Carina a message?

First of all, let me say I found it totally fascinating learning more about Jamaican folklore and traditions.  I had no idea what a duppy is (fyi - it's a word of African origin for a ghost or spirit and in Jamaica, often in the form of something which howls through the night). While this was a YA book, it read a bit older to me but if you pick it up, still prepare yourself for some usual teenage angst.  However, that didn't take away from the mysterious horror which we all know was what I really signed up for. I ending did provide me with a twist and even though I think it took a heck of a coincidence for it to happen, it was still quite entertaining.

If you are looking for a book featuring something different, then consider picking this one up.  I love horror of all kinds, and this was a great atmospheric read.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS


Sunday, January 19, 2025

Farm News - January 19, 2025

 


Well, it's another snowy weekend here at the farm. It seems like it is all we had since the new year began.  I'm always wanting some snow during the winter, and to be honest, the past few years we haven't had much.  Now we are hunkering down for a frigid arctic air snap until at least Wednesday so even though in some ways I'm wishing my life away, please just get to Wednesday.  At least Mr. Barb and I both have holidays tomorrow and we can chill and watch movies and play video games all day.  Oh, and READ!  I can't forget reading.  After all, it's why most of us are here right?

Last Saturday we had a decent snow for once, it wasn't too cold for the pups to play outside so all went outside, played and built snowmen.  Here are a few pics of the snow pups! And I had to include a picture of Sam the Snowman, whom the boys kept knocking down.  Poor Sam!



My reading slowed down a bit this week, but I am committed to getting a lot done on my day of Monday.  Here are the three books which I need to get finished before January is over.  I'd love to squeeze in a fourth as well.  

Winter People - Jennifer McMahon: This is for a book club the last Sunday of the month.

Proven Guilty (Dresden Files #8) - Jim Butcher: I am buddy reading this with Stormi.

A Grin Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer - Maxie Dara: I am about 75 pages into this one and loving it, but it keeps getting pushed aside for review books.

Finally, I got some real exciting review books this week.  Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers!


When the Wolf Comes Home - Nat Cassidy
Beasts of Carnaval- Rosalia Rodrigo
Whistle - Linwood Barclay

House of Monstrous Women - Daphne Fama
Direct Descendant - Tanya Huff
Deadstream - Mar Romasco-Moore

I hope everyone stays safe this coming week if you are in the path of bad weather and I hope the fires in California finally cease.  

Thanks for visiting Booker T's Farm!


Thursday, January 16, 2025

2025 Reading Plans/Challenges

 


Once again similar to last year, I have taken some time to really figure out what challenges I want to do in 2025.  I pretty much do them for my own enjoyment, but I want to make sure they are something I could realistically achieve.  I scoured the web and found a few which I not only wanted to share with you but also wanted to document for my own tracking purposes.  

As always, I will still be doing several buddy read with Stormi each month and I also participate in an Facebook book club called "Scream with Mel" where we read and discuss what is usually a backlisted horror book each month.  

What an Animal 2025 - Hosted by Socrates' Book Reviews
This challenge consists of reading book where an animal is prominently featured.  The animal could also be a supernatural "animal" such as a dragon, werewolf, vampire, etc.  You get the drift. I am going for the highest level, LEVEL 4 which is 21 or more books.

LIBRARY LOVE CHALLENGE - Hosted by Books of My Heart
This challenge has three different semesters when you commit to reading 12 library books each 4-month semester.  There are lots of giveaways and stuff so if you use your library, including Libby or Hoopla, then I highly suggest you check this out.

Taylor Swift Challenge/Horror Edition
I found this in a Facebook horror group I am in, and it looked fun.  I'm not a HUGE Swifty but did really enjoy her Folklore and Dead Poet's Society albums.


2025 Books of Horror Reading Challenge
This came from the same Facebook group.  I tried to do the same one last year and hit 20 of 24 prompts. 



TBR and Beyond 2025 Reading Challenge
This is the same group I do the "Scream with Mel" book club and I didn't do this last year but saw it and thought I'd give it a go.  I can't seem to get the picture uploaded but it basically has  different prompts.

So there you have it.  I definitely allow books to double up across challenges, just not within the same challenge.  And the last three are really the only ones where I have to make books fit prompts, so I figure it's doable.  And if not, that's why they are called challenges right?






Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Feed Your TBR - The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club

 

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.


June 24, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead.  

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia, and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex's life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn't commit?

Filled with humor and shenanigans, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a romp of an adventure by award-winning author Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Dial A for AuntiesFinlay Donovan Is Killing It and John Tucker Must Die.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I think this mystery sounds like a lot of fun and come on and I love the idea of all the exes working together.

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

    

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Woodrose Mountain

 

Stormi and I figured it was time to knock another book off in the Hope's Crossing series. There are so many of them, it's really pretty scary.  The thing I love the most about this series is it is filling the Virgin River void.  The books really are kind of similar but Stormi and I both agree the Hope's Crossing series is a bit darker.  So read on for my thoughts and then check out what Stormi thought over at Storm Reads.

