Summer of Horror - Music Edition

 

I am participating in an informal event created by my friend Tammy over at Books, Bones & Buffy and she is doing a book cover love feature.  This week I am looking at music and horror and let's just say, I've read a couple, but I've uncovered a whole new TBR to tumble down on me in the near future! 

I was really looking forward to reading D7 until I read Tammy's review.  However, I preordered it and it's a novella so I will give it a go soon.  

It's amazing how well these covers coordinate.  I could easily have thrown Lucifer Sam in anywhere here as well and stayed on theme.

I read Heart-Shaped Box YEARS ago and really want to do a reread soon to see if I love it as much as I remember.  I'm not a big rereader though and am always distracted by new shiny books!

Do you have any favorite horror books featuring music?  If so, share in the comments so my TBR can grow even bigger!

2 Bloggers 1 Series - Cursed at Dawn (Blackbird Trilogy

 

This month Stormi and I finally up the Blackbird Trilogy although I think there are now three more so who knows what the official title is anymore.  This one was probably my least favorite, but I do have a sense of accomplishment knowing that we got the trilogy done.  So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Storm Reads for Stormi's.

 

TITLE: Cursed at Dawn (Blackbird Trilogy #3)

AUTHOR: Heather Graham

PUBLISHER: MIRA

PUBLISHING DATE: August 22, 2023

PAGES: 352   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Dracula lives—and he’s hunting for his bride. 

Vampires may not walk among us, but FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter know real monsters exist. They’ve witnessed firsthand the worst humankind has to offer. They’re still catching their breaths after the apprehension of two such monstrous killers when they’re met with horrific news. Stephan Dante, the self-proclaimed king of the vampires, has escaped from prison, followed only by a trail of blood. 

All too familiar with Dante’s cruelty, Della and Mason know the clock is ticking. But as Dante claims more victims, a chilling message arrives. The vampire killer seeks his eternal bride—Della herself. Playing into Dante’s desires might be the only way to stop the carnage once and for all, assuming they can outwit him. Della is confident the agents have the upper hand, but Mason knows every gamble runs the risk of not paying off, and this time, the consequences could be deadly.

MY THOUGHTS: As I mentioned, this was my least favorite of the trilogy and while I found it interesting enough, I also had a few issues with it.

When the book opens, Stephan Dante is escaping from prison and leaving plenty of carnage in his rearview mirror.  Della and Mason, part of the elite group of FBI known as Blackbird, as well as the rest of the group, end up following him to Scotland, where Dante is once again convincing people he can give them everlasting life.  This time around though Dante has a bigger vendetta.  He wants both Della and Mason dead and will not stop until his plans are finalized.  

This book felt too much like a history book for my liking.  While Graham is known for working historical elements into her books, this one had page after page of tales behind almost everything Della and Mason encountered.  At a certain point, it became too much for me, and I found myself skimming at times.  Also, I found the pacing to be a bit off.  It took forever for the book to pick up speed and when it finally did, it was quickly over.  Finally, as much as I like Della as a character, she makes some really stupid decisions, in part because she is over-confident that she knows Dante better than anyone else.

I really am glad to have this trilogy behind me and because I am a bit of a completist when it comes to series, I will probably continue at some point if Stormi wants to.  However, I am really in no hurry at the moment and wish I had enjoyed this installment better.

MY RATING: 3 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - A Ghost Hunter's Guide to Solving a Murder

 

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.

October 2, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: December 1914: After the death of her aunt, Alma Timperley is surprised when she suddenly finds herself the heiress to the Timperley Spiritualist Hotel in a pretty coastal town in Cornwall.

But not everything is as it seems... the hotel offers guests a very special the chance to communicate with the dead.

When the body of one of the hotel's maids is found, it is considered a tragic wartime accident. But the more Alma and the local police try to fathom what happened, the more they begin to realize this is much more than just a death - there might be a German spy in Falmouth.

With the stakes higher than ever, Alma must grapple with her own extraordinary secret if she is going to have more than a ghost of a chance of solving the mystery.

