What I've Been Reading...(January 2021 Edition Part 1)

I thought that I would try something different this year and share my thoughts on the books that I read each month all in one go.  Maybe I will have months where I read a ton and split the posts up or I might let things carry over from each month.  I just really, really want to get into the habit of sharing about ALL of the books that I read and not just some of them.  I might share full reviews for certain books depending on if I have more to say...but we will cross that bridge when I come to it. EDITED to add:  I started this post off completely optimistic thinking I would share about ALL of the books that I read in January - and then never finished the post.  We will see how the year goes on but here are my thoughts on the 1st two books that I read in January:

Summary from Goodreads:

"Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone."

My Thoughts:

Wow, wow, wow!  This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2021 and it definitely didn't disappoint!  I absolutely loved this book - it's just that easy to say!  All I can think is that if this is the author's debut, then I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!  If you read the above summary, the premise for me was just irresistible.  The comparison on the back of the book to The Blair Witch Project was spot on when it came to the atmosphere that was present throughout this book.  I just knew that I needed to pick up this book, and see what in the heck was going on.  Let me just say that I was not disappointed in the answers that I got!  But what made this book absolutely brilliant for me was the creeping dread that the author built up in this book from the very beginning pages.  This book was a slow burn in the best of ways.  I am HERE for all of the creepy, slow burns like this so please give me all of your recommendations.  Simply put: I need more books like this in my life!  One of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was the premise.  The idea of an entirely abandoned village was just delightfully creepy to think about.  I also really enjoyed the fact that this book was told in two parts.  One was in current day with Alice and her crew and the second part was told in the past from the viewpoint of a woman named Elsa.  I really liked the way that these two storylines tied together.  The feeling of dread that just kept building especially towards the end had me reading as fast as I could.  And the ending was perfection in my opinion.  It's a month later and I'm still thinking about this book.  What a way to start off my year of reading in 2021!

Bottom Line:  A standout way to start off my reading year - I would be very surprised not to see this book on my best reads list at the end of 2021!

CW: Murder, abuse, religious elements (hard to explain without spoilers so message me if you need to know more)

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Summary from Goodreads:

"Along the ever-changing border of gentrifying Los Angeles, a seventeen-year-old girl is found dead at a construction site, hanging in the closet of an unfinished condominium. 

Homicide detective Elouise “Lou” Norton’s new partner Colin Taggert, fresh from the Colorado Springs police department, assumes it’s a teenage suicide. Lou isn’t buying the easy explanation. For one thing, the condo site is owned by Napoleon Crase, a self-made millionaire… and the man who may have murdered Lou’s missing sister thirty years ago. 

As Lou investigates the death of Monique Darson, she uncovers undeniable links between the two cases. She is convinced that when she solves Monique’s case she will finally bring her lost sister home. But as she gets closer to the truth, she also gets closer to a violent killer. After all this time, can he be brought to justice… before Lou becomes his next victim?"

My Thoughts:

Land of Shadows is the 1st book in the Detective Elouise Norton series.  I've read two of this authors books previously (both standalones) and enjoyed them so much that I knew that I wanted to dive into her backlist.  I'm really glad that I did because I enjoyed this book a lot.  Lou's character is one that I instantly liked.  She didn't take crap from anyone and knew that she was good at her job for a lot of different reasons.  I love a mystery series focused on a strong female lead detective - this is like my reading catnip.  Lou has a darker past though because years ago her sister went missing and she still doesn't have the answers she has been searching for.  Then she gets assigned to this case and it seems like the two cases are tied together even though her sister went missing so long ago.  This book was a definite page turner!  I found myself really hooked by the premise and the way that this book was set up.  Parts of the book were set in the past leading up to Lou's sister's disappearance and then the other parts of the book were focused on Lou's current investigation.  I had no idea where it was all going and I couldn't stop reading as I just had to find out.  My one complaint with this book was there was a bit of inappropriate language (I really don't know how else to explain it).  This is an older book - it was published back in 2014 - so maybe it wasn't considered offensive back then but I did want to mention it.  One of the things that this book did so well though is that it made me sit back and think.  The author makes a point of looking at the reasons why the police didn't really look into her sister's disappearance that closely - it's a poignant look at how differently these types of case are treated when it is a girl of woman of color that goes missing.  I definitely will be continuing on with this series.  Rachel Howzell Hall is an author not to be missed!