 

TITLE: Woodrose Mountain (Hope's Crossing #2)
AUTHOR: RayAnne Thayne
PUBLISHER: HQN
PUBLISHING DATE: December 27, 2011
PAGES: 336   
SOURCE: Library


FROM GOODREADS: Hope's Crossing is still reeling from a devastating accident, but one occupational therapist may be exactly what the town needs… 
Evie Blanchard was at the top of her field. But when burnout forces her to walk away from her job as a pediatric occupational therapist, she moves from Los Angeles to Hope's Crossing seeking a quieter life. So, the last thing she needs is to get involved with the handsome, arrogant Brodie Thorne and his injured daughter, Taryn. 
A self-made man and single dad, Brodie will do anything to get Taryn the rehabilitation she needs…even if it means convincing Evie to move in with them. And despite her vow to keep an emotional distance, Evie can't help but be moved by Taryn's spirit or Brodie's determination to win Evie's support—and her heart. With laughter, courage and more than a little help from the kindhearted people of Hope's Crossing, Taryn may get the healing she deserves—and Evie and Brodie might just find a love they never knew could exist. 

MY THOUGHTS: Even though it had been a while since I read the first book in this series, it was easy to fall back into the world of Hope's Crossing.  Reading this series gives me the same kind of comfort that reading the Virgin River series do and I'm glad to say I seem to fly through them just as quickly.

Brodie's 15-year-old daughter Taryn suffered a traumatic brain injury in the accident that took the life of a classmate and put the mayor's son on trial for drinking and driving.  Taryn finally came out of her coma and has been in a rehab facility but due to her obstinance and teenage attitude, they have asked that she be moved.  Brodie asks Evie, who was physical therapist before moving to Hope's Crossing and starting a new career creating jewelry. Evie has her own reasons for not wanting to go back to that life, but she eventually agrees to help long enough for Brodie to find a permanent replacement.  But just how attached, and to whom, will she become along the way?

I love a good enemies-to-lovers trope and enjoyed seeing the tension between Evie and Brodie transform into something different.  Taryn could be a real brat at time but considering she is just a teen whose life has been completely turned upside down, I think she has a reason to act that way at times.  This installment also shows a lot of character growth from many of the characters and was really pleased with the way it ended.  I will say there is something that happens with Evie's adorable labradoodle, Jacques, which really hit me hard and it probably the reason I knocked the book out of a 5-paw rating.  Don't worry, Jacques doesn't die but Evie commits such a selfless act that I know right now I could never do.  Good for Evie, but I still hated reading about it.

If you are looking for a new series to try and like women's fiction from time to time, check out this one.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book and as an author, I think that's exactly what you are looking for from your readers when writing a series.  Also, all the books are already released so I can decide to pick it up whenever I want.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS



Monday, January 13, 2025

What the Heck Did I Just Read?

 

TITLE: Victorian Psycho
AUTHOR: Virginia Feito
PUBLISHER: Liveright
PUBLISHING DATE: February 4, 2025
PAGES: 208   
SOURCE: ARC


FROM GOODREADS: Winifred Notty arrives at Ensor House prepared to play the perfect Victorian governess—she’ll dutifully tutor her charges, Drusilla and Andrew, tell them bedtime stories, and only joke about eating children. But the longer Winifred spends within the estate’s dreary confines, and the more she learns of the perversions and pathetic preoccupations of the Pounds family, the more trouble she has sticking to her plan. Whether creeping across the moonlit lawns in her undergarments or gently tormenting the house staff, Winifred struggles at every turn to stifle the horrid compulsions of her past. When her chillingly dark imagination breaches the feeble boundary of reality on Christmas morning, Winifred is finally ready to deliver on her generous gifts. Wielding her signature sardonic wit and a penchant for the gorgeously macabre.

MY THOUGHTS: Every once in a while, I will find a book that calls to me and I'm not quite sure why.  I saw this categorized as horror and Gothic, which I am sure you know are some of my favorite buzzwords, and knew I wanted to give it a go.  And boy, am I glad I did!  I finished this book several days ago and it is STILL sticking with me. 

Ms. Winifred Notty is a governess by trade, even though it's pretty obvious she doesn't really like children.  As the book opens, the reader sees her arriving for a new position at Ensor Houss for the Pounds family.  Slowly Winifred falls into a routine carrying for the odd children, Andrew, who is weak but still the apple of his father's eyes and Druscilla, who is a bit peculiar with a hint of dangerousness mixed in.  Winifred slowly becomes closer to Mr. Pounds, but not without the notice of Mrs. Pounds and as the book progresses, Winifred's behavior becomes more and more odd. 

I don't want to say too much about this book.  It's not an extremely long one and honestly, I think it's best to go into it with little information.  As I was reading, I have to admit, I didn't like any of the characters and the children confirmed my life-long decision to not procreate.  But man was I sure fascinated by all of them.  At times the book reads like a fever dream and some of the sardonic thoughts in Winifred's mind did make me chuckle.  I couldn't wait to see what happened next and devoured this book in two sittings.  I also have to add, this book is not for the faint of heart and the ending... What an ending! 

If you love Gothic horror and unhinged plots and characters, this is the book for you.  There is a twist in Victorian Psycho I didn't see coming but once it had been revealed, it made so much sense.  I definitely plan on going back and reading Feito's debut novel, Mrs. March.  Even days after finishing it, I find my thoughts going back to this book.  I need more from this author and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS