Recent Updates and Currently Reading | August 8

Hi all! I'm been so long since I've posted an update! I'm not even going to attempt to catch up.

Did you see the winners and nominees in the Ladies of Horror Fiction Awards? So many amazing books!

My kids go back to school this week, and it's an absolute nightmare out there. Please stay as safe as you can. 🙏

Posted Last Week

Book Review | Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper ⭐⭐⭐⭐★ - Inheriting Her Ghosts turned out to be such a comfort read for me.

Finished Reading

Feral Creatures (Hollow Kingdom #2) by Kira Jane Buxton - I loved this book so much. Stay tuned for my review tomorrow.

Currently Reading

Dragon Mage (Rivenworld #1) by M.L. Spencer - I'm listening to Dragon Mage on audio, and I'm obsessed. It has such a classic fantasy feel to it.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot #1) by Becky Chambers - I started reading this last night. Everything Becky Chambers writes is a delight.

Added to the TBR

The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould - I've very excited about this YA horror debut.

Billy Summers by Stephen King - Constant Reader.

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This post is being shared as part of Book Date's It's Monday! What Are You Reading? and Caffeinated Book Reviewer's The Sunday Post.

Book Review | Inheriting Her Ghosts by S.H. Cooper

Inheriting Her Ghosts is a horror novella by S.H. Cooper.

Inheritance often comes with strings attached, but rarely are they as tangled as those hanging over High Hearth.

When Eudora Fellowes learns she's the sole heir of her estranged great-aunt's seaside manor, she believes it will be the peaceful escape she's longed for. What awaits, however, is a dark legacy shrouded in half a century of secrets, and it doesn't take long before Eudora realizes she's not the only one to call High Hearth home.

I love reading books by S.H. Cooper.

I'm not always a fan of Gothic stories, but Cooper's writing style works so well for me in Inheriting Her Ghosts. This book is filled with ghosts, dogs, and a strong woman MC among other things, but that's really all I need.

Inheriting Her Ghosts turned out to be such a comfort read for me. When I need a hug from something scary, I will reach for this book again. Recommended!

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars

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Mini Middle Grade Horror Reviews

I am behind on my reviews and have some catching up to do! Here are a few of the middle grade books I've read recently!

Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick

Who is the mysterious bloodstained man who stops their coach? Why is no one around when Lance and the rest of Year Six arrive at the brand new Crater Lake activity centre? But this is just the beginning of the school trip from hell; a fight for survival that sees five pupils band together to save their classmates from an alien fate far worse than death. But whatever happens, they must Never. Ever. Fall asleep!

I cannot get enough of middle grade horror, and Crater Lake is scifi horror! This book was a lot of fun, and I adored that it had a big scifi element to it. I need more of that in my life.

I already have a copy of the sequel. (It was a must read preorder for me.) I can't wait to check it out.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars

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The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1) by Lorien Lawrence

The start of a spine-chilling new horror series about the eerie happenings in a small town
 
Something strange is happening on Goodie Lane . . .
 
Thirteen-year-old Quinn Parker knows that there’s something off about her neighbors. She calls them “the Oldies” because they’ve lived on Goodie Lane for as long as anyone can remember, but they never seem to age. Are they vampires? Or aliens? Or getting secret experimental surgeries? Or is Quinn’s imagination just running wild again?

If her dad were still around, he’d believe her. When he was alive, they’d come up with all sorts of theories about the Oldies. Now, Quinn’s determined to keep the investigation going with the help of Mike, her neighbor and maybe-crush. They’ll have to search for clues and follow the mystery wherever it leads—even if it’s to the eerie pond at the end of the street that’s said to have its own sinister secrets. But the Oldies are on to them. And the closer Quinn and Mike get to uncovering the answers, the more they realize just how terrifying the truth may be.

I'm excited about this series! The Stitchers is a fun - what is going on with the old people in this neighborhood - spooky delight.

I can't wait to see what spooky adventure comes next for these kids. I'll be there!

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars 

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The Nefarious Necklace by K.A. Evans

Ghosts are pesky things, and ten year old Gaby Brown would like to get rid of hers. After Gaby touches an old necklace at her local museum, the menacing spirit of an ancient Egyptian girl named Kesi appears. The ghost wants something. And she wants it now! When Kesi threatens Gaby’s family, Gaby knows she must do something. But what? How can she stop a ghost? Gaby and her friend, Jacob, delve into Egypt’s past and realise there’s more to the necklace than they thought. Can they unravel the clues and help Kesi before the ghost gets REALLY angry?

The Nefarious Necklace reminds me of Magic Treehouse books! When Gaby touches an ancient Egyptian necklace, she is transported to ancient Egypt and must help a restless spirit. I think kids that have grown up reading Magic Treehouse would love to graduate into reading The Nefarious Necklace.

The horror is slow to emerge in this one, but it does definitely show up by the end. I would follow Gaby on more quests.

⭐⭐⭐★★
3/5 stars 

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Book Review | The Last Flight by Julie Clark

The Last Flight is a thriller novel by Julie Clark.

Claire Cook has a perfect life. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he's not above using his staff to track Claire's every move. But what he doesn't know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.

A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets ― Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.

I missed out on reading The Last Flight last year. When the April Book of the Month selections came out last month, I wasn't in the mood for any of the options so I went back and added The Last Flight to my BOTM box instead. I'm so glad I did. The Last Flight was exactly what I was in the mood for. I don't read enough thrillers so I'm always thrilled when I find one that sucks me in and keeps me entertained. I had a bit of a book hangover when I finished.

The Last Flight alternates between two women who are attempting to escape from the lives they've been dealt. One is escaping an abusive husband, and the other is fleeing from a life just as dangerous.

I loved two things about this book - 1) I didn't want to put it down and 2) I loved the friendships. I'm finding more and more friendships in my adult fiction, and I love it. There's not any earth-shattering content that makes this thriller stand out above the rest - it's just a really solid thriller that I enjoyed.

I read The Last Flight during a weekend down at the beach. It's a great choice for a summer/vacation read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars 

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Book Review | The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado

The Low, Low Woods is a horror graphic novel by Carmen Maria Machado

 

When your memories are stolen, what would you give to remember? Follow El and Vee as they search for answers to the questions everyone else forgot.

Shudder-to-Think, Pennsylvania, is plagued by a mysterious illness that eats away at the memories of those affected by it. El and Octavia are two best friends who find themselves the newest victims of this disease after waking up in a movie theater with no memory of the past few hours.

As El and Vee dive deeper into the mystery behind their lost memories, they realize the stories of their town hold more dark truth than they could've imagined. It's up to El and Vee to keep their town from falling apart...to keep the world safe from Shudder-to-Think's monsters.

Collects issues # 1-6.

It's been a while since I've been sucked into a graphic novel. I've read a few lately that just didn't work for me. The Low, Low Woods has reminded me how much I enjoy reading comics.

The Low, Low Woods isn't perfect. It's strange (in both good and bad ways), and it's meta enough to mention deus ex machina. But the strong female characters, friendship, and really great body horror have me recommending that you pick it up next time you are looking for a good horror graphic novel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★
4/5 stars