Bottom Line: A really solid beginning to this new to me mystery series!

CW: Suicide, murder, cheating, derogatory language, loss of a child, death

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.  Honest thoughts are my own.

The Return by Rachel Harrison (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"An edgy and haunting debut novel about a group of friends who reunite after one of them has returned from a mysterious two-year disappearance.

Julie is missing, and the missing don't often return. But Elise knows Julie better than anyone, and she feels in her bones that her best friend is out there, and that one day she'll come back. She's right. Two years to the day that Julie went missing, she reappears with no memory of where she's been or what happened to her."

My Thoughts:

The Return was a creepy and atmospheric read that I really enjoyed!  One of the things that I enjoyed the most about this book was the feeling of wrongness that was present throughout the entire book.  It was in the characters, the hotel where they were staying at, their history with one another....everything felt just slightly off and wrong.  It made for a very sinister and creepy feeling that was present the entire time while I was reading this one.  For me, it was like the characters could sense this feeling of wrongness as well even when they were doing their best to ignore it and pretend everything was okay.  I've seen some reviews that didn't care for the characters and how they interacted with one another. I thought it creepily fit with everything else that was going on in this book.  Nothing was right and the question lingered on if it ever had been.  I really don't want to say too much more in order not to spoil anything.  This book was creepy at points but not so much that I ever felt truly scared while reading.  I just enjoyed this book and everything that the author was doing with it.  It felt at times like it could be from an episode of America Horror story where you just kind of know that bad things are going to happen.  The wait can be the scariest part!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am eager to read more by this author!  The fact that this is a debut just astounds me.  I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next (and I truly hope that she keeps to the horror/thriller type of genre because I would love to find more books like this)!  Horror readers should definitely check this one out!  I will say that this book slowly builds up with the creepiness factor so I wouldn't expect a fast paced page turner.  Instead, this is one where the atmosphere builds until it felt like I couldn't take it any more.  Then I rushed through the pages having to see how it would all end!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  An atmospheric read that has me SO excited to read more by this author!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Watch the Girls by Jennifer Wolfe (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"SOMEONE IS WATCHING
Washed up teen star Liv Hendricks quit acting after her beloved younger sister inexplicably disappeared following a Hollywood party gone wrong. Liv barely escaped with her life, and her sister was never heard from again. But all this time, someone's been waiting patiently to finish what was started...

FOUR MISSING GIRLS
Now fifteen years later, broke and desperate, Liv is forced to return to the spotlight. She crowdfunds a webseries in which she'll pose as a real-life private detective--a nod to the show she starred on as a teen. When a mysterious donor challenges her to investigate a series of disappearances outside a town made famous by the horror movies filmed there, Liv has no choice but to accept.

FOLLOW THE WHITE WOLF
Liv is given a cryptic first clue: Follow the white wolf. And now a darker game is about to begin. Through social media, someone is leaving breadcrumbs to follow. As Liv makes increasingly disturbing discoveries, her show explodes in popularity. A rapt internet audience is eager to watch it all--perhaps even at the cost of Liv's own life..."

My Thoughts:

Thinking back on my year of reading, this may be the creepiest book that I've read all year.  Watch The Girls straddles the line between thriller and horror - and it does it with absolute perfection.  There are all of these horror elements throughout the book and creepy moments but it reads like a thriller.  I don't know that I've read anything like it but I loved every minute of it!  I'm actually a bit surprised that I haven't heard more buzz over this one with other readers if I'm being honest.  Liv is quite the main character.  She starts off in this book drinking heavily and it almost felt like the unreliable narrator element all over again that you see in so many books lately.  I instantly didn't trust her and wasn't even sure if I liked her based off of the decisions she was making.  But as the book goes on my viewpoint on her definitely began to change.  I'm going to hit slightly spoiler-ey territory here so feel free to skip ahead so I don't ruin anything for you.  I started to realize that something had happened to Liv all of those years ago when her sister disappeared that she wasn't remembering.  I wasn't sure what but knew that it was important.  I also started to trust her more the further I got into the book.  There is all of these different things going on and as the reader I was trying to figure out how they all tied together.  It was so completely tense and suspenseful!  Plus the horror films that were filmed in this small town are there own element themselves in this book.  They help to give this book the horror vibe that I got throughout.  Plus, as we learn about the different movies you start to wonder if maybe they are playing out in real life.  It was creepy let me tell you!  

