Life in a slasher film is easy. You just have to know when to die.
Aerial View: A suburban town in Texas. Everyone’s got an automatic garage door opener. All the kids jump off a perilous cliff into a shallow river as a rite of passage. The sheriff is a local celebrity. You know this town. You’re from this town.
Zoom In: Homecoming princess, Lindsay. She’s just barely escaped death at the hands of a brutal, sadistic murderer in a Michael Jackson mask. Up on the cliff, she was rescued by a horse and bravely defeated the killer, alone, bra-less. Her story is already a legend. She’s this town’s heroic final girl, their virgin angel.
Monster Vision: Halloween masks floating down that same river the kids jump into. But just as one slaughter is not enough for Billie Jean, our masked killer, one victory is not enough for Lindsay. Her high school is full of final girls, and she’s not the only one who knows the rules of the game.
When Lindsay chooses a host of virgins, misfits, and former final girls to replace the slaughtered members of her original homecoming court, it’s not just a fight for survival-it’s a fight to become The Last Final Girl.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
After reading a couple of Stephen Graham Jones’ books and short stories in the past, I have been wanting to pick up more of his backlist. The premise of this one really intrigued me so I thought it would give it a shot. The story and plot itself was interesting and I certainly wasn’t expecting some of the plot twists – but the way it’s formatted really hampered my reading experience. I understand the intent behind it, it’s written like a script in a way where you are constantly changing perspective and scene and they blend into each other – but it made the book harder to read for me. It’s a really cool concept but the lack of chapters and constant shifts did bring down my enjoyment a bit.
Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I have been wanting to pick this one up for a long time, so it’s another instance of kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. I really enjoyed one of Maurene Goo’s other books, so am glad I finally got to this one since it was just a wonderful read. Sure there were parts of it where it was a tad predictable but I absolutely loved all the K-drama references and the nods to Korean culture. I can’t say the route Desi took was appropriate and it was pretty out there – but it made the read fun and hilarious. This was great for a light and fun read and I’m so happy I finally got to it.
Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd delivers an all-new thriller, featuring a bold and brash female protagonist.
WRONG JOB Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.
WRONG NAME Evie’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on justice, intent on recovering her life, she searches for the killer who slaughters without remorse.
WRONG ALIBI At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evie emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family?
I did not expect this book to fly by as fast as it did and was surprised by how fast it seemed to go. This is my first experience with Dodd’s writing but I was pulled in by the writing and the way it flew by. I did feel like it could have been honed a bit as sometimes it did seem that some things weren’t necessary, or were affecting the other aspects of the story in ways they didn’t need to, but overall it was a really enjoyable read with vibrant characters. I look forward to picking up some of Dodd’s other books in the future when looking for a good mystery.
New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd writes “edge-of-the-seat suspense” (Iris Johansen) with “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (ALA Booklist). Her fifty-eight books have been called “scary, sexy, and smartly written” by Booklist and, much to her mother’s delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list at www.christinadodd.com.
Viking has bought The Young Pathfinders, a middle-grade graphic novel series by Francesco Sedita and Prescott Seraydarian. The book will be illustrated by Steve Hamaker. The Young Pathfinders is an adventure story featuring a diverse group of kids thrown together in a summer camp project. Researching their town’s history leads to a mysterious, abandoned castle that was once home to an eccentric inventor, and may still be home to great treasure.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I had to pick this one up when I read the premise and thought it would be a fun read – I wasn’t wrong. I will definitely be picking up other volumes as this was just a joy to read. A fun, puzzle solving mystery with a group of new friends. The art style is fun and vibrant, and the story flows super fast. I can’t wait to see what else they find on their adventures.
Wilder and her friends continue their adventures, exploring the secrets of their sleepy hometown.
Wilder, Macy, Dot, Karma and Ed continue their hunt for notorious pirate Black Mary’s secret treasure, and uncover their sleepy town’s hidden secrets. With tensions running high, and the smell of the sea (and unclaimed treasure) fresh on the breeze, the girls will have to work together to keep clear of the Denbys and Horace Shipp, not to mention Wilder’s increasingly suspicious sheriff mom, to get out of this without walking the plank!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I’ve been wanting to pick up the second volume of Misfit City for a while now and finally was able to – then made sure to devour it in one setting. Being a great lover of The Goonies I instantly give points to anything that references it and this one for sure does that. Sure, it plays on a lot of the same themes and tropes, but it was just a fun time. I loved the dive into Black Mary’s story that happened in this one and how the story wrapped up especially. There were some instances where I felt like some of the characters were hard to tell apart, so it might have been nice to have a slightly smaller group, or have more unique traits to them, but that didn’t decrease my enjoyment in the story as they had their adventure and discovered the truth.
