Beware Sally Pencilneck!

TITLE: Killarney Lake Massacre

AUTHOR: Kumar Sivasubramanian

PUBLISHER: Self published

PUBLISHING DATE: March 13, 2026

PAGES: 360   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: They bashed their beef, and she bashed their brains! 

Sally Pencilneck, the nunchaku killer, was supposed to be an urban legend out of the past, a campfire story about a horrific woman that butchered people in the goriest of ways for having “impure” thoughts in the woods. But when men start turning up dead after an internet craze inspires them to practice self-love in the wild, whether Sally is more than a myth or not, a host of sinister forces descends upon the small Canadian city of Fredericton, New Brunswick. 

Now, Nandini Rajan’s annoyingly monster-obsessed sixty-one-year-old mother, Aruna, wants to prove that Sally exists, and, out of spite, Nandini is determined to prove that she doesn’t. However, the moment they set foot in the forest, as if cursed, they find themselves at its mercy and have to contend with not only Sally’s return, but also her unhinged leaf-disguised nemesis, weaponized papier-mâché horse butts, an alpaca-sacrificing Black Metal fanatic, demonic frogs, an international conspiracy of sexual degenerates, and energies from another dimension that threaten to tear apart the very fabric of reality... 

Gruesome and outrageous, but also full of touching moments and inappropriate touching moments, Killarney Lake Massacre is the deranged new novel from the author of Weird Crime Theater and Tanuja Hunter-Seeker!

MY THOUGHTS: Wow, where do I begin?  First of all, did I request this ARC because of the cover?  Yep, sure did.  But I DID read the synopsis, and I DID expect something weird, but I don't think anything could have really prepared me for this one.

Sally Pencilneck is an urban legend Fredericton, New Brunswick, who kills people who have "unpure" thoughts.  She does so in extremely gruesome and extremely graphic manners.  Oh, and the murders often involve anatomy.  Nandini's mother Aruna is obsessed with monsters.  So when she hears Sally is once again terrorizing the area, she wants to investigate.  On a good day, Aruna irritates Nandini but even so, she can't think of letting her mother take off alone.  So together then go off into the woods to find Sally and from the start I knew it wouldn't end well.

I have to say one major thing about this book - it is EXTREMELY political.  In fact, had I gotten even a small vibe from the synopsis, I would have never picked it up.  A lot of names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent, and I actually ended up having a lot of good laughs but because of how heavy-handed the author is, I think I will play it safe and say this is one I just can't recommend. 

I did enjoy this though, even though it's not a fave.  I enjoyed the legend of Sally Pencilneck and the relationship between Nandini and Aruna which although not perfect, is definitely reminiscent of a lot of mother-daughter relationships, I am sure.  I also enjoyed the cultural aspects included by the author, who himself is Indian-born Canadian.  This is borderline extreme horror as well, so I know that turns a lot of readers off.  So overall, knowing what I know now I might never have read it but at the end, I don't completely regret the choice.  

MY RATING: 3 PAWS

Feed Your TBR -

 

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 22, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: The Martins need a new home for their growing family. For Alison, Nathan, daughter Dru, and foster child Lailah, it’s love at first sight when they see the house in Tumbling Hills. It even has a cozy attic, which is great for Lailah: she needs a quiet place to be alone when her intrusive thoughts creep in.

(crack an egg into the coffee machine)

The family gets settled. The house is perfect, and so is the timing – Lailah’s adoption will soon be finalized. But as the date approaches, her intrusive thoughts become worse, and bad things start to happen. Lailah fears she’s losing control.

(push your sister down the stairs)

The family is on edge, pointing fingers and taking sides. And even though they love each other very much, the cracks begin to show. Something has got to give.

(burn them alive in their beds)

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I want to know more about these intrusive thoughts, and I do love a good scary kid, especially when they are older and aren't a baby.

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

Darn Right I Would Do It!

TITLE: No One Would Do What the Lamberts Have Done

AUTHOR: Sophie Hannah

PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Landmark

PUBLISHING DATE: January 20, 2026

PAGES: 406   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: The twistiest murder mystery you are ever likely to read? 

A story about a family that does the unthinkable in order to save the life of one of its beloved members?

Both? Or something else altogether? 

You'll have to read until the very last word in order to find out… 

You think it will never happen to the ring of the bell, the policeman on the doorstep. What he says traps you in a nightmare that starts with the words, 'I'm afraid…' 

Sally Lambert is also afraid, and desperate enough to consider the unthinkable. Is it really, definitely, impossible to escape from this horror? Maybe not. There's always something you can do, right? 

Of course, no one would ever do this particular something – except the Lamberts, who might have to. 

No one has ever gone this far. Until Sally decides that the Lamberts will…

MY THOUGHTS: This book kind of snuck up on me.  I don't remember seeing it prior to release and I initially missed the little dogs on the cover.  In fact, I missed there were two until I finished it.  Let me tell you, it's all in details folks.  I also don't want to give too much away because the vagueness seems to be what people either love or hate about this one.

Sally, her husband, her two children and their terrier Champ live son a quiet cul-de-sac. They get along pretty well with everyone except the Gavey's an odd couple who along with their daughter, think they are better than everyone else.  One day law enforcement knocks on the door and informs Sally the Gavey's are accusing Champ of biting their daughter.  What ensues are some pretty desperate measures to keep Champ safe and some odd happenings along the way. 

This book will either work for you or won't and if you aren't a dog/animal lover, I would probably say don't even bother.  However, despite some things that normally bother me, I loved this and it's one I actually might reread in the future.   What did I love?  Well, first and foremost, the Lambert's love and commitment to their furry child. Also, the way they keep the memory of their previous furry child Furbert alive.  Secondly, I loved the friendship that forms between Sally and another neighborhood resident and the lengths that neighbor goes to help the family - no questions asked.  What didn't I like?  Nothing really.  Although I must say there is a huge book within a book going on here and for something that usually turns me of, it was either done well,

or I loved the subject so much I didn't care.