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book immensely!  It was dark and twisted which is everything that I enjoy in a thriller!  My favorite part of this book was the sense of foreboding that was present throughout. There were times when I almost didn't want to keep reading because I just had that bad feeling but I literally could not stop reading.  It's funny because I actually started reading this one and then it had to go back to the library unfinished (I was pretty early on in the book).  I instantly put it back on hold and jumped in as soon I checked it back out.  I'm so glad that I didn't let this one linger on my TBR because I enjoyed it so much!  I just cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next!  Fans of suspense, thriller, or horror should definitely give this book a shot.  I can highly recommend!

Bottom Line:  One of the creepiest thrillers I've read all year (if not the creepiest)!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own! 

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves.

But the secrets of the deep come with a price."

My Thoughts:

Yes!  This book was just as good as I had hoped that it would be - actually I would say it was even better.  I'm going to start off by stating for the record that I love, love, love Grant's Newsflesh trilogy (of which I've read each book multiple times minus Feedback which I haven't read yet).  Because I love those three books so much, I've been very hesitant to pick up anything else by her.  Not because I don't expect to love everything that she writes.  At this point I actually do expect to love all of her books.  But more because I remember clearly the first time that I read Feed and how it managed to rip my heart out after I had come to care about the characters so much.  That might sound slightly like a spoiler so I won't say more than that.  I just knew that there was a good chance that anything else I read by her would either not live up to my very high expectations or would also rip my heart out.  I told myself though that I wasn't waiting to read this one and I'm so glad that I didn't.  It was absolutely fantastic!  Yet again I found myself completely immersed in this world that Grant has created.  This time though there was a creepy horror movie vibe to the book that I just couldn't get enough of.  Killer mermaids folks.....that should tell you everything that you need to know.  

One of the things that I really loved about this book was the characters.  Grant has a knack for creating characters that I really come to care about.  These characters were no different and I grew to care for them at my own peril.  As soon as you start reading this book, you basically know that things may not turn out well for everyone.  In fact, just from reading the summary you can see that they are heading straight into the danger zone in the attempt to determine what actually happened to the Atargatis so long ago.  Cue the creepy horror music from here on out.  The author starts dropping hints from the very beginning that things may not go as planned.  It adds this layer of tension to the story that made for quite the reading experience.  I won't say too much more but the comparisons to horror movies should tell you all you need to know.  And yet again I say, killer mermaids folks.  This book was everything I wanted to read and didn't even know it!  I basically couldn't stop reading this book.  I ended up finishing it late in the night because I just needed to know how it was all going to end.  I was thrilled when after finishing I realized that it looked like this is going to be part of a series.  I can't wait to read more!  Also, there is a prequel that I need to check out as soon as possible because I just can't get enough of this world that Grant has created!

Overall, I can tell you that this book will easily be on my best reads of 2017 list!  It was such a great reading experience and just writing up my thoughts has me so excited to read everything else that Grant has written.  I've always wished that they would have made a movie (or movies) based off of the Newsflesh trilogy.  I have to say that this book would make an amazing horror movie as well!  I will always sing Grant's praises because her books are just that good!  The worlds that she creates are just so unique and complex - I just can't say enough good things about her or her books.  This book was dark, tense, and so flipping good that I can't even talk coherently about it.  I'm going to need a copy of this one for my own shelves for sure!  Highly, highly recommended!  Readers of horror, science fiction, everyone really....check this one out!

Bottom Line:  One of the best books that I have read in 2017!  I don't need to say more than that!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.       

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman (thoughts)

The Waking Dark was one of the creepiest, darkest books that I have read in a long time!  Wasserman creates a thriller that not only gives the reader chills but also makes you think about the society that we live in.  This is one of those books that sticks with you, and I've been thinking about it every since I finished.  Wow!  This was a really good read but quite disturbing!

I don't want to give too much away so I'm going to use the Goodread's summary for this book:

"They called it the killing day. Twelve people dead, all in the space of a few hours. Five murderers: neighbors, relatives, friends. All of them so normal. All of them seemingly harmless. All of them now dead by their own hand . . . except one. And that one has no answers to offer the shattered town. She doesn't even know why she killed—or whether she'll do it again."

