en-US Sat, 20 Jan 2024 10:19:54 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 57187250
Houseplants are a great way to decorate, ease stress, and stay connected with nature when you’re indoors. If you’re looking to grow your collection and need some advice, Houseplants for Beginners has all the information you’ll need to successfully care for your plants and help them thrive.

Learn how to shop for and repot houseplants, choose the best place in your home for them, and address a variety of challenges like pests and diseases. With 120 common houseplant profiles grouped from low maintenance to high maintenance, you can familiarize yourself with individual plant needs and choose the best ones for your lifestyle.

The perks of houseplants—Explore a brief history of houseplants and the benefits of bringing nature inside, including relieving stress and inviting more creativity and happiness into your life.Plant wisdom—Find key insights to set you up for success as you begin your houseplant adventure, from propagation techniques to safety suggestions.Troubleshooting tips—Get straightforward advice for solving seemingly difficult houseplant problems.

Fill your home with flourishing houseplants with help from this essential guide for beginners.]]> 192 Rebecca De La Paz 1647398517 AMELIA 5 2023-reading-challenge 4.30
author: Rebecca De La Paz
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/21
date added: 2024/01/20
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge
review:

]]> 58397711 From��New York Times��bestsellers Preston and Child, archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson are tasked with the mysterious deaths of two people found at a site where a UFO allegedly crashed decades before. Lucas Tappan, a wealthy and eccentric billionaire and founder of Icarus Space Systems, approaches the Santa Fe Archaeological Institute with an outlandish proposal—to finance a careful, scientific excavation of the Roswell Incident site, where a UFO is alleged to have crashed in 1947. A skeptical Nora Kelly, to her great annoyance, is tasked with the job.�� Nora's excavation immediately uncovers two murder victims buried at the site, faces and hands obliterated with acid to erase their identities. Special Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned to the case. As Nora’s excavation proceeds, uncovering things both bizarre and seemingly inexplicable, Corrie’s homicide investigation throws open a Pandora's box of espionage and violence, uncovering bloody traces of a powerful force��that will stop at nothing to protect its secrets—and that threatens to engulf them all in an unimaginable fate.]]> 368 Douglas Preston 153873673X AMELIA 4 4.31 2022
author: Douglas Preston
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/31
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves: adult-fiction, thriller, 2023-reading-challenge
review:

]]> 63033521 ��
Talking about death and dying is considered taboo in polite company, and even in the medical field. Our ideas about dying are confusing at Will our memories flash before our eyes? Regrets consume our thoughts? Does a bright light appear at the end of a tunnel? For most people, it will be a slower process, one eased with preparedness, good humor, and a bit of faith. At the forefront of changing attitudes around palliative care is hospice nurse Hadley Vlahos, who shows that end-of-life care can teach us just as much about how to live as it does about how we die.
��
Vlahos was raised in a strict religious household, but began questioning her beliefs in high school after the sudden death of a friend. When she got pregnant at nineteen, she was shunned by her community and enrolled herself in nursing school to be able to support herself and her baby. But nursing soon became more than that when she focused on palliative care and hospice work, it became a calling.��
��
In The In-Between, Vlahos recounts the most impactful experiences she’s had with the people she’s worked with—from the woman who never once questioned her faith until she was close to death, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter, to the young patient who laments that she spent too much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her—while also sharing her own fascinating journey.
��
Written with profound insight, humility, and respect, The In-Between is a heartrending memoir that shows how caring for others can transform a life while also offering wisdom and comfort for those dealing with loss and providing inspiration for how to live now.]]> 288 Hadley Vlahos 059349993X AMELIA 5
I am giving this five stars and a high recommendation. ]]> 4.47 2023
author: Hadley Vlahos
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/06/20
date added: 2023/06/21
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, biography, faith
review:
Hadley Vlahos�� novel of her experiences as a hospice nurse is phenomenal. Each patient’s story, as well as Hadley’s, was so moving, each touched my soul in a unique way. I liken Hadley to Roma Downey in her most loved role, Touched By An Angel. Her connection to her patients was so much more than caregiver to patient. She was their guide at the end.