Finally, I have to talk about Champ (aka Champy) and Furbert.  They will go down as some of my favorite dog characters and I missed them the minute I read the last page.  There are some things in the book that the reader has to suspend their disbelief of but overall, I know some people who visit my blog absolutely must pick this one up!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

 

Gotta Love a Vampire That Doesn't Sparkle

TITLE: Thrall

AUTHOR: Rebecca Mahoney

PUBLISHER: Hyperion Avenue

PUBLISHING DATE: April 14, 2026

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Lucy Easting has at last broken free from her grim home life and is ready to truly live. But her long-awaited new beginning at Rollins University isn’t what she expected. After attending the first campus party of the year, Lucy awakens the next day with a memory block…and two puncture marks on her neck. 

She tries to piece together what happened that night, but every lead brings her to another dead end. Until she receives a handwritten note from the campus radio station, inviting her to call. When she does, the host’s soothing voice over the line confirms her worst fear, and the simplest explanation of what’s happening to her: she’s turning into a vampire. 

Lucy teams up with the show’s host, who narrowly escaped an attack her sophomore year, and a beautiful archery champion who, while exactly Lucy’s type, is as likely to shoot her as kiss her. They believe their “friend with the cold hands” is responsible for the disappearance of several women in town, and they’ve been tracking him via the airwaves since long before Lucy arrived. 

As the vampire’s sway over Lucy grows and his plans become clear, she realizes she must fight for a future of her own, or she may not have any future at all.

MY THOUGHTS: I initially requested this book because not only do I love vampires, but I really liked the idea of them on a college campus and a related radio show at night.  I'm glad I did because this book had all the grit (and lack of sparkles) I love in my vampire tales.

Lucy has been surrounded by death her entire life.  Both her father and grandmother have passed and after her grandfather, who she helped care for, finally succumbs to his illness, she finally decides to do something for herself and goes to college, which she had previously put off.  Her mother things Lucy is running away from her and her helicopter parenting, but really Lucy just wants to live.  Too bad that on her first week there, she goes to a college and passes out, just to wake up with puncture marks in her neck the next morning and a sudden aversion to sunlight.

Lucy starts piecing together the puzzle and ends up making some new friends on the way.  Pallas Radio is a nighttime talk show on the campus college radio.  However, it's creator, Athena, actually uses it to uncover what is behind the student disappearances, the multiple dead rabbits on campus, and who "the man with the cold hands" might be.  She, Mila, an RA/vampire hunter, and Natalie,a bubbly student team up to help Lucy and hopefully reverse the effects of the attack before the vamp can claim her for the final time. 

This book was really fun, and I enjoyed the female dynamics and the college Appalachian college atmosphere.  The author even managed to show growth and development between Lucy and her estranged mother despite the mother not really being much of a player in the book at all. All four of the main women have their own strength and each brings something to the table as they work to track down "cold hands."  Along the way, they also discover and old vampire couple, Hiro and Laurentius, who work in the library they were never of aware of who helps them in the end, despite them wanting to move away from all the drama.  These two ended up being in some of my favorite parts of the book. The ending was satisfying and while there are a few romantic elements, this is mainly a book about vampires, how nasty they can be and trying to escape a future of being undead. 

My only small issue with the book is I felt the pacing was off a bit.  Coming in around 400 pages, there are about 50 pages after Lucy gets bit that I feel drug just a tad.  However, if you are looking for a vampire read, consider picking this one up.  I think the cover is great and accurately addresses the story within. I am pretty sure this is a standalone but since finishing, find myself wondering what happens with the characters next.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Quarterly Stats - 1st Quarter 2026

 

 I wanted to do some kind of tracking this year and while this is pretty simplistic, I think it will serve my purposes.  So read on to see how the first quarter of 2026 shaped up for me and my reading!

TOTAL BOOKS READ: 

29

TOTAL PAGES READ:

9,379

5-PAW READS:

11

4-PAW READS:

12

3-PAW READS:

4

2-PAW READS:

2

1-PAW READS:

0

DNF:

0

LIBRARY BOOKS:

11

OWNED BOOKS:

18

PHYSICAL BOOKS:

6

E-BOOKS:

23

FAVORITES OF THE MONTH:

FAVORITE QUOTES: 

"I don't do heart-to-hearts. I'm more of a spleen-to-spleen person"

The Hitch: Sara Levine

"I wonder what it says about me that pizza has been one of the better long-term investments in my career."

Battle Ground (Dresden Files #17): Jim Butcher

"There are good days and bad days, and as long as there aren't too many of either you get along with your life fine." 

Broken (Will Trent #4): Karin Slaughter

What was your favorite read this month????

Feed Your TBR - Strange Bedfellows

 

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 22, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: Cleo is a willfully aloof college student with an impossible secret. When she meets Wes, a brooding musician, at a Halloween party, their connection is instant, electric, and impossible to ignore. Their romance takes a mystical turn when Wes discovers what Cleo’s been hiding: sometimes she takes the form of his pet cat.

Enter Bailey and Ollie—their magical counterparts—who reveal a deeper tie between Cleo and Wes: he’s a witch, and she’s his animal familiar. As past secrets collide with their entangled present, Cleo faces her greatest fear—losing Wes. With long-gone threats returning and danger looming, Cleo must confront her role in their dark and violent shared history and decide if she’s willing to fight for their future.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I'm curious what danger is looming and come on, his girlfriend is also his cat familiar.  This has odd written all over it and I'm all over that. 

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