How eerie and dark does that sound?  Oh my goodness, it was all of those things and so much more!  The tension and suspense begin from the very beginning in this novel and continue to build the further it goes on.  Before I knew it, I was so wrapped up in this book that I just couldn't put it down.  I had to see what was happening and even more importantly why it was happening.  The author creates this menacing atmosphere that just creeps up on you, and it doesn't let up until the last page.  I couldn't help but imagine if this could really possibly happen.  And scarily enough I suppose that it could.  I know that I'm not giving you a lot of details but I just don't want to spoil this book for anyone.  This is a book where it is best to be experienced without knowing much about it.  I think that it makes the reading experience that much more unnerving.  I really appreciated the ending of this book as well because it didn't just tie everything up in a bow.  I liked this book that much more because of it!

Overall, this book was spine-chilling and one of the best young adult books that I have read recently.  It is books like this that make me glad that I'm planning on reading more YA this year.  I will definitely be reading more by this author because wow!  Just wow!  She managed to really blow me away with this book so of course I want to read more.  And I will!  I'm just curious to see what she comes up with next and if it will be as scary as this book was!  I could see this one being made into a movie (which I would definitely want to see).  Highly recommended to fans of horror and dark thrillers!

Bottom Line:  A chilling read that is both dark and terrifying!  Read it!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library!  What a great choice!

P.S.- I saw that this author has been compared to Stephen King and what a compliment!  I have to agree on the fact that they both used horror in a way that makes you think about society as a whole.  Nicely done!

Starter House by Sonja Condit (thoughts)

In Starter House, Lacey and Eric Miszlak are searching for the perfect house to begin their new lives in.  Almost instantly Lacey finds the house that she believes they are meant to own and love, but it is a house with a dark history.  It doesn't matter to Lacey though as she can already see her future children growing up in there.  And it only begins to play an important role when she starts to realize that they aren't alone in the house.  Dark forces, a mysterious little boy, and a home where numerous people have met their deaths means that Lacey is going to have to do whatever it takes to protect her unborn child.  Because this house doesn't want to let her go...

This was one creepy read!  I'm a sucker for a haunted house story so as soon as I read the summary for this one I knew I wanted to read it.  I'm glad that I had the chance to read this book because it didn't disappoint.  There were some very eerie moments in this book that knocked the suspense level up and kept me on the edge of my seat.  There were also a few moments where I had to go back and reread, because I was reading entirely too fast and didn't understand what was going on.  Everything that was happening was surreal at times and it took me a bit to figure out exactly what was happening.  I thought that the author did a good job of keeping the level of tension high throughout the book.  The atmosphere of the book was both dark and foreboding.  All of this added together in a way that really kept me reading.  I had a hard time putting this book down which surprised me as I didn't always care for the main characters.  Lacey was a bit much for me at times with both the way she acted and her thought processes.  I didn't always understand why she behaved the way she did  but I liked that she did everything she could to protect her family.  She just frustrated me at times!  Eric's character also left me a bit less than impressed but that is because I think that he could have been expanded on more.  I never felt that I really understood him which left me unconnected to both of the main characters.  It didn't affect my level of enjoyment with this book though because the creepiness factor kept me sucked in.

Overall, I think that I will definitely be reading more by this author.  She did a really amazing job in creating a book filled with horrors without being over the top about it.  I appreciated that this book was able to give me chills at times.  Reading it during the dark coldness of winter was perfect because it helped to make my reading experience of this book even better.  I will be recommending this one to fans of horror and thrillers alike.  And I will be waiting to see what this author comes up with next!

Bottom Line:  A suspenseful read that had some moments that sent shivers down my spine.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC Book Tour.  Thoughts are my own!

R.I.P. VIII Challenge (It's Here!!!)

It is officially the best beginning to a week ever because Carl's R.I.P. VIII Challenge is here!!  I am SO, SO excited and feel like I have been planning for this for weeks.  Maybe because I have.  I've been adding potentials reads for this challenge to my TBR list on Goodreads for weeks now.  I have big plans for lots of scary reading in the next couple of months.  And I see a few library visits in my very near future!  Of course I will be culling some books off of my own shelves that will fit in with this challenge as well.  This is always my favorite time of the year when the weather begins to change and the urge to read those creepier books sets in.  I plan to embrace this and read to my heart's content all of the thrillers, mysteries, and horror reads that I can find!

