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PSA: I Might Not Like Your Book And That's Okay

I'm making this post a sticky post because it keeps having to be said!
Sorry for yelling but seriously, it is okay if I do not like your book. I am but one person in a sea of readers. Most of who probably have better taste than I! There is no need to come on over to my review (or anyone's) at Goodreads and tell me how much of an idiot you think I am. It will not change my opinion about the book but it may change someone's opinion about you. A bad review is also never a reason To Start A Petition to force Goodreads to change their TOS to suit you.

I love books, I love authors, I love to read, to review and I love nothing more than to spread the word about books. But I'm not always going to like your book. In fact, I will probably dislike at least one thing about it because I'm a bit of a jerk like that and that's okay too. There are very few books that I think are perfect.The first one that comes to mind is Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. It is my comfort read. I …
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Review: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

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If you're looking for a lush, beautiful, immersive read this one is for you.


Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Audiobook Fiction
Listening time 12+ Hours
Released August 2018
Goodreads | Better World Books

How long can you protect your heart?

For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life - until the unthinkable happens. 

Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heart…
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November 2018 Wrap-Up

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At least the month started out well . . .


November 2018
Reviews Posted (clicking on cover will bring you to my review)


Our Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Community Wide Readalong is over at Ladies of Horror Fiction and we all had so much fun reading together and raving and ranting about things. You can read all of the posts at the Ladies of Horror Fictionwebsite. We have another community-wide read planned for February and will be announcing the book very soon. I hope some of you will join us!


New Purchases

I was pretty good about not blowing the budget this month (as much as it kills me) but I did purchase the Night Wormspackage and I'm so glad. Look at all of this Christmas horror goodness!



Oops, maybe I did blow the budget after all. I forgot I splurged on the Twitterstone box too . . .  and it was pretty excellent. 

And I just want to say that I am so very happy that these two good things arose from the flames left behind by the mess made by Nocturnal Reader's Box!
So, what are yo…
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Mini Hiatus

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Hey, everyone. I guess I decided to take a mini-hiatus. Ooops. I have no real excuse other than the fact that a series of events left me feeling meh and my life has been more draining than usual leaving me out of steam at the end of the day. I'll be back to my usual haphazard routine of posting when I feel like it and visiting your lovely blogs real soon. For now, I'll leave you with a rare picture of my grumpy dog smiling because BarkBox brought him a Grinch toy which matches his personality so very perfectly, haha.



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Amazon Update

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Amazon never responded to my inquiries about my 18 years worth of missing reviews and their removing my ability to review on the site but yesterday both returned. I am extremely wary of them now and will no longer review there, nor will I add in any links on my blog pointing to them.  I'm glad the reviews are back but I think it only happened because of my big mouth on social media. My ranking is still in the gutter too. I feel so used and discarded, lol.
They are gonna get nothing but the ol' side eye from me from here on out.


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Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson Review

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Today I'm sharing a silly bit of fluff I read a bit ago because who doesn't need that nowadays?


Undead and Uneasy by MaryJanice Davidson
Audiobook Paranormal Fiction
Released 2007
Amazon | Goodreads | Better World Books

Weddings are never easy. But when you're Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor, they can become downright deadly...

In the days leading up to The Big Day, Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor seems to have a full house - and the wedding guests have yet to arrive. Along with her human buddies, there's a ghost, a werewolf, and a Fiend crashing at her place. And though her fiancé, Vampire King Eric Sinclair, conveniently disappears when the conversation turns to seating charts and flower arrangements, he does manage to make his oh-so-sexy presence known at other moments.

Betsy knows the next few weeks won't be smooth sailing - but she never expects just what's in store for her. Cold feet are no surprise, especially with an undead groom. But when Sinclair truly goes missing - …
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Policy Change

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Because the last few months haven't been shitty enough, I went over to Amazon to post my review of Carmilla and this happened:


Apparently Amazon decided to delete 18 years of my reviews from their website with no notice, no warning and absolutely no reason.They also revoked my reviewing priveledges and dropped my ranking from 1,500-something to #55,806,921 over night. They left up reviews from the year 2000 and older and I haven't a clue why they're still there but I'm guessing they'll disappear soon too. Why'd this happen? I don't write false reviews, I don't inflate review ratings and I don't even know any authors personally unless you count a book signing  I recently went to where I was too shy to speak to any of them!