Cute, clever, and comically ingenious, Andrés Colmenares’ popular shark comics are a sweet, sincere tonic for these anxious, troubled times
This hardcover collection features the cute, uplifting and ingenious aquatic cartoons of Andrés Colmenares, the creator of Wawawiwa Comics, followed by millions of fans around the globe. While sharks are one of the ocean’s deadliest predators, these sharks can smell insecurity, doubt, and gloom, and are quick to strike — with kindness, cuteness, and positivity!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
After reading a number of the short form comic books that have come out in the last year, I was really excited to pick this one up, especially after reading the synopsis and seeing the art style. This would be the perfect book to flip through if you’re needing a quick laugh, smile or pick me up. I loved all the scenarios in this book and the little snippets of friendships and life between the different creatures features (one of my favorites involved penguins, but there were so many good ones!). I especially loved the continuing thread of the main shark and his fish friend as they interacted with other characters and lived their lives. All in all it was fun and heartwarming, sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.
Stella thought she’d made up a lie on the spot, asking her childhood friend if he remembered the strange public broadcast TV show with the unsettling host she and all the neighborhood kids appeared on years ago. But he does remember. And so does her mom. So why doesn’t Stella? The more she investigates the show and the grip it has on her hometown, the eerier the mystery grows.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Most of this story I spent not really knowing where it was going, but I did enjoy how the different pieces fell into place. I didn’t quite feel the ending suited it, but I think that was the result of what often happens with short stories – you end up wanting more. Whether it be more background, more foundation or just more plot to the story. I would have liked to delve more into who the Uncle Bob character was and find out the why of how things were, but I understand the author’s motivation in leaving such things out. At its core this is a psychological story and some of the elements are left open for the reader’s interpretation.
Now I know what you are thinking, there are still two weeks left in the year, so how can I be absolutely sure there won’t be something else I read that breaks its way into my top 5? There might be and if there is, then I’ll admit that fact when the time comes, but I’m fairly sure that these are pretty set on being my top 5 books of the year, so let’s get into it!
Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa – I still haven’t forgiven Julie Kagawa for destroying me with this book, but her Shadow of the Fox trilogy has a distinguished place on my favorites shelf. I can easily see myself reading these books time and again as I loved the characters and world that she created. All three books ended up being 5 stars for me which is saying something when you are talking about a series. I was both scared and excited for the last book, and in the last 50 or so pages my boyfriend had to deal with me sobbing my eyes out and not knowing what was wrong. If you haven’t already, please read these books, they were amazing!
Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega – This was one of those books that I ended up being so mad at myself about, because I pre-ordered it and then didn’t read it for months! Once I read it I was kicking myself SO HARD because I loved it so much. Even though this was Ortega’s debut I will be checking out her future books based on this read alone. I loved the way she integrated culture, throwback references and her characters are rich and fully fledged. Plus – Chunk alone gets five stars (and all the Goonies references killed me). If you love spooky middle grades that are full of heart and humor, then you NEED to pick this one up.
The Wild Path by Sarah R. Baughman – Oh man, this book. This was another one that had me tearing up because there were definitely parts of it I could identify with. The mystery involving what Claire sees and finds out was a wonderful string to weave through the story and I again couldn’t help but fall in love with the characters and setting. When I originally signed on the the blog tour for this one it was because I was truly interested in the story, but I very quickly fell in love with it. This is another author whose other works I want to check out sooner rather than later not just because of the content, but because her writing style was also such a joy to read.
Night of the Mannequins by Stephen Graham Jones – Ok, I’ll admit it, because I had enjoyed Mapping the Interior so much I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy this one as well – but I didn’t know how much. I really enjoy his writing style so it was easy to fall right into this one. I pretty quickly devoured it and was so happy I had decided to pick it up. It’s humorous and dark at the same time, with just enough psychological twist that I was really happy. I can’t wait to pick up more of his work and see if I like them just as much.