I'm signing up for Peril the First which only requires you to read four books.  I'm hoping to read many, many more than that but it is a good start!  I've already signed up for the group read of The Historian (which I just need to dig off of my shelves) and I would love to get back to It by Stephen King which I started last year but didn't finish.  What other books am I considering you might ask??  Only all of these...

Because I'm sure these two will have a high creepy factor to them.

Two books from previous R.I.P. lists that STILL haven't been read (but that will change this year).

Thrillers from authors that I've loved previously.

Gothic mysteries?  Ummm...YES!!

More creepy possibilities...

Books that I plan on grabbing from the library...

And finally a few from my own shelves :)

I could obviously keep going but I'm going to show a little bit of restraint and stop here.  Don't worry because I also plan on sharing a library loot post with all R.I.P. inspired reads AND a wishlist/radar post with creepy reads!  I've got plans I tell you....creepy reading plans that is.  By the way, I'm starting early on this challenge because I can't wait any longer.  So....what creepy reads are you planning on reading?  C'mon you know you want to share (and add to my never-ending TBR list)!

R.I.P. VII (It's Here!!!)

There is just something about this time of year that puts me in a good mood. I love the gloomy rainy days and the beginnings of fall. I always say that I love all of the seasons (and I do) but fall is definitely my favorite. And what better way to celebrate the beginnings of fall then my favorite event of the year???

I've been putting books on hold at the library all week for this event, and that is not to mention all of the books I already have sitting on my shelves. My latest trips to the used bookstore were mainly filled with books from these genres as these were the types of books that I've been in the mood for. So I'm definitely ready to get started! This is my 4th time participating in this challenge and my favorite part of it is the community feeling that it creates. All over our love of the spooky! You can't get better than that :)


I'm signing up for Peril the First but of course I'm hoping to fit way more than four books in for this. And because one of my favorite things is looking at all of your lists of possibilities I thought that I would share mine.














Quite the list, isn't it? I also have my holds that I'm waiting for at the library so I'm definitely not going to be wanting when it comes to books for this! And I might have a few downloaded on my Kindle that will fit as well. And somewhere in there I will add something by Agatha Christie because she is a must this time of year! Fun to be had and lots of spooky reading to be done :)

I've already posted about these but I'm also signed up for the IT-a-long (It by Stephen King) which has already started but you can still join in on the fun. It is quite spooky so far and I have a tendency to shut it in a drawer at bedtime. I'm also planning on reading The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters which I have had on my shelves for too long. So two group reads that will be fit in around all of these other lovely books. Now let's see how many I can really get finished. Happy reading!

Deadline by Mira Grant (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Shaun Mason is a man without a mission. Not even running the news organization he built with his sister has the same urgency as it used to. Playing with dead things just doesn't seem as fun when you've lost as much as he has.

But when a CDC researcher fakes her own death and appears on his doorstep with a ravenous pack of zombies in tow, Shaun has a newfound interest in life. Because she brings news-he may have put down the monster who attacked them, but the conspiracy is far from dead.

Now, Shaun hits the road to find what truth can be found at the end of a shotgun."

My Thoughts:

I couldn't seem to coherently come up with my own summary of this book without giving away spoilers so I decided to use the above summary. I adored this book! Loved it so much that after turning the last page (and reading the little bonus section in the back) I was ready to start it all over again. I'm going to admit that I didn't think that it could live up to the amazingness that was Feed. But I'm happy to say that Deadline was JUST as good as Feed! That's two, blow me out of the water, recommend to everyone, AMAZING books that make up a trilogy. I cannot read Blackout. How could it possibly live up to these two books??? These may be two of my favorite books ever.

One of the things that I loved about Feed was how surprised I was that I fell in love with the book. It was just SO good and the ending...all of it knocked me over in reading ecstasy. When I started Deadline I was excited to be reading it but I was super nervous as well. I was sure that I wasn't going to enjoy it as much...there was just no possible way to love it as much as the previous book. But it instantly sucked me back into Shaun's world and I loved every minute of it! I keep using the word love but there is no other way to describe it. I adored each and every page of this book and was left wanting more. This book instantly skyrocketed to my top 10 reads of 2012...heck, it may be my favorite book that I read this year. I suppose it is too soon to tell but it could be. I haven't really told you anything about this book and I'm not going to. I think that you should go into reading these books with little to no knowledge of the plot so you have no expectations. Just expect awesomeness. And if you ask me for a book recommendation I'm probably going to mention these. Just saying :)

Bottom Line: An amazing read. An amazing 2nd book in this trilogy. One of my favorites easily! What else could you possibly need to know???

