Wonderland | 
so-soI liked the setting and the general concept but it was just weird for me. It felt off. I didn‘t like the writing. It didn‘t feel genuine or relatable. I just could not fully get into this one or stay interested. It was very wordy and the characters weren‘t my favorite. Just okay for me.
pickCreepy, atmospheric, character-driven horror. Slower paced, perhaps even a bit too slow at times (50 pages or so could‘ve been cut, probably, and made this a tighter/more suspenseful read). The ultimate climax was a little bit of a let down, but overall I enjoyed this and would read more by this author.
Day off - I need to get a taller step ladder to replace some smoke alarm batteries. But first! Coffee, egg sandwich, and my book 📖 ☕️ 🥪
“‘Oh, Bean!‘ It was the most her daughter had gleaned from It, but the information had come at a cost. Eleanor Queen huddled beside her brother, looking as small and frightened as he did. ‘You did an amazing job - you did so well!‘ And Orla wouldn‘t let her do more. ‘Why don‘t I take a turn now? See if I can explain to It what - and who - we are. Is It still listening?‘”
“Orla nodded. Smart plan. Whatever had infected Shaw hadn‘t stolen all of his rational thinking. It would have been a long walk for the kids, and she‘d never liked the idea of them being on the snowed-over road, without sidewalks and with the berms buried. And they had choices about where to head next, though driving straight on to Pittsburgh seemed by far their best option. She wouldn‘t let her family make the same mistake again . . .”
Enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon with a cold brew and an egg and cheese sandwich 🥪 This book is set in the Adirondacks in November and there‘s snow - hoping that can help me feel cooler and this very hot and humid day!
“Orla caught that flicker again of a moment from the past. The family home. Her father making her little brother laugh. Though none of them ever chased delicate Otto, lest he stumble and break.”
pickBook 128📚 3.3⭐️
A family moves from NY city to the norther state forest, thinking getting out of the city will be good for them. But what they encounter in the woods is more than they bargained for🌲🌲🌲
I thought the ending would be spookier but over all a great novel.
Baby Teeth is still #1! 🦷
so-soI thought this book had all of the threads to go to really cool places. I was left kind of disappointed but I liked the writing style!
-7 C here this morning 🥶 so it's a perfect time to FINALLY finish this wintery horror novel. I've been reading it for over 3 weeks, which is unusually long for me. The first half completely sucked me in, but the second half isn't what I expected and my interest is waning. Paid full price though so didn't want to dnf it lol 16 pages to go!
Orla tried not to think of it as an amputation, but that‘s how it felt.
#FirstLineFridays
I keep trying to read by the #dorkie isn‘t having it 😂😂 #dogsoflitsy
Just finished watching the Bucs beat Green Bay so I can finally settle down and read. This week in Tampa is gonna be crazy!!!
pickI listened to another incredibly dark book, by Zoje Stage. A family leaves NYC to live on a large property in the woods. Initially enchanted by their winter wonderland, they begin to grow alarmed by the intense weather phenomenons and by the big tree that may be communicating with them. The book starts out strong with a unique, engaging story but feels less original as the book progresses. The ending is both satisfying and dissatisfying.
pickWhat a delightfully creepy, completely strange concept for a book that I very much enjoyed. 😀
A family moves to a new home in the secluded woods during winter. Once there they notice things that they can't explain. Are they just going crazy from the isolation or is something darker lurking in the woods? 💀
This book kept me guessing, it kept me on edge, and although I did want a little more explanation at the end, it was still satisfying.
“So he hadn‘t seen her euthanize a pair of anguished mutants.” ..... Haunted woods? Family going insane? Who can say.
So I‘m just going to use my cute Calli as my readathon wrap up because I spent the weekend feeling like I hid from the world and read and for #outstandingoctober I read 27 books HOW a lot of graphic novels @Andrew65
70.5 hours Outstanding
36.5 fallReadathon - insta
22 hours 24 in 48 (Fb)
8.5 hours Graphicsathon (twitter)
Edit - 24 hour read mate insta - 11 hours
Overall total points +1485 for #teamharkness #scarathlon2020 @StayCurious
pick🎧 I enjoyed the book. It‘s a bit of a cross between ... The Ruins & The Shining IN FEEL ONLY! That strange supernatural sci-fi creepiness. Very atmospheric. Pretty well written. Good narration. It‘s about a family of 4 that moves to the middle of no where ... in a house that had an entirely different purpose in the distant past ... let the creepiness & unknowing commence. It kept me interested, SHOCKER! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/3
so-soWhile not nearly as good as Baby Teeth, this sophomore outing is still worth reading. While there are definitely elements of “The Shining” throughout this book, the story itself gets a bit repetitive yet is saved by its compelling characters and overall weirdness.
pickThis book has some very mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it. Well-written, slow-burn psychological horror.
My full review is on my blog: https://sprainedbrain.blog/2020/08/06/review-wonderland-by-zoje-stage/
4th book finished for #NetGalleyReviewathon
Current library book stash. I have no shelf control.
I have been WAITING for this. Zoje Stage blew my MIND with “Baby Teeth,” and so I cannot even begin to express how excited I am for this one. 😍 Can‘t wait to get out of work at 2:30 and have the rest of the day to dive in to “Wonderland.” 😱😈 #wonderland #zojestage #pittsburghauthors
so-soIt worked as a family drama, and as a portrait of a marriage in flux. The supernatural element felt lazy even as the sense of encroaching dread filled me. Somewhere between a pick and a so so, but that cover! #coverlove
pickI‘ve been looking forward to reading more from Stage as soon as I finished Baby Teeth! Her sophomore novel tells the story of a NYC family relocated to North Country on an isolated piece of land overshadowed by a 500 year old pine. Orla, retired ballerina, wife & mother of 2, feels out of place in their new home-& soon strange phenomena & family tension increase to make this a fast-paced & unsettling read! I am glad it wasn‘t snowing while I read!
Welcome back another #sundaypost #sundaysalon and #stockingthestack
It's been a great reading week with a huge #netgalley haul and of course our #bookofthemonth predictions.
Check out how our reading week went and tell us all about yours in the comments!
https://stuckinthestacks.com/2020/05/17/sunday-salon-graduation-edition/
#bookstagram #bookishalgor #bookishalgorithm #bookwormlife #readinglife #alwaysreadingbooks
pickfinished this #ARC I got from a goodreads giveaway. I was a bit wary of the Shirley Jackson/The Shining comparisons on the blurb but it turns out they're pretty spot-on and the end result is pretty good! solid mix of psychological dread mixed with creepy supernatural events. the ending wraps up things a bit too tidily for my tastes and the author has an odd taste in character names, but it was a fun read.