I am giving this five stars and a high recommendation.
]]> 61341851
Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women�� taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.]]> 282 Victor LaValle AMELIA 5
This story follows Adelaide Henry as she leaves California (in quite the climactic manner) and travels to Montana, where she plans to homestead. She also brings along a very heavy trunk that she keeps locked and away from contact with others. Once she arrives, she meets a few other women who quickly become friends.

There were many characters in this book, and they were all developed wonderfully. There was no confusion in telling them apart or remembering their role in the plot. I believe there are three different types of characters in novels - those I like, those I dislike, and those I am indifferent towards. Indifference is bad, and I’m glad to say there were no characters like that. Characters were good, or they were bad - only one that I can recall really surprised me by changing sides, so to speak.

Lone Women was dynamic, the characters colorful, with the plot rounded and full. It definitely had the small town vibes I enjoy so much, and the continuity and ease in following the storyline were great. The other enjoyable part of the book was the complete ending. No ambiguous ending is a plus.

There were many very strong revelations, but only one real twist. I thought I had the twist figured out, but LaVelle took it a few steps further. My mouth dropped open when it was revealed, and I then spent the next few hours finishing this engaging and enjoyable tome.

I am giving this 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️��, rounding it up to 5. I definitely suggest others read this.]]> 3.87 2023
author: Victor LaValle
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/17
date added: 2023/05/17
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
It’s so funny because I just said in another recent review that I did not really enjoy creature horror. But I had not read Lone Women yet!

This story follows Adelaide Henry as she leaves California (in quite the climactic manner) and travels to Montana, where she plans to homestead. She also brings along a very heavy trunk that she keeps locked and away from contact with others. Once she arrives, she meets a few other women who quickly become friends.

There were many characters in this book, and they were all developed wonderfully. There was no confusion in telling them apart or remembering their role in the plot. I believe there are three different types of characters in novels - those I like, those I dislike, and those I am indifferent towards. Indifference is bad, and I’m glad to say there were no characters like that. Characters were good, or they were bad - only one that I can recall really surprised me by changing sides, so to speak.

Lone Women was dynamic, the characters colorful, with the plot rounded and full. It definitely had the small town vibes I enjoy so much, and the continuity and ease in following the storyline were great. The other enjoyable part of the book was the complete ending. No ambiguous ending is a plus.

There were many very strong revelations, but only one real twist. I thought I had the twist figured out, but LaVelle took it a few steps further. My mouth dropped open when it was revealed, and I then spent the next few hours finishing this engaging and enjoyable tome.

I am giving this 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️��, rounding it up to 5. I definitely suggest others read this.
]]> 53014484 An alternate cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM IFC MIDNIGHT, STARRING SIERRA MCCORMICK, VINESSA SHAW, AND PAT HEALY.

A family on the verge of self-destruction finds themselves isolated in their bathroom during a tornado warning.

Includes an introduction from Sean King O'Grady (director of the film adaptation) and a brand-new afterword from Max Booth III.]]> 188 Max Booth III 1943720452 AMELIA 2 3.38 2020
author: Max Booth III
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.38
book published: 2020
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/12
date added: 2023/05/15
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:

]]> 36381091
One afternoon, as Wen catches grasshoppers in the front yard, a stranger unexpectedly appears in the driveway. Leonard is the largest man Wen has ever seen but he is young, friendly, and he wins her over almost instantly. Leonard and Wen talk and play until Leonard abruptly apologizes and tells Wen, "None of what’s going to happen is your fault". Three more strangers then arrive at the cabin carrying unidentifiable, menacing objects. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, Leonard calls out: "Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world."]]> 272 Paul Tremblay 0062679104 AMELIA 3
I do recommend this to others. I am very picky about how stories end, and I recognize that others may not see such a problem with the ending.

Three and a half stars, rounded down to three.]]> 3.31 2018
author: Paul Tremblay
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.31
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/01
date added: 2023/05/15
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
I enjoyed reading this - the author did a great job inducing anxiety, and I was invested in most of the characters. The ending was lackluster, and I wish it was stronger. I sooooo wish it had a stronger ending.