Disclosure: I purchased my copy of this book from the now closed Borders bookstore. BEST purchase ever!!!!

I wanted to leave you all with a link to my thoughts on Feed. Do you know what is even better than reading an amazing book? Having Twitter conversations about said amazing book with other book lovers who love it as well. Bliss!

Graveminder by Melissa Marr (thoughts)

Graveminder is a dark, deliciously creepy tale that begins with a death in the small town of Claysville. As soon as Rebekkah hears of her grandmother Maylene's death, she realizes that she will need to return to the town where Maylene lived and died. But Claysville isn't your typical town and has many of its' own secrets; just like Maylene wasn't your typical grandmother and had secrets of her own. Before Rebekkah knows it she is caught up within the secrets of both the town and her grandmother and what results is something that she never could have imagined.

So let's just start off with saying that I loved this book! Seriously, I couldn't put this book down and stayed up way too late reading it. In fact, there was a huge storm going on one night while I was reading it (with possible tornado activity) and what do you think I was doing?? Reading...I could have cared less about the weather except it fit in with the atmosphere of the book so perfectly! With Graveminder, Marr has created a world where the dead walk and nothing is as it seems. I loved the creepy atmosphere that was present throughout this book. In the book, Rebekkah has to learn to tend the dead as she begins to fill in for her late grandmother. The world that Rebekkah begins to learn about and explore is more eerie than she can imagine and fits in perfectly with the atmosphere. This was just one of those books that I couldn't get enough of. Rebekkah was an interesting main character with lots of family and relationship issues that come into play throughout the story. One of those main relationship issues is with her ex-love interest Byron. Byron and Rebekkah find themselves intertwined with the secrets of the town and each other. And there lies my only complaint with this book...Byron and Rebekkah's relationship could be a bit much at times. But it honestly didn't affect my enjoyment of this book and this was a book that I couldn't get enough of!

All in all, I absolutely adored this book and can't recommend it enough! The author did an amazing job of creating a world where the dead live and secrets abound. The book was dark, creepy, intense, and suspenseful....a perfect mix that made this novel really stand out for me. Highly recommended!

Disclosure: I checked this one out from my local library....I'm going to need my own copy at some point though :)

The White Devil by Justin Evans (thoughts)

From Goodreads:

"When seventeen-year-old Andrew Taylor is transplanted from his American high school to a British boarding school—a high-profile academy for the sons of England’s finest—his father hopes that the boy’s dark past will not follow him from across the Atlantic. But blood, suspense, and intrigue quickly surround Andrew once again as he finds himself struggling with a deadly mystery left unsolved by a student from Harrow School’s past—the enigmatic poet Lord Byron."

My Thoughts:

Sounds creepy, right? This book was filled with creepy, atmospheric moments that had me turning pages and guessing to see what would happen next throughout the story. The author creates such a dark mysterious atmosphere with a boarding school and ghost at the center of the story. The setting of the story was one of my favorite parts of the book as it adds so much to the storyline and the book itself. This book is just filled with atmosphere and I couldn't get enough! I found the storyline and history of Lord Byron, the poet, both interesting and intriguing. This book made me want to learn more about Byron's life and I'm looking forward to reading his poetry at some point in the near future. I couldn't help but be reminded of Jennifer Egan's The Keep as I was reading this book. Both books were filled with a gothic, creepy atmosphere and setting that kept me turning the pages. This book had a few intense, weird moments that also mirrored my reading experience of Egan's novel. Has anyone else read both of these??? I found that I couldn't put this book down though as I wanted to see what would happen next. Andrew was an interesting main character as he is mainly an outsider throughout the novel. His loneliness and sense of isolation helped to add to the creepiness that was present throughout the book. I don't want to say too much more and give anything away with the plot so I'll cut my thoughts a bit short and just say READ THIS. All in all, this was a book that kept me thinking about it long after I put it down and I'm looking forward to reading this author's other novel. Definitely recommended but with a warning that it was slightly graphic in a few parts....nothing that would stop me from telling others to give this book a try though.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review from the lovely people at Harper Collins. These are my own honest thoughts!

