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The Oh-So-Sad DNF Collection: Take 4

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I have had a decent run of books lately and there have only been two that didn't quite work out for me. I don't like to DNF but I also don't like the idea of struggling through a book that doesn't get along with me and there are simply too many books in my pile(s) right now.



Lustmord: Anatomy of a Serial Butcher - Book One by Kirk Alex
The face you make when you put your damn glasses on, read the fine print and realize the book you've just been accepted for on Netgalley is nearly 800 pages long.



I don't know if I can do this one, folks. I'll give it another try in a few weeks . . .

Quite a few weeks later:

Nope, this book is too long, too meandering and too cruel. I will never finish it. Sorry, Netgalley. I suck and I need better glasses.



Here There Are Monsters by Amelinda Bérubé
It pains me to do this because I purchased this paperback brand new and I don't splurge that often but I am going to DNF this one after reading the first section (roughly 100 or…
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A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher Book Review

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This one worried me but it turned out to be a five star favorite! You never know.



A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. FletcherReleased April 2019

Audiobook Fantasy Adventure  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Source:  Library Borrow When a beloved family dog is stolen, her owner sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this fiercely compelling tale of survival, courage, and hope. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.My name's Griz. My childhood wasn't like yours. I've never had friends, and in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football. My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs. Then the thief came.There may be no law left except what you make of it. But if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you. Because if we aren't loyal to the things we love, what…
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Come Join Us by the Fire Audio Review

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This is a very fine collection of short horror fiction. I almost liked them all!



Come Join Us By The FireReleased October 2019

Dark Fiction  |  Goodreads  |  Get It Here

Source: Online Freebie Nightfire Books, a new horror imprint from Tor Books, is proud to present 35 horror short stories showcasing the breadth of talent in today's field, from genre luminaries including New York Times bestselling authors Joe R. Lansdale, Richard Kadrey, and Victor LaValle, to bright new talents Cassandra Khaw and Sam J. Miller, and masters of experimental narratives, Carmen Maria Machado and Brian Evenson. There's something for every listener, so come join us by the fire and hear tales not to tell against the dark... but to embrace it.

Time: 9 hours 45 minutes.
My 2 Cents For Free! This is free. At least it was at the time I wrote this post so go get yourself a copy right here!
If these stories are any indication of what we can expect from Tor’s new horror line NightFire, we have some excellent ho…
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Nothing But Mini Reviews #2: A Bunch of Good Reads

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Recent Mini ReviewsBecause I am nothing if not lazy!
Here's a bunch of other stuff I've read recently(ish).  Again, they are mostly audio.

Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered by Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark I HIGHLY recommend you listen to the audiobook version of this book because it is narrated by the writers and you'll miss a lot of the emotion in the words if you don't hear them tell it. I also suggest that you only pick it up only if you are a fan of the My Favorite Murder podcast - otherwise you might not get what it is all about and you'll probably be very disappointed and will be left scratching your head at the title. It's not a guidebook instructing you how to "Stay Sexy & Don't Murdered" (that's the tagline of the true-crime comedy show), it's a book about the podcasters very personal, very intimate struggles with family, mental health and their careers. As a fan of the show, I found it both interesting, painfu…
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TBR Thursday (4)

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My little holiday vacation turned out to be an extended vacation due to two full days of snow and messiness. Who can complain about two extra days off?  I got a little reading done and it was nice to relax but the Christmas stress is now full upon me and keeping me up at night. There's also something weird going on with my dog's tail that is worrying me but I'm hoping it's a minor sprain because he is a monster at the vet! I hope you've all been able to sneak in some reading.

Here's whats up next in the TBR: 

Next up is THE CULT CALLED FREEDOM HOUSE by Stephanie Evelyn. This was a pick for the December Goodreads Ladies of Horror Fiction group so I had to bump it ahead. I like a good cult story so I'm looking forward to starting it.

Soon I'll be reading HOW TO SURVIVE A HORROR MOVIE by Seth Grahame-Smith. This is an updated version - I guess it came out a few years ago but I missed it then and my review is super late (ahhh!).