I do recommend this to others. I am very picky about how stories end, and I recognize that others may not see such a problem with the ending.

Three and a half stars, rounded down to three.
]]> 14578407 Penpal began as a series of short and interconnected stories posted on an online horror forum. Before long, it was adapted into illustrations, audio recordings, and short films; and that was before it was revised and expanded into a novel!

How much do you remember about your childhood?

In Penpal, a man investigates the seemingly unrelated bizarre, tragic, and horrific occurrences of his childhood in an attempt to finally understand them. Beginning with only fragments of his earliest years, you'll follow the narrator as he discovers that these strange and horrible events are actually part of a single terrifying story that has shaped the entirety of his life and the lives of those around him. If you've ever stayed in the woods just a little too long after dark, if you've ever had the feeling that someone or something was trying to hurt you, if you remember the first friend you ever made and how strong that bond was, then Penpal is a story that you won't soon forget, despite how you might try.]]> 243 Dathan Auerbach 098554550X AMELIA 3
The second half was very slow and quite confusing. The writing did not flow well at all. I had to reread some parts of the story in order to understand it. Part of this was the vocabulary used. Sometimes the easiest way to share a story is the best way - no need to make it so complicated.

While I don’t mind a slightly ambiguous ending if it works for the plot, I still not quite sure what happened at the end.

***Spoiler Alert*** Supposedly the one kid is being stalked, but it was the other kid who died? Who was the stalker? What happened to the neighbor? So many questions that I wanted answers on. But there were none to be had.

So I’m giving this 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. I would say give it a try, some people loved it and some don’t. ]]> 3.84 2012
author: Dathan Auerbach
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/13
date added: 2023/05/14
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
Penpal �� I enjoyed the first half immensely. There were so many creepy moments that I stopped reading this at night!

The second half was very slow and quite confusing. The writing did not flow well at all. I had to reread some parts of the story in order to understand it. Part of this was the vocabulary used. Sometimes the easiest way to share a story is the best way - no need to make it so complicated.

While I don’t mind a slightly ambiguous ending if it works for the plot, I still not quite sure what happened at the end.

***Spoiler Alert*** Supposedly the one kid is being stalked, but it was the other kid who died? Who was the stalker? What happened to the neighbor? So many questions that I wanted answers on. But there were none to be had.

So I’m giving this 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3. I would say give it a try, some people loved it and some don’t.
]]> 10239382
Lost, hungry and surrounded by forest untouched for millennia, they stumble across an isolated old house. Inside, they find the macabre remains of old rites and pagan sacrifices; ancient artefacts and unidentifiable bones. This place of dark ritual is home to a bestial predator that is still alive in the ancient forest. And now they’re the prey.

As the four friends struggle for salvation, they discover that death doesn’t come easy among these ancient trees...]]> 418 Adam L.G. Nevill 0230754929 AMELIA 2
Two stars for the effort. The premise had promise, but the execution was very poor. ]]> 3.56 2011
author: Adam L.G. Nevill
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2011
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/01
date added: 2023/05/11
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, horror, adult-fiction
review:
I don’t know how to explain why I didn’t care for this book. I don’t care for creature horror that much, but this one was just bad. The characters were not enjoyable, and I’m kind of glad their individual story lines ended the way they did.

Two stars for the effort. The premise had promise, but the execution was very poor.
]]> 52180399 The creeping horror of Paul Tremblay meets Tommy Orange’s There There in a dark novel of revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition in this latest novel from the Jordan Peele of horror literature, Stephen Graham Jones.

Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.]]> 305 Stephen Graham Jones 1982136456 AMELIA 5
There were a couple of cons in this book. The story started with action, then it was very slow for a good bit. Then a major hit to the storyline, and afterwards I felt like the bottom fell out of the plot before picking up again after a long gap in action. Jones has a way of not finishing one piece of action in a novel; rather, he uses the next scene’s characters to state what happened. Some of the writing was a little difficult to understand just because of the flow of writing. There were several times I had to re-read sections.