I've been told by others who have had the ban hammer of Amazon dropped upon them that it is because someone either flagged my reviews for whatever reason and/or it is because they think I'm having "relationships" wi…
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Rabid Heart by Jeremy Wagner Review

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Tired of zombies? Read this anyway!


Rabid Heart by Jeremy Wagner
Horror Fiction
Released October 2018
Amazon | Goodreads | Better World Books

How far would you go for love when all you love is DEAD?

Six months after the Necro Rabies pandemic has turned the world into hordes of rabid undead known as "Cujos," 21 year-old Rhonda Driscoll discovers her zombified fiancé, Brad, in her old hometown.

Fearing that her Marine Colonel father will kill undead Brad, Rhonda flees, taking a road-trip with Brad in tow in hopes of starting a new life in a frightening and uncertain world complicated by numerous perils, pure horror, joy, heartbreak, and unconditional love.


 These Are My Thoughts:

People say they’re sick of zombies or werewolves or vampires or demons or gawdforbid tentacles and I get it but I am not one of those people. I will read everything and anything if the writing is engaging. This is why one day my piles of books shall be the death of me. I don’t really care if the monster has be…
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Naked in Death by J.D. Robb Review

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A reread that doesn't disappoint!


Naked In Death by J.D. Robb
Mystery Thriller
Released July 1995
Amazon | Goodreads | Better World Books
Eve Dallas is a New York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years on the force, she's seen it all - and knows that her survival depends on her instincts. And she's going against every warning telling her not to get involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire - and suspect in Eve's murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own, and it's up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows nothing about - except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.

These Are My Thoughts:

I read this when was it first released in 1995 and decided to give it a reread on audio hoping it would hold up so many, many years later. 23 years later, actually! How did that happen? This book is older than my kids. Older, probably, than a few of my friends here too! Obviously, I remembered nothing about it…
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Books From The Backlog: The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

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Carole @ Carole's Random Life In Books has created a fun feature called Books from the Backlog to spotlight neglected and unloved books that have been sitting on your bookshelf for too long.
If you would like to join in, click the pic above to find out more.




My Neglected Book of the Week is The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes which has a 3.49 rating on Goodreads. My friend's reviews are all over the map and range from 2's to all the stars. They say things like, "The thing was this book reads so slow that I kept falling asleep" and "The Shining Girls is a horrid and nightmarish tale but so completely intense and unforgettable that it's certain to leave a lasting impression" and "frustrating"  and "This was a very cool book with a fantastic premise and executed brilliantly. I think it deserves 5 stars for keeping me so hooked, and that's exactly what I'm going to give it". I trust these people, all of them! This is why it co…
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House of Fallen Trees by Gina Ranalli

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This book was a struggle.


House of Fallen Trees by Gina Ranalli
Horror Fiction
Released August 2009
Amazon | Goodreads | Better World Books

"Two men have the carcass." 

These words, heard over a crackling telephone line, change writer Karen Lewis's life for the worse. Months earlier, her brother went missing in the small rural town of Fallen Trees, Washington. And now she finds out he willed his half of a bizarre bed and breakfast to her. "Two men have the carcass." Is this ominous phrase enough to draw her into the mystery of Fallen Trees? Is the answer to her brother's disappearance located there? Or is it just a trap, something designed to draw her into a nightmare world and break her sanity? What horror awaits Karen in the House of Fallen Trees?
Here Are My Thoughts:

Well, I am sad to say that this book didn't work for me. I was very excited to start it and I LOVED the gorgeous cover but I didn't enjoy this story. It was very dream-like and that's …
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