The books I’ve mentioned up until this point haven’t been in any kind of order, I haven’t assigned certain spots to them, but I can pretty confidently say which book is my absolute number one of 2020. So I’m going to actually include my full review of this one.
Don’t Read the Comments by Eric Smith – I was super excited about this book when I heard about it. Being a gamer myself I’m very aware of the toxicity that can be found in the gaming community, especially when it comes to female players, so having a book that tackles this head on was such a joy to see.
I was not disappointed at all and can easily say that Don’t Read the Comments will likely appear in my favorite books of the year list. It not only discussed the gaming community and how celebrities in that community are treated, but also addressed other issues in the gaming community, different family dynamics and issues and so much more. The discussion regarding how Divya guards her identity and information out of fear of being pursued or doxxed is something that is seen in a number of industries, not just the gaming community.
I fell in love with so many of the characters, even when they perhaps weren’t acting the best. They were all moving cogs within the story that contributed greatly to the plot. There were also wonderfully inserted moments of humor that not only lightened the events, but perfectly added a realness to the story. This was really such a wonderful read and I wholeheartedly recommend it.
So there you have it – my top 5 of 2020. What were your favorite books?
Bonnie Drummond is from the wrong side of the tracks, raised in a family of liars and criminals. No matter how hard she tries to stay on the straight and narrow, she always finds herself sucked back into the family drama, forced to sacrifice everything she’s earned to protect her family.
But this time they’ve gone too far—crossed the wrong people—and to save them she’ll have to put her life on the line.
Roman Kozlov, enforcer for a New Orleans mafiya family, is the poster child for the life Bonnie is struggling to escape. But he’s also as alluring as he is dangerous, and it doesn’t take long for their lives to begin to mesh.
With Roman, Bonnie finds the family she never had.
As their race for answers heats up, so too does the budding romance between them. And with danger nipping at her heels and love threatening her heart, Bonnie must come face-to-face with her past if she wants to have a future.
After reading Hers to Tame I was excited to get the chance to read more from Rhenna Morgan and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed. I really enjoyed this story as well as the relationship between Roman and Bonnie. Bonnie of course was hesitant to some things because of her history with her family and Roman was definitely an alpha personality, but the way things came together was wonderful.
Though this one is part of a series you can definitely read it without reading the previous books. Morgan’s writing style is quick to read and has a ton of not only character development, but the plot is paced really well and constantly keeps you going forward.
A native Oklahoman, Rhenna Morgan is a certified romance junkie. Whether it’s contemporary, paranormal, or fantasy you’re after, Rhenna’s stories pack romantic escape full of new, exciting worlds, and strong, intuitive men who fight to keep the women they want. For advance release news and exclusive content, sign up for her newsletter at http://RhennaMorgan.com. You’ll also find all of her social links there, along with her smoking hot inspiration boards.
Things I know about Harrow Lake: 1.It’s where my father shot his most disturbing slasher film. 2.There’s something not right about this town.
Lola Nox is the daughter of a celebrated horror filmmaker–she thinks nothing can scare her.
But when her father is brutally attacked in their New York apartment, she’s quickly packed off to live with a grandmother she’s never met in Harrow Lake, the eerie town where her father’s most iconic horror movie was shot. The locals are weirdly obsessed with the film that put their town on the map–and there are strange disappearances, which the police seem determined to explain away.
And there’s someone–or something–stalking her every move.
The more Lola discovers about the town, the more terrifying it becomes. Because Lola’s got secrets of her own. And if she can’t find a way out of Harrow Lake, they might just be the death of her.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Harrow Lake is a book that will definitely have you doubting who is reliable and which way is up. There was a good chunk of the book where I was waffling between three or four stars, but the last 100 pages definitely pushed it up to four stars for me. Psychological horror is absolutely my favorite kind of horror and at first I wasn’t sure if this was where it was going. There are definitely some supernatural aspects as well.
I did really enjoy the story once it really got going. So many of the different characters seem either unreliable or like they are clearly holding information back. This sometimes is frustrating as I did find myself wanting more revealed about the town of Harrow Lake and the superstitions/legends that the townspeople had.
A also really enjoyed that as the story continued we found out that Lola herself might not be a reliable narrator as we followed her journey. There’s that constant question of whether or not she’s imagining everything or if there really is something supernatural, and that carried on through the book in its entirety.
If you like psychological horror that slowly unfolds throughout the story, definitely check out this one.
The Wandering Wordsmith 