Between Naps (8)


Between naps is a little recap of what we were up to last week.

New Reviews:  
Nightmares edited by Ellen Datlow
Disappearance at Devil's Rock by Paul Tremblay
Bagged by the Groceries! by Fannie Tucker

Retro Reviews:
The Dark Servant by Matt Manochio

Got My Eye On 
Featuring books I have to have after visiting some of my favorite bloggers

TBR Voting 
Pick my next read for me.

 January 2017 Wrap-Up Post

What We've Been Up To 

♥ Furriness: Evil Kitty has been doing what he does. Basically lounging about the house and being a general pain in everyone's butt. This week he claimed a new box as his own after beating off one of the other kitties and chewed his way through a brand new phone charger when I left the room for 30 seconds. Ugh, this cat. He's lucky he's sometimes adorable. 




♥ Craftiness: We've been working on turning our ugly 1960's cabinets into something a little less ugly and are about at the halfway point. We priced out cabinets and they start at $10,000. Yikes, are you for real? I could do a lot of other things (buy books, wine, chocolate, a kitty muzzle . . . ) with that kind of money. So I did some research and found a cheaper way to fix 'em up. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Supposedly you won't have to sand the life out of your cabinets and lose your will to live in the process. No priming necessary, they said. Well, they hadn't seen my cabinets! I ended up having to sand down some really rough spots and we have a lot of scarring/marring and cat scratches to fill in but the sanding really is minimal with this stuff. It's still a lot of work, three coats of paint and then it all has to be sealed in with a special wax so we're taking it one small section at a time. I'm spray painting the old hinges and keeping the gold nobs for now. What do you think? The whole thing will probably run us under $1,000 for all the supplies because my labor, sadly, is unpaid but I saved myself at least $9000! I'll still need to do something about that dreadful laminate back-splash (maybe pay someone to stick tiles over it because I"m not doing that!) and the counter-top has to go but that's a problem for another day/month/year.
Ugliness Born in 1968

Well, hello there 2017

♥ Movies: We went to see Split. Wow, what a great job the lead actor did with all of those personalities. It was creepy, and disturbing without any in-yer-face nastiness. The truly bad stuff was alluded to, thank the good lord for that, and I recommend it if you're in the mood for such things. We also rented The Autopsy of Jane Doe which definitely lived up to all of its accolades. It's horrifying and unique. You should see it!

Link Ups


Netgalley Binge
Seriously, still? Yes! I even went over there to update my reviews and didn't grab a thing.


Ebook Buys

I grabbed a few freebies. Now to find the time to read them . . . 

The Sick House: An Occult Thriller (The Ulrich Files Book 1) by [Ibsen, Ambrose]The End of the World as We Knew It by [Cole, Nick]The Fairy Tale Bride (Once Upon a Wedding Book 1) by [McClymer, Kelly]The Loneliest Alpha Book #1 (The MacKellen Alphas series) by [Grey, T. A.]
Now Reading

330015643397465731429949


Reviews In Progress

2727611333354867

What have you all been up to?  And let me know if you've read any of these! I love to hear from you and will always visit back in return.

Comments

  1. chucklesthescotFriday, February 10, 2017

    Your cabinets look really great with that makeover! That really is an amazing difference. I try not to think about my kitchen-the place is a hazard to health and wellbeing and I hate even going into it! Thankfully, tonight we are getting in a yummy meal from the local takeaway and I'll be enjoying a tikka masala!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsMonday, February 13, 2017

      Thanks Chuckles. I got sick of looking at them. They were seriously depressing but my body is not thanking me for this decision. It is soooo much work. Take-away is the best, I agree!

      Delete
  2. BarbFriday, February 10, 2017

    I really like the cabinets and hey, for the money you saved, they look practically brand new. Kitchens are the worse. Ours needs help in every way possible but no time to do it. Evil Kitty sounds like a handful, but he does do adorable quite well. Hope you have a great weekend and get some quality reading done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsMonday, February 13, 2017

      They do look decent considering what crap shape they were in before. They were so grimy and beat up. You can't really tell from the before pic but they were dreadful. I got zero reading done this weekend but thanks for the thoughts :)

      Delete
  3. Joy Friday, February 10, 2017

    Isn't it amazing how a bit of paint job can update the look of your kitchen? I bought my house in 06 but it's already looking worst for wear.

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsMonday, February 13, 2017

      It really is. I just wish it would stay fresh forever. It seems just as we finish a room it's time to do another.

      Delete
  4. StormiFriday, February 10, 2017

    Oh your cabinets look really good! I picked up Sick House too! :) Hope you enjoy your new reads!

    Stormi

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carole's Random LifeFriday, February 10, 2017

    Good job on the cabinets! I know that that is a lot of work but it will be so worth it in the end. Congrats on not requesting on NetGalley...I failed with that this week. Your kitty is adorable!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsMonday, February 13, 2017

      Thanks, it is exhausting but my kitchen is looking brighter.