Being able to talk with the dead is one thing; solving their murder is positively ghoulish...

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I love mysteries with a paranormal element and this one releases just in time for spooky season.

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

Howl for the Wolfman!

 

TITLE: How to Survive a Slasher

AUTHOR: Justine Pucella Winans

PUBLISHER: Bloombury YA

PUBLISHING DATE: March 11, 2025

PAGES: 304   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: There’s a reason CJ Smith’s hometown of Satterville is known as Slasherville: it was the site of not one, but two Friday the 13th-style massacres. CJ’s dad survived the first attack; only CJ survived the second. And thanks to the mysterious writer Moon Satter’s bestselling novels based on the events, the town—and CJ—will always be defined by this horrific past. 

Then a new, unpublished Moon Satter manuscript shows up addressed to CJ. But unlike the others, this story isn’t about the past. Instead, it predicts new murders. On the day the book says the first murder will occur, CJ sets out to stop it. But in saving one classmate, the final girl ends up dead. CJ and their friends have suddenly gone from extras to leads—and they’ll have to use everything they know about the rules of horror to make it out alive.

MY THOUGHTS: This book ended up being the June pick for my on-line horror book club and I'm so glad it was.  It was so much fun and just what I need in a summer slasher read!

CJ has been haunted by the Satterville wolfman in one form or another her whole life.  First, her father was a teen during the first Slasherville incident and the only one who survived.  Secondly, once he married and had children, the wolfman returned and CJ's father was murdered, which CJ and her brother hid in the closet.  The Slasherville Festival is rolling around again and this time around, CJ received a mysterious manuscript on her porch from Moon Satter, an anonymous author who has capitalized on everyone's grief and used the murders for fictional inspiration.   However, before long, the manuscript starts looking more like a work of non-fiction and people are being killed by the wolfman.  CJ ends up making two new friends and teaming up with them to solve the mystery before it's too late.

This book, while a fun slasher at heart, touches on a few serious topics - family connections, true friendship, identity and sexual preference.  CJ has never really had many friends but as the book progresses, she realizes that is partly her fault and not the result of the town judging her and her family.  Which isn't hard because how many families take the children to the park for slasher survival activities?

The book is also very meta and reminded me a lot of the Scream franchise.  I love how it incorporates some of my favorite horror tropes and makes fun of itself at times.  My only real complaint was that the ending was a bit predictable, even if I had a fun time getting there.  If you don't mind YA horror and love summer slashers, this might be one you want to grab!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Feed Your TBR - These Familiar Walls

 

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 14, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: In 1998, desperate loneliness pushes preteen Amber to ignore the misgivings of her family, particularly her younger sister, when she befriends the troubled new kid in the neighborhood—a boy with dead eyes, a fascination with fire, and no remorse. Their turbulent relationship is brief but creates lasting consequences.

Twenty-two years later, in 2020, he resurfaces to kill Amber’s parents and is in turn betrayed by his accomplice and killed in Amber's childhood home.

After the deaths, Amber inherits the house and, in an effort to save money, moves in with her husband and two children, hoping to reclaim some sense of stability in the grief and chaos surrounding her. Instead, she finds that the familiar walls are haunted by more than just bitter memories and lockdown stress. She shifts in and out of dreamlike trances, her reflection won’t blink, and a menacing voice whispers to her from the gathering shadows. Although she tried to brush off the strange happenings as stress-fueled hallucinations, Amber is soon forced to admit that something much more real—and more dangerous—haunts her family. But Amber has deadly secrets of her own, and she must resolve these long-buried truths or lose the life she’s contrived for herself.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: This popped up on my feed this morning and I really enjoyed The Cut, which I read earlier this year and am anxious to give the author another go.  I love haunted house tales, but it is a really LONG wait.