Also up is THE DEAD GIRLS CL…
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The Stranger by Steve Stred Book Review

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Camping brings horrible memories to my mind of sleeping on the ground and listening to our friends hollar at each other all night long but those woes are nothing compared to what happens to this family on their annual camping trip . . .



The Stranger by Steve StredReleased June 2019

Dark Fiction  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Source: Received for Review Consideration Ahhh… nothing like the annual summer family camping trip, right?

Malcolm, his wife Sam and their two kids have been staying at the same cabin, at the same campground for years now. Heck, Malcolm’s been coming to the campground since he was a kid.

Miles and miles of groomed trails, hiking, kayaking on the pristine lake. What’s not to like?

But this year… well this year’s different. You see, roof repairs have caused them to have to change their plans. Now they’re staying at the cabin at the end of season, in fact they’re the last campers before it closes for the winter.

While happy to be spending time with the family, Malcolm feels a shi…
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See you next week!

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Have a great holiday, if you're celebrating! I've had limited internet access this week and I am unplugging for the next few days in order to recharge and plop on the couch with my beasts because I am worn out. The last few weeks have been challenging with one stressful thing after another. I'll return mid next week and resume catching up on my reviews as well as visiting all of your lovely blogs. 
Happy reading, everyone!
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My Pretties by Jeff Strand Audiobook Review

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If you like dark humor with your horror you should read Jeff Strand!



My Pretties by Jeff StrandReleased June 2019

Dark Fiction  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Source:  Received for Review Consideration A novel of terror from the Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of PRESSURE.

A serial kidnapper is preying upon women. He abducts them, then locks them in one of the cages dangling from the ceiling in a soundproofed basement. There, he sits quietly and just watches them, returning night after night, hoping he'll be in the room at the moment his beautiful captives finally starve to death.

Charlene and Gertie have become fast friends at the restaurant where they work. But Charlene is concerned when she hears how her co-worker spends her evenings: Gertie's cousin is one of the missing, and Gertie wanders the city streets where many of the abductions took place, using herself as bait with a high-voltage stun gun in her pocket. Charlene reluctantly offers to trail her in a car, just in case she doe…
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TBR Thursday (3)

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I skipped doing this last week because my reading time has been sliced down to 20 minutes a day the past few weeks. I hope I can make up for all of those lost pages tonight before falling asleep again!

Up next in the TBR: 

Next up is VIOLET by Scott Thomas who wrote KILL CREEK. There's been a lot of buzz and good reviews surrounding this one so I'm excited. Also up soon is THE DEAD GIRLS CLUB by Damien Angelica Walters. Sorry for the crap picture. Daylight savings time stole my photo time *cries*.


Currently Reading:
THE HUNGRY ONES by Chris Sorensen is my current read. I'm only about 85 pages into it because this week has been exhausting. But I'm enjoying the motel hell plotline! It picks up after the events of the THE NIGHTMARE ROOM so if you haven't read that one yet, you might want to do so before starting this one.

What's up next for you?

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Reads of Many Moons Past (3)

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I thought it might be fun to start looking back in time and seeing what I was reading this time last year and all of the previous years since I started cataloging my reads! I sometimes see people doing this on social media and it's a fun reminder that older reads need loving too. If you're a nerd like me and want to do this please leave me a link to your post. I'd love to see it!


November 2018 Week 3

Lizzie Borden: Zombie Hunter by C.A. Verestraete Some of my thoughts then: "This is a fast paced zombie/ghoul slaying tale that answers the question you never knew you had about the Lizzie Borden case. What if a zombie plague were the reason Lizzie Borden wacked her parents with an ax?
I LOVED this set up and that it jumps right into the grisly murders. And they are grisly."
3 ★'s
November 2017
Halloween Carnival Volume One Some of my thoughts then: "Halloween Carnival is a collection of three short stories and two novellas. It would’ve been perfect reading …
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