Feed by Mira Grant (thoughts)

From Goodreads:

"In 2014, two experimental viruses -a genetically engineered flu strain designed by Dr. Alexander Kellis, intended to act a cure for the common cold, and a cancer-killing strain of Marburg, known as "Marburg-Amberlee"-escaped the lab and and combined to form a single airborne pathogen that swept around the world in a matter of days. It cured cancer. It stopped a thousand cold and flu viruses in their tracks.

It raised the dead.

Set twenty years after the Rising, the Newsflesh trilogy follows a team of bloggers, led by Georgia and Shaun Mason, as they search for the brutal truths behind the infection. Danger, deceit, and betrayal lurk around every corner, as does the hardest question of them all:

When will you rise?"

Sorry but I had to cheat and use Goodreads summary as I was struggling for the words on my own. So let's start off with the fact that I loved this book. Loved it! I'm seriously thinking that this book has blown every book that I've read so far this year (and a good majority of last year's reads) out of the water. I enjoyed it that much! Feed is one of those books that sucks you in and doesn't let go. I didn't want to set it down....in fact all I really wanted to do was sit and read which made getting anything else done a bit difficult. And I loved the fact that I was so caught up within the story that I would find myself reading nonstop for long periods of time or staying up late to keep reading. That almost never happens anymore.

One of the things that made this book so great in my opinion was the world building that the author creates. Feed was so incredibly detailed that I found myself feeling like I was living in Shaun and Georgia's world. A world of fear and change, with the knowledge that eventually no matter what everyone becomes the undead. It was a bit eerie, I have to admit. But the details and descriptions pulled me deep down into their story and the world that the characters lived in. I really liked the characters and the connection that Georgia and Shaun had with each other. I loved that they were bloggers and the important role that the author gave blogging within the story. And the storyline itself was great for so many different reasons. I found it refreshing to see that the author was able to keep the storyline almost realistic considering that zombies were involved. The way that it was written made it seem like it could almost really happen, that this was all really possible, and the results were pretty bleak. The story was fast paced throughout and there were a couple of twists that really surprised me. And the end. I don't even know what to say other than it was heartbreaking.

This book will hands-down be going on my top ten reads this year. I can just about guarantee it. I loved everything about this novel and don't have a single negative thing to say. So I'll leave you with a very high recommendation(READ IT!!), and I'll be waiting most impatiently for the 2nd book in this trilogy to come out.

P.S.- Did you know that this is pseudonym for Seanan McGuire?? I have the first book from her other series checked out from the library and I can't wait to read it now!!

Disclosure- I checked this book out from the library so my gushing review was all my own and not because I received it from anyone :) Just saying...

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen

So let's start this review off with the fact that I don't care for zombies all that much. Or maybe at all. So I can't say that I was expecting to like this book all that much. I cannot even begin to tell you how pleasantly surprised I was to find that Married With Zombies was a fast, fun read!

It all begins when Sarah and David head to couple's counseling. Sarah and David are having major relationship issues when the book begins but their entire life changes when they walk in on their counselor attempting to eat one of her clients. Now they are not only working on their relationship problems but also fighting zombies and attempting to stay alive and away from the undead.

I was instantly drawn into this book from the very beginning. Sarah and David's relationship isn't perfect and comes across as very real. I loved how we got to see from the very beginning how their lives changed from the outbreak of zombies, as well as how they learned to cope with all of the changes. It made me wonder at times what I would do and how I would react if placed in similar circumstances. The book itself was very fast-paced and I found myself turning the pages with ease. One of my favorite parts of the book was the zombie/relationship advice found at the beginning of each chapter. These were both quirky and clever and definitely fun to read. The book doesn't take itself too seriously which made for a few laughs at times. But there were also some more somber moments which realistically would be the case all things considered. And of course there has to be the warning fact that parts of the book are slightly gory (if I can handle it though, I'm sure anyone could). But all in all a fun, easy read and I'm definitely looking forward to reading book 2 in this series!

Bottom Line: A fun, fast read that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to zombie lovers!

Disclosure: I received this book from the lovely people at Orbit Books. Thanks for helping to me to stretch my reading comfort zone and fine a new author!!
*I read this book for the following challenge:
New Author Challenge
Speculative Fiction Challenge
100+ Book Challenge
RIP V Challenge

P.S.- And if I didn't convince you to read this based on my review, I handed this one off to my sister when I finished and she enjoyed it as much as I did ;)