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

Jaws Isn't the Only Thing in the Water

 

TITLE: You've Awoken Her

AUTHOR: Ann Davila Cardinal

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins

PUBLISHING DATE: June 17, 2025

PAGES: 288   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: All Gabi wants is to spend the summer in his room, surrounded by his Funkos and books, but with his mom traveling, his bags are packed for the last place he wants to visit—the Hamptons. Staying with his best friend should have him willing to peek out of his cave, but ever since Ruth’s nouveau riche family moved, their friendship has been off. 

Surrounded by mansions, country clubs, and Ruth’s new boyfriend, Frost Thurston—the axis that Hampton society orbits around—it doesn’t take long for Gabi to feel completely out of place. But when he witnesses a woman being pulled under the ocean water, and no one—not the police or anyone else in the Hamptons—seems to care, Gabi starts to wonder if maybe the beachside town’s bad vibes are more real than he thought. 

As the “accidental” deaths and drownings begin to climb, Gabi knows he’ll need proof to convince Ruth they’re all in danger. And while the Thurston family name keeps rising to the top, along with every fresh body, what’s worst is that all the signs point to something lurking beneath the water—something with tentacles and a thirst for blood. Can Gabi figure out how the two are intertwined and put an end to the string of deaths…before becoming the water’s next victim? 

MY THOUGHTS: Sometimes YA horror doesn't work for me, but this book is a great example of why I still keep giving it a chance.  And come on, look at that cover!  Not only are the colors great, but I love some good tentacles.

Gabi is spending the summer in the Hamptons with his best friend Ruth.  Ruth's dad got a new job recently and came into some money so the family has settled into a new lifestyle.  Gabi misses his best friend dearly but really would prefer to stay in his bedroom/cave all summer on the computer, chatting with his on-line friends and communities about his favorite subjects - horror movies, books, games and lore.  While waiting on the train, he is approached by a scary old woman who warns him about going indicating that "she" is awake and Gabi isn't safe.  Once Gabi arrives, not only does he have a hard time dealing with the "new" Ruth and accepting that she has changed, but on his first night he sees a woman in the ocean screaming for help right before she is grabbed by a giant tentacle.  Is something else going on in the Hamptons this summer?  Why do people keep on disappearing?  And do the disappearances have anything to do with Ruth's new super-rich boyfriend Frost and his father's business?

This book was so much fun, and I loved the dark, creepy ocean vibes.  The relationship between Gabi and Ruth was a little precarious because of all the changes and the author navigated it well by showing how people change and evolve over time, but that doesn't mean people have to be left behind. Even though Ruth has a very rich and very annoying new boyfriend, she herself stayed grounded for the most part and the aggravation she felt with Gabi at times was justified. It was also nice to see Gabi embrace his Puerto Rican heritage and I enjoyed learning more about the culture and their beliefs.  

And finally, it's no real spoiler but this book relies heavily on Lovecraft and his Cthulhu.  However, the author also addressed Lovecraft's sexism and racism which I found very refreshing.  If you are looking for a summer horror read with some impact, definitely pick this one up.   

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Summer of Horror - Tentacles!

 

I am participating in an informal event created by my friend Tammy over at Books, Bones & Buffy and she is doing a book cover love feature.  I love finding new covers and since tentacles on cover make me automatically want to add a book to my TBR, I'm doing this topic first.  Make sure you check out Tammy's blog, especially if you like speculative fiction and horror!

The only one from this bunch I haven't read is I Am Providence but I do own a physical copy somewhere.

I've not really read any of these and may never read Wild Spaces because I'm worried about that dog!

I never read Lovecraft Country, but I really enjoyed the HBO series.  I've read The Mist and watched the movie several times and it remains one of my favorite King adaptations - except the ending kind of sucked.  Go figure.

Do you have any tentacles covers you can recommend?

Feed Your TBR - The Place Where They Buried Your Heart

 

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.

November 5, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: On an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago, there is a house. An abandoned house where, once upon a time, terrible things happened. The children who live on this block are told by their parents to stay away from that house. But of course, children don’t listen. Children think it’s fun to be scared, to dare each other to go inside.