However, I loved the unique story Jones told in the book. How much of it is true Native American lore, I don’t know, but it did seem plausible that the lore is based upon old Native American beliefs. I enjoyed the main characters, they were developed well with a sense of being grounded in the story. You can feel the relationship between the four friends, and just how deep the bond runs. Even the different settings were very descriptive and believable.

A little of the ending was written in an ambiguous manner, but I felt it was appropriate in that the things left unexplained were intentional so that they would not detract from the main storyline.

I feel this book deserves five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It was enjoyable with a horror that was both psychological and physical. Hopefully the sequel will be just as enjoyable. ]]> 3.68 2020
author: Stephen Graham Jones
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/04
date added: 2023/05/05
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
Ten years after four Native American friends commit an “act��, payback is upon them. There are really six characters who have an impact on the storyline of this novel, one of them is not what you would expect!

There were a couple of cons in this book. The story started with action, then it was very slow for a good bit. Then a major hit to the storyline, and afterwards I felt like the bottom fell out of the plot before picking up again after a long gap in action. Jones has a way of not finishing one piece of action in a novel; rather, he uses the next scene’s characters to state what happened. Some of the writing was a little difficult to understand just because of the flow of writing. There were several times I had to re-read sections.

However, I loved the unique story Jones told in the book. How much of it is true Native American lore, I don’t know, but it did seem plausible that the lore is based upon old Native American beliefs. I enjoyed the main characters, they were developed well with a sense of being grounded in the story. You can feel the relationship between the four friends, and just how deep the bond runs. Even the different settings were very descriptive and believable.

A little of the ending was written in an ambiguous manner, but I felt it was appropriate in that the things left unexplained were intentional so that they would not detract from the main storyline.

I feel this book deserves five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. It was enjoyable with a horror that was both psychological and physical. Hopefully the sequel will be just as enjoyable.
]]> 57698794
Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. He hoped it wouldn’t end like this, not for him.

Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the homicide detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.

Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.]]> 308 Danya Kukafka AMELIA 5 Notes on an Execution, I feel like I need to develop a new rating system for the books I’ve read. This novel is a notch ahead of some other five stars I have rated �� I wish I could give it a higher rating.

It seems like writing in different time lines has become the new fad these days; Kukafka handled it much better than some other authors I have read. From the beginning, we are asked to follow the remaining life of Ansel Packer as he sits on death row awaiting his execution. His life is not only shared in prose provided by Ansel, but also in different timelines from the females he knew throughout his life. His mother, former fiancé, other family members, fellow foster children from the same foster home. In places, I was left questioning Ansel’s outcome as well as his solutions to problems. Kukafka sometimes used the other characters�� actions or memories to fill those holes in Ansel’s story.

Ansel also deeply believes there are multiverses. If, perhaps, he had handled one thing differently while growing up - would it have changed his outcome? Or would he still be sitting on death row? This is a deep and strong belief for Ansel. You will need to read the novel to see how this turns out.

The continuity of the story follows through to the satisfying ending. I was nervous about if or how the execution would take place. I became more invested in the characters as the story went along. Each character was distinctly different from the others, as were their strengths and weaknesses. Because of the intimacy of the characters, the book gave me the small town vibes I so greatly enjoy.

How do you enjoy a book about a gentleman sitting on death row while he awaits his execution? I don’t know that I can say enjoyment is the correct descriptive �� but this novel was unique in how the timeline was handled, thought-provoking in how our actions affect our futures, and the characters were wonderfully written.

I’m giving this five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, only because I can’t give it ten.]]> 4.12 2022
author: Danya Kukafka
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/27
date added: 2023/04/29
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
After reading Notes on an Execution, I feel like I need to develop a new rating system for the books I’ve read. This novel is a notch ahead of some other five stars I have rated �� I wish I could give it a higher rating.

