Tone-wise, this was a mixed bag. Quick read, cozy humorous feel despite being quite a gory thriller mystery. Most of the characters other than Kirby are totally one dimensional. 🤷🏻‍♀️

It felt a bit like a new “I Know What You Did Last Summer” but with a group text chat (that was a bit pointless tbh).

My thanks to NetGalley & Gallery Books for this ARC - it‘s out in December. Odd bc it def feels like a beach type read to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Too real. 😱🤔

This lil collection of horror (or rather horrifying) shorts was pretty fun. Some were better than others but it introduced me to some exciting authors like Del Sandeen, CJ Leeds, Jennifer Thorne, and S.A. Barnes (above excerpt).

So-So bc the tone felt confused. The majority felt causticly sarcastic a la Willy Wonka or Scooby Doo, but the stakes are serious…basically this book felt unsure if it was horror or a dark comedy. 🤷🏻‍♀️

A group of writers are invited to the manor of a legendary peer after his death to hear his will. A deadly escape room ensues. #OUABC #OnceUponABooKClub

“The body‘s been stripped of skin, muscle, hair — but its skull still sits cockeyed on a broken, mangled neck, its mouth ajar like its screaming.”

Second gift was this too pretty to burn candle!!! *My* mouth is ajar. This is gorgeous.

#OUABC #OnceUponABookClub

Got to open my first two of four gifts in my #OUABC box today!

Points for creative packaging for the first gift: a coral liquid lipstick akin to a shade one of the character‘s wears - but in knife packaging?!? Too cool.

“Stained with the shade Coral Number Two, Winnie‘s lips are the most dangerous weapon of retribution.”

#OnceUponABookClub

A moment for spooky meets quirky sprayed edges! 🤭 #onceuponabookclub #ouabc

A wholesome look at the Scream film franchise with input from the creatives & cast. Especially loved the chapters dedicated to Wes Craven‘s memory. 👻

She‘s arrived! I‘m trying something new by gifting myself #OnceUponABookClub‘s Nightmare box. Will probably start in tomorrow.

The box includes bookish gifts that you open once you reach certain page markers. I‘ll post photos throughout - should I do so with spoiler blocks? 🤔

Listening to this while doing errands and perusing Spirit Halloween 🎃

Already learned quite a bit about the ‘Scream‘ franchise but my fave tidbit so far was writer Kevin Williamson was also a Sondheim/‘Into the Woods‘ nerd (like yours truly) and wrote ‘Scream‘ to deconstruct horror like Sondheim did with fairy tales in that musical. 🎭

Currently three stories in and loving it so far!

This book is a bonkers fever dream. A husband cheats on his lawyer wife, and the mistress is found dead in his bed. He says he didn‘t do it. The only next logical leap is for his wife to represent him at his murder trial, right? 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️

Truly bananas with twists a mile a minute. Some you see coming from the state line. Some whack you in the forehead for better or worse.

Absurd? Sure. But the pages fly. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

Starting in on the most obviously Halloween-appropriate-looking book on my TBR shelf. 😂 Happy to report (maybe?) no odd looks while commuting to work today.

Count on Octavia to offer a unique take on (toxic) fantasy romance with a heaping dose biting reality subtly mixed in. Doro is a mysterious being, power-hungry in an attempt at playing God. Anyanwu is a healer who can shapeshift into any being she touches. Both can potentially live forever. The power struggle continues.

The whole time, I desperately hoped Anyanwu got away. 🥺 #AuthorAMonth

Had to read some King for #SpookySzn.

I‘d never read this before or seen the film all the way through. As a kid, I lumped it in with ‘Leprechaun‘ or ‘Nightmare on Elm Street‘ - gory camp that at the right time of day was unsettling. Reading this now as an adult, it‘s much more upsetting than I gave it credit for.

Did a ton of reorganizing yesterday. Now my body hurts but my brand new bookshelf for my TBR is done! 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

There‘s not a lot to this little coffee table book, based on an essay by the Great one. But as a person deeply affected by her Parable duology and how both upsetting and comforting it was reading it in this intense political moment, it serves as a solid reminder. #AuthorAMonth

This was *so* much deeper than the haunted house book it was advertised to be. At times, I do think the author bit off more than could be chewed - dabbling in complicated relationships, familial & romantic, implied judgements without any internal accountability, childhood trauma…. all wrapped up in a flippant catty tone and FMC who is an unlikable fashion influencer. It‘s drama and it makes for a quick read. 🐁🔥🚪🐍👿

I wasn‘t expecting a feminist-bent “believe women” undertone in this mostly vague haunted house book - but I‘m not hating on the double meaning here. 💁🏻‍♀️

Come thru, tone 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

I‘ve only read one of Rachel Harrison‘s books before but her snark was greatly appreciated then. Let‘s go.

Let the Halloween TBR officially commence! 🎃

Well.

I was so charmed by the first book that a part of me refuses to believe the aRC I have is the true final version. This felt like an extended epilogue to the first book. So many characters we met and loved in the first book were ignored in favor of a new character who isn‘t really explained. The plot itself took half the book to get going and the climax didn‘t feel earned. This is out in November - maybe the final version will be different.

What a cute book! Whimsical spooky but with actual stakes, a diverse cast of funny magical kids, and the main character has just been diagnosed with diabetes. Inclusive without feeling preachy or like it‘s attempting to check boxes for boxes sake. Fun for the middle school readers & their parents too. Jumping into the ARC for its sequel now.

Had the privilege of meeting Mona Awad tonight at the B&N Poured Over podcast taping. Looking forward to hearing the final product bc audience questions were sourced & asked separately afterward. I submitted a question about the status of a potential ‘Bunny‘ movie or TV show…

One of my favorites for variety of reasons. She mentioned she‘s begun work on a new project: a take on ‘Twelfth Night‘ (a