Jessie Campanelli did what many older sisters do and dared her little brother Paul. But unlike all the other kids who went inside that abandoned house, Paul didn’t return. His two friends, Jake and Richie, said that the house ate Paul. Of course, adults didn’t believe that. Adults never believe what kids say. They thought someone kidnapped Paul or otherwise hurt him. They thought Paul had disappeared in a way that was ordinary, explainable.

The disappearance of her little brother broke Jessie’s family apart in ways that would never be repaired. Jessie grew up, had a child of her own, kept living on the same street where the house that ate her brother sat, crouched and waiting. And darkness seemed to spread out from that house, a darkness that was alive—alive and hungry.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: First of all, the cover grabbed me.  And then add in I love a good haunted house tale and this was an automatic add.  I will admit the author is a bit hit or miss for me, but I will always give her book a chance.

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

I Need More About Bo!

 

TITLE: Unnatural Selection

AUTHOR: CoCo Cooper

PUBLISHER: Victory Editing

PUBLISHING DATE: June 13, 2025

PAGES: 333   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Meet Teddy, a dog who hasn't understood the assignment. 

Instead of digging holes and fetching sticks, he prefers the trappings of humanity – a species he's convinced, against all biological evidence, includes himself. 

But when his doting owner Maggie mysteriously vanishes, and Teddy is left in the care of the menacing man he suspects is behind her disappearance, his perfectly curated existence descends into a nightmare. 

Determined to bring Maggie home, Teddy starts investigating, only to unearth a series of questions about his own identity: Why does rain terrify him? What’s with his insatiable need to be told he's a "good boy" every five seconds? And does he really like puppacinos, or has he just been conditioned to think he does? 

Told through the eyes of an adorably unreliable narrator, Unnatural Selection examines our modern obsession with treating pets like people with heart, humor and wickedly clever insight

MY THOUGHTS: After reading and enjoying a cat-centered book last month, I kind of felt like I owed the boys this one.  And seriously, you all know there is no way I could resist an adult book told from a canine POV right?

Teddy has lived with his "girlfriend" Maggie for almost a year.  During that time, Maggie as worked from home, so she and Teddy spend every waking moment together. But suddenly, Teddy's perfect life takes a turn for the worse.  Maggie's "friend" Charlie who Teddy despises has moved in, and Maggie gets a job, and he finds himself in Doggy Daycare every day. Then one day Maggie vanishes.  Teddy is sure Charlie has murdered her and sets out with his daycare friends and his other best friend Patrick to find out what has happened. Along the way, Teddy makes a few discoveries which shake him to the core including some animal instincts which he didn't even know he possessed.

While this book sounds really darn cute, don't be fooled. Even though told from Teddy's POV, the author handles some serious topics and manages to delve into the lives of Maggie's found family. Clearly the author is highlighting how important pets are to so many people but also looks at it from the dog's POV showing just how extreme some people can be (yep, me, I'm one of those extreme ones 😂).  

But let me share one of my favorite things about this book - Bo.  Bo is an abused pit-bull that attends Teddy's daycare.  Bo and Teddy get off on the wrong paw and despite numerous warnings, Teddy continues to get on Bo's bad side.  However, Teddy learns over the course of the book why Bo is so negative and why he is so skeptical of the humans Teddy holds so dear.  At one point I thought Teddy was a goner because he was a stubborn little thing and kept asking Bo how to get rid of Charlie.  And by get rid of, I mean kill. 

Overall, this was a wonderful read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves dogs and loves to spoil their four-legged family members. It may be too much to ask but I really hope the author continues with this writing style and gives us a book featuring more of Bo's story. 

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

June Coming Attractions

 

I can't believe it is June already.  Where is time going?  May was an okay reading month, but I felt a bit slumpy again and am still trying to find my groove.  You may see a carry over or two this month but that's okay, I'm not going to pressure myself.  

Also, I want to share something excited that a fellow blogger is doing.  Tammy from Books, Bones & Buffy is once again doing her Summer of Horror.  It's an informal event but she has created a bingo board and even has some cover sharing posts planned.  I want to jump in where I can because it's a perfect fit for me.  You can find her post HERE.