It seems like writing in different time lines has become the new fad these days; Kukafka handled it much better than some other authors I have read. From the beginning, we are asked to follow the remaining life of Ansel Packer as he sits on death row awaiting his execution. His life is not only shared in prose provided by Ansel, but also in different timelines from the females he knew throughout his life. His mother, former fiancé, other family members, fellow foster children from the same foster home. In places, I was left questioning Ansel’s outcome as well as his solutions to problems. Kukafka sometimes used the other characters�� actions or memories to fill those holes in Ansel’s story.

Ansel also deeply believes there are multiverses. If, perhaps, he had handled one thing differently while growing up - would it have changed his outcome? Or would he still be sitting on death row? This is a deep and strong belief for Ansel. You will need to read the novel to see how this turns out.

The continuity of the story follows through to the satisfying ending. I was nervous about if or how the execution would take place. I became more invested in the characters as the story went along. Each character was distinctly different from the others, as were their strengths and weaknesses. Because of the intimacy of the characters, the book gave me the small town vibes I so greatly enjoy.

How do you enjoy a book about a gentleman sitting on death row while he awaits his execution? I don’t know that I can say enjoyment is the correct descriptive �� but this novel was unique in how the timeline was handled, thought-provoking in how our actions affect our futures, and the characters were wonderfully written.

I’m giving this five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, only because I can’t give it ten.
]]> 59425313
Mostly, she doesn’t want to deal with her brother, Mark, who never left their hometown, gets fired from one job after another, and resents her success. But she’ll need his help to get the house ready for sale because it’ll take more than some new paint on the walls and clearing out a lifetime of memories to get this place on the market.

Some houses don’t want to be sold, and their home has other plans for both of them…]]> 416 Grady Hendrix 0593201280 AMELIA 1
I am not going to share spoilers, but the only redeeming factor I could relay is that there were some scary parts in the prose. Other than that, there was no decent commentary, the plot was ridiculous - even for a horror novel. I feel like maybe Hendrix was attempting to make light or fun of similar plot lines, such as Annabelle or Chucky. If that was the intent, I’m sorry to say it worked. It was more or less a poorly done SNL skit.

This was not an enjoyable read for me. I grew up in Charleston and was looking for my hometown feels �� even that was poorly done. I would have abandoned the read on it, but it’s Grady Hendrix - I felt like it deserved a chance.

I did not care for this at all. The only reason I gave it two stars were the scary moments towards the beginning of the book. I really don’t recommend it for anyone.

Update:
I’ve changed my mind and am giving this one star instead of two. ⭐️]]> 3.72 2023
author: Grady Hendrix
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 1
read at: 2023/04/24
date added: 2023/04/29
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
I mentioned in one of my updates that I felt like I was watching a B movie while reading this novel. That feeling remained throughout the book.

I am not going to share spoilers, but the only redeeming factor I could relay is that there were some scary parts in the prose. Other than that, there was no decent commentary, the plot was ridiculous - even for a horror novel. I feel like maybe Hendrix was attempting to make light or fun of similar plot lines, such as Annabelle or Chucky. If that was the intent, I’m sorry to say it worked. It was more or less a poorly done SNL skit.

This was not an enjoyable read for me. I grew up in Charleston and was looking for my hometown feels �� even that was poorly done. I would have abandoned the read on it, but it’s Grady Hendrix - I felt like it deserved a chance.

I did not care for this at all. The only reason I gave it two stars were the scary moments towards the beginning of the book. I really don’t recommend it for anyone.

Update:
I’ve changed my mind and am giving this one star instead of two. ⭐️
]]> 58938609 From Jason Rekulak, Edgar-nominated author of The Impossible Fortress, comes a wildly inventive spin on the classic horror story in Hidden Pictures, a creepy and warm-hearted mystery about a woman working as a nanny for a young boy with strange and disturbing secrets.

Fresh out of rehab, Mallory Quinn takes a job in the affluent suburb of Spring Brook, New Jersey as a babysitter for Ted and Caroline Maxwell. She is to look after their five-year-old son, Teddy.