      Delete
  6. Jen | Book DenSaturday, February 11, 2017

    Wow, your cabinets got a great facelift. I love them. I can't believe I still haven't read Fellside. I look forward to your thoughts on Coco Butternut. I need to get back to reading Hap and Leonard. I went on a binge last year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsMonday, February 13, 2017

      Thanks, I am so tired though. I just wish this project was over. Our cabinets over the stove were the worst. I spent most of my weekend sanding and patching them. But they do like nice now :)

      Delete
  7. LindseyMonday, February 13, 2017

    You have such restraint to not request a bunch of books from Netgalley! I guess that means you will just have to read those new books you got in the mail! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsWednesday, February 15, 2017

      I haven't had a lot of luck with Netgalley lately so it's best I stay away ;)

      Delete
  8. Mary (Bookfan)Monday, February 13, 2017

    The cabinets look great! I need to read down my netgalley shelf. I think I have 5 titles to read so it shouldn't take long. Hope you love your new books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsFriday, February 17, 2017

      Thanks Mary. Netgalley stresses me out. I'm down to 2 now.

      Delete
  9. Martha EskuchenMonday, February 13, 2017

    Our dogs got into the trash while we were at church. :-( We love them but how can they be so naughty?
    Great job on the cabinets! That is a big improvement and a lot of savings.
    I am trying to stay away from NetGalley until I read a few more in my current queue.
    The dog stories especially pull me in. Hope you enjoy all of your nice mix of books. Happy Reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsFriday, February 17, 2017

      Thanks Martha, I'll be painting and reading and hoping your dogs behave :)

      Delete
  10. sherry fundinTuesday, February 14, 2017

    I feel the same way about my cabinets. Yours look great.
    sherry @ fundinmental Sunday Memes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsFriday, February 17, 2017

      Thanks, Sherry! We're still not done but we're getting there.

      Delete
  11. ElizabethTuesday, February 14, 2017

    Love the cabinets!!

    ENJOY your new kitchen AND your books.

    Have a wonderful week.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Mailbox Monday

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bark At The GhoulsFriday, February 17, 2017

      Thanks, Elizabeth! The cabinets are really brightening things up.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Bloody Chamber And Other Stories by Angela Carter | Horror Fiction Review

Image
Hmmmm The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter Released January 1979, 162 pgs Source: Bought with my own $ Goodreads  |  Amazon For the 75th anniversary of her birth, a Deluxe Edition of the master of the literary supernatural’s most celebrated book—featuring a new introduction by Kelly Link Angela Carter was a storytelling sorceress, the literary godmother of Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell, Audrey Niffenegger, J. K. Rowling, Kelly Link, and other contemporary masters of supernatural fiction. In her masterpiece, The Bloody Chamber—which includes the story that is the basis of Neil Jordan’s 1984 movie The Company of Wolves—she spins subversively dark and sensual versions of familiar fairy tales and legends like “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Bluebeard,” “Puss in Boots,” and “Beauty and the Beast,” giving them exhilarating new life in a style steeped in the romantic trappings of the gothic tradition. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic liter...
Read more

Horror Film Friday Returns with The Other Side of the Door

Image
If you're new here, please know that my film reviews are crap and never to be taken seriously because I do not take notes and my memory is an unreliable thing but if you're okay with that, well, here's another! click on pic to rent/buy it yourownself Laurie from The Walking Dead stars as a suicidal, grieving mom. A terrible accident forced her to make a terrible choice that left her young son dead and she is not coping well. Still-sexy Jeremy Sisto plays the dad who seems to be coping with the death of their little boy by becoming a workaholic. He scours India looking for antiques that he resells for loads of money. At least I think that's what he does. He's seen bringing home an old thing or two and lives in a lovely large home so that's how I came to that conclusion. But the beautiful man hasn't a clue what Laurie is about to do. Their nanny/maid/bad advice giver attempts to help Laurie find some closure by telling her about a place that will ...
Read more

Review: Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn

Image
Go get yourself this book! It's out today. Flowers for the Sea by Zin E. Rocklyn Published October 19, 2021 Dark Fiction   |   Goodreads   |   Amazon   |  Bookshop Flowers for the Sea is a dark, dazzling debut novella that reads like Rosemary's Baby by way of Octavia E. Butler. We are a people who do not forget. Survivors from a flooded kingdom struggle alone on an ark. Resources are scant, and ravenous beasts circle. Their fangs are sharp. Among the refugees is Iraxi: ostracized, despised, and a commoner who refused a prince, she’s pregnant with a child that might be more than human. Her fate may be darker and more powerful than she can imagine. Zin E. Rocklyn’s extraordinary debut is a lush, gothic fantasy about the prices we pay and the vengeance we seek. My 2 Cents For Free! If you follow the bookish people on social media, I bet you’ve seen people praising this book here, there, and everywhere. There’s a reason fo...
Read more