In The Solarium

  Happy October Bookworms!  Now, I know that the month has already started so I am maybe a little late to the game but I did still want to share my October TBR list with you. It's going to probably be a little short since I also still have one or two titles from my Autumn TBR to work through and I am starting to request more ARCs as well again. But without further ado here is my October TBR: These titles I picked up from my main work library: House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson All Dressed Up by Jilly Gagnon  The Witches of of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais Gunpowder Green  by Laura Childs Title picked up from my home library: On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle Books from my own TBR piles: I have two Darcy Coates to choose between.    Ninth House  by Leigh Bardugo Perception Check by Astrid Knight Book ARC's that I have acquired: Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six  by Lisa Unger What Lies in the Woods  by Kate Alice Marshall A Restless Truth  by...

Happy Halloween Bookworms! If you are anything like me than this time of year is your favorite. I love fall with the cooling weather, the leaves changing colors, and of course, Halloween. And I am also a big fan of reading for the season. Of course read whatever you want whenever you want but there is just something very satisfying about reading something spooky or just a little darker for the season.   Especially if you are able to set the mood with cozy blankets, warm tea and lit candles. Bonus points if it is foggy or raining out.  Now, with out further ado time for some book recommendations.     Cackle by Rachel Harrison Fresh starts, new friends, and friendly spiders. This speculative fiction from Rachel Harrison left me speechless.  Everyone has dreamed of starting over in a new town where no one knows you and your past doesn't define you. Here, that happens and so much more. Perfect for: Those looking for a lighter fantasy, powerful friendships...

5/5 ⭐ TBR: 9/6/22 And she is back with another bone-chilling, keep you up all night, make your heart pound horror. If you’ve been around you know that I love Darcy Coates' work. And any and every chance I get, I try to get a copy to read and review. When I saw that she was releasing a second novel this year I squealed and immediately when on the hunt for the arc. Enter Margot Hull, daughter of the recently deceased Hugh and Maria Hull, owners of the world-renowned Gallows Hill Winery. Margot knows little about her parents and her family as she was sent away at a young age and never went back until the day of the funeral. When she arrives at her old family home, secrets long buried come to light as Margot is forced to face the nightmares that curse the land. This is a slow burn tense and foreboding atmospheric masterpiece. And what I thought was going to be a ghost story turned out to be so much more, in the best way possible. This haunted house tale comes with it all. A tragic, blo...

5/5 ⭐ TBR: 8/16/22 Dark academia meets summer camp, and the vibes are immaculate. This LGBTQIA+ inclusive horror will bring the monsters into the daylight and make the reader rethink everything they thought they knew about the horror genre. With the genderfluid Mars and the rest of the Hive, each with their own purpose, this is one community... cult, that you don’t want to mess with. This is such a divine summer read, and I so enjoyed it! Thank you to Scholastic for access to the arc in exchange for an honest review. 7/27/22 *This review was previously posted on my Google Site.

5/5 ⭐ Darcy Coates is back with another enthralling, adrenaline-pumping, horror sure to keep you up at night. This time, we’re taken to sea as a group of adventure/treasure hunters are deep diving to the abandoned ship the SS Arcadia to hopefully find answers about what happened to it all those years ago. When I first saw that a new book by Coates was coming I knew I had to request it. Also, order it for my library but I digress. Instead of a dilapidated house or haunted graveyard, this time she takes us to the water and deep below its depths. A larger cast of characters also greets us and instead of the potential for a mess of too many POVs, she manages to make it flow perfectly and it never felt like we were getting jerked back and forth. The alternating timelines also helped to build the tension as we were slowly exposed to the events leading up to the demise of the ship and the shocking conclusion of the divers' own experiences. I love the way Coates creates an environment and ...

4.5/5 ⭐ Haunted motels, serial killers, and missing people. A good selection for a horror novel. And a great selection for this novel by Simone St. James. This horror plot follows both Viv and Carly in two very different journeys involving the Sun Down Motel in Fell, New York. Viv, a young women working the night shift at the hotel with dreams of New York City in 1982. And Carly, Viv’s niece, desperate to learn what happened to her Aunt all those years ago on the night she disappeared. I’ll admit, from the description and setting St. James created from page one, it was clear that this was going to be a spooky horror story. But I think that was part of the build up. And the description alone gave me chills. I am not usually a fan of the back and forth POV shifts, nor am I a fan of first person but I found that neither bothered me her as they have in the past. I liked seeing what was happening in the past that Carly was trying to uncover in the present. It built the suspense as we got cl...

4/5 ⭐ A serial killer only known as The Cur, comes out at night and hunts down, mutilating young girls that aren’t “good girls”. Those who fight back and use their voice to stand up for themselves. This is absolutely a feminist horror novel that explores dark themes of sexism and societal expectations of gender norms. Told in duel timelines, we follow Lila, a 13-yr old, and her mother Caroline in their town as a young girl’s body was just discovered after having gone missing a few days before. And then jumping back to when Caroline was younger and we start to see parallels between then and now. Both are unreliable narrators, but don’t fall into the category of the reader being frustrated with their every decision. Tension builds slow but steady until you’re on the edge of your seat, devouring what happens. Recommended for horror fans that like a bit of social commentary and feminist elements. CW: Some graphic imagery\description referencing to assault\mutilation of younger teen victims...

  5/5 ⭐   Daniel is desperate for a job, and when he finally gets one that seems too good to be true he wonders if it's really all worth it. A groundskeeper position at a hidden, derelict mansion. Room and board included with only a few simple rules that he must follow. Could his luck really have turned around that quickly? Craven Manor is a falling down dilapidated old home with a crypt. The mysterious owner only communicating through letters and gold coins. A murder of crows lurking in the treetops and a cat watching his every move. Spooky much? This is a horror/supernatural story and I think is technically my first one in a pure horror genre and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I dislike horror movies and most scary entertainment but I devoured this story in a matter of days. Like two days. Not only is the story rich in description and detail, but the characters we are introduced to are also unique and so fascinating. Even though I wanted to wack Kyle upside the he...