Mallory immediately loves this new job. She lives in the Maxwell’s pool house, goes out for nightly runs, and has the stability she craves. And she sincerely bonds with Teddy, a sweet, shy boy who is never without his sketchbook and pencil. His drawings are the usual trees, rabbits, balloons. But one day, he draws something a man in a forest, dragging a woman’s lifeless body.

As the days pass, Teddy’s artwork becomes more and more sinister, and his stick figures steadily evolve into more detailed, complex, and lifelike sketches well beyond the ability of any five-year-old. Mallory begins to suspect these are glimpses of an unsolved murder from long ago, perhaps relayed by a supernatural force lingering in the forest behind the Maxwell’s house.

With help from a handsome landscaper and an eccentric neighbor, Mallory sets out to decipher the images and save Teddy—while coming to terms with a tragedy in her own past—before it’s too late.]]> 375 Jason Rekulak 1250819369 AMELIA 3
And what a twist! I was *not* expecting that all �� unique in my opinion and showing up at the perfect time. I will say the twist was a huge jump from what is thought to be happening to what actually is happening. Perhaps too much of a jump? And how exactly did the protagonist come to the conclusion she did? No explanation was given.

One thing I really enjoyed was the ending, which was complete while it flushed out the characters and gave the book a satisfying ending.

I would call this a “gentle horror�� book with major thriller vibes. Rating it 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys paranormal reads or thriller books.]]> 4.29 2022
author: Jason Rekulak
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/20
date added: 2023/04/29
shelves: adult-fiction, horror, thriller, 2023-reading-challenge
review:
This story of a recovering addict working as a nanny for a young child was very enjoyable. The writing style made this an easy read, and the flow of writing made the plot easily understood.

And what a twist! I was *not* expecting that all �� unique in my opinion and showing up at the perfect time. I will say the twist was a huge jump from what is thought to be happening to what actually is happening. Perhaps too much of a jump? And how exactly did the protagonist come to the conclusion she did? No explanation was given.

One thing I really enjoyed was the ending, which was complete while it flushed out the characters and gave the book a satisfying ending.

I would call this a “gentle horror�� book with major thriller vibes. Rating it 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️, I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys paranormal reads or thriller books.
]]> 58466828 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Drowning Kind comes a genre-defying novel, inspired by Mary Shelley’s masterpiece Frankenstein, that brilliantly explores the eerie mysteries of childhood and the evils perpetrated by the monsters among us.

1978: At her renowned treatment center in picturesque Vermont, the brilliant psychiatrist, Dr. Helen Hildreth, is acclaimed for her compassionate work with the mentally ill. But when she’s home with her cherished grandchildren, Vi and Eric, she’s just Gran—teaching them how to take care of their pets, preparing them home-cooked meals, providing them with care and attention and love.

Then one day Gran brings home a child to stay with the family. Iris—silent, hollow-eyed, skittish, and feral—does not behave like a normal girl.

Still, Violet is thrilled to have a new playmate. She and Eric invite Iris to join their Monster Club, where they dream up ways to defeat all manner of monsters. Before long, Iris begins to come out of her shell. She and Vi and Eric do everything ride their bicycles, go to the drive-in, meet at their clubhouse in secret to hunt monsters. Because, as Vi explains, monsters are everywhere.

2019: Lizzy Shelley, the host of the popular podcast Monsters Among Us, is traveling to Vermont, where a young girl has been abducted, and a monster sighting has the town in an uproar. She’s determined to hunt it down, because Lizzy knows better than anyone that monsters are real—and one of them is her very own sister.

“A must for psychological thriller fans�� (Publishers Weekly, starred review), The Children on the Hill takes us on a breathless journey to face the primal fears that lurk within us all.]]> 349 Jennifer McMahon 1982153970 AMELIA 3
The characters were developed well for the most part, and the atmosphere of the different settings was laid out in a way that places the reader in the situation with the right ambience.

I’m giving this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️. It was a good and quick read!]]> 3.96 2022
author: Jennifer McMahon
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/14
date added: 2023/04/29
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction, horror
review:
Children on the Hill was unlike anything I have read before. The first half of the book moved much too slowly, and the opening chapters had me confused. Other than that, once the pace picked up and the twist was revealed (at nearly 90%), my reading and interest picked up too.