First up are a few ARCs I would like to get to.  Three of them are horror but Unnatural Selection is a general fiction told from a dog's POV.  I'm currently reading it now.  Figured I owed the boys after featuring a cat book last month.

I have my usual buddy reads with Stormi which include a carry-over of the Heather Graham book and Undone (Will Trent #3) this month.  Then Sweep in Peace and How to Survive a Slasher are book club reads.  

I'm sure I'll end up reading some books that aren't listed because that's just the kind of reader I am.  However, if there is one you really want a review for because maybe you are on the fence about it, let me know and I'll try to prioritize it. 

What are you planning on reading this month???

Feed Your TBR - Supernatural Crimes Unit NYPD: The Thin Blue Ley Line

 

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.

October 28, 2025

FROM GOODREADS: When Detective Domenica Kiernan solved the murder of a mayor’s aide—killed by a vampire—she never imagined she’d find herself at the vanguard of the NYPD’s latest special the Supernatural Crimes Unit.

Tasked with closing cases involving magic and monsters, the SCU has dealt with a shape-changing domovoy committing assault in Chelsea, the murder of a kappa on City Island, a thieving Taotie in Chinatown—and their latest, two murder victims whose corpses have been liquefied by a powerful spell.

Kiernan and the rest of the SCU must find the connection between the two victims and figure out who cast the spell that destroyed the corpses. Soon, their investigation leads to a malevolent magic-user who yearns for limitless power, whose plans go far beyond disposing of a dead body. He’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals—including kidnapping Bobby, Kiernan’s ten-year-old son.

The SCU has no they must go rogue to find Bobby and stop the wizard before he unleashes hell on Earth!

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I admit the cover isn't doing much for me, but the synopsis sounds like just the type of urban fantasy I love.  I'm excited to meet some of these new creatures.

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

But What About the Poor Lyft Driver???

 

TITLE: Deadstream

AUTHOR: Mar Romasco-Moore

PUBLISHER: Viking Books for Young Readers

PUBLISHING DATE: April 1, 2025

PAGES: 320   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming. 

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be . . . especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in—including Teresa’s own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she’s created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life?

MY THOUGHTS: I usually like middle grade and young adult horror and like to pick it up from time to time.  However, this book kind of missed the mark for me and while I didn't dislike it, nothing really grabbed me and, in a few weeks, I'll probably have forgotten all about it.  

When the book opens, we learn that Teresa experienced something which has led her to become more and more isolated from the world.  The book discusses her being in therapy and her parents trying to assist her cope with what she experienced but I'm not sure anyone was really paying much attention to how bad things have really gotten for Teresa.  Her only comfort is from the streaming community.  She signs on daily and is making a name for herself as Replay.  Replay has a few close virtual friends and that's about her only support network.  One night, something happens to a famous streamer they all watch - Brick.  While streaming, Brick is told to open the door behind him on a dare.  When he does, he sees no one but the people watching him see a mysterious figure.  Days later, Brick is basically comatose in front of the screen and no one in the streaming community takes it seriously.  That is until it starts happening to people all over the world. 

Teresa takes it upon herself to find out what is happening because she now thinks this mysterious figure is after her.  Others are so quick to buy in and it's hard for Teresa, who won't even leave her bedroom, to be believed.  However, when her best streaming pal Ozma goes comatose as well, Teresa has to confront her fears, leave her home and make a road trip, the one thing she fears the most, to try to save her.

This book sounded really interesting, and the author tackled a lot of heavy topics such as mental health and gender identity. However, I found it hard to buy into the streaming world - maybe because that's just not something I am into.  The last 30% of the book did pick up and I liked the supernatural element once it hit but it was just a bit too late for me by then.  Also, there is a scene with a poor Lyft driver who was never addressed again.  How rude!  If you like YA horror and this sounds interesting, consider picking this one up, especially if the community streaming world interests you.

MY RATING: 3 PAWS