The characters were developed well for the most part, and the atmosphere of the different settings was laid out in a way that places the reader in the situation with the right ambience.

I’m giving this book 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️. It was a good and quick read!
]]> 57660939 A black father and a white father join forces on a crusade for revenge against the people who murdered their gay sons, by S.A. Cosby, the award-winning author of Blacktop Wasteland.

Ike Randolph has been out of jail for 15 years, with not so much as a speeding ticket in all that time. But a black man with cops at the door knows to be afraid.

The last thing he expects to hear is that his son, Isiah, has been murdered, along with Isiah’s white husband, Derek. Isiah was a gay black man in the American South; Ike couldn’t bring himself to attend his son’s wedding. Isiah was a man Ike never understood. A boy he was never there for the way he should have been.

Derek’s father, Buddy Lee, is also suffering. He’d barely spoken to his son in five years; he was as ashamed of Derek for being gay as Derek was ashamed his father was a criminal. Buddy Lee still has contacts in the underworld, though, and he wants to know who killed his boy.

Ike and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons with little else in common other than a criminal past and a love for their dead sons, band together in their desperate desire for revenge. In their quest to do better for their sons in death than they did in life, alpha-males Ike and Buddy Lee will confront their own prejudices, about each other and their sons, as they rain down vengeance upon those who hurt their boys.

Provocative and fast-paced, Razorblade Tears is a story of bloody retribution, heartfelt change - and maybe even redemption.]]> 336 S.A. Cosby AMELIA 5
This novel begins with a funeral for two gay men, one black and one white, who were married with a daughter, but were shot down in cold blood. The story continues with the fathers of these men, Buddy and Ike, seeking justice of the criminals who killed their sons. Along the way, they come to terms with how they judged their sons for their way of life. They also learn how life is different for different races.

The only con I could find in this book is that I didn’t feel like I got to know the two sons who were killed. All other characters are fleshed out in detail, giving me the chance to become invested in their lives.

There was very little consideration before giving this five stars. A story with feeling that gives the reader little room to travel anywhere but in Ike’s and Buddy’s worlds while they seek justice.

I highly recommend this story.]]> 4.25 2021
author: S.A. Cosby
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2023/04/17
date added: 2023/04/21
shelves: 2023-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
SA Cosby did a phenomenal job in writing this novel. From the first word to the last, the story was fully dynamic. The pace remained the same, and the action remained constant throughout.

This novel begins with a funeral for two gay men, one black and one white, who were married with a daughter, but were shot down in cold blood. The story continues with the fathers of these men, Buddy and Ike, seeking justice of the criminals who killed their sons. Along the way, they come to terms with how they judged their sons for their way of life. They also learn how life is different for different races.

The only con I could find in this book is that I didn’t feel like I got to know the two sons who were killed. All other characters are fleshed out in detail, giving me the chance to become invested in their lives.

There was very little consideration before giving this five stars. A story with feeling that gives the reader little room to travel anywhere but in Ike’s and Buddy’s worlds while they seek justice.

I highly recommend this story.
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Within a few days of moving in, Elaine and her older daughter began to experience the sensation of being watched. Then came scratching noises and weird smells, followed by voices whispering, maniacal laughter, shadowy figures scurrying along baseboards, and small balls of light bouncing along the ceilings. From the beginning of the haunting, "suffocating dreams" were experienced by everyone except the younger daughter. These eventually accelerated to physical aggression directed at Elaine and both the girls.

This book is the true story of how one family tried to cope with living in a haunted house. It also describes how, with the help of a parapsychologist, Dr. Hans Holtzer, and the medium Marisa Anderson, the family discovered the tragic and heartbreaking secrets buried in the house at Grave's End.]]> 192 Elaine Mercado 0738700037 AMELIA 4 3.70 2001
author: Elaine Mercado
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/12
date added: 2023/04/12
shelves: horror, adult-fiction, 2023-reading-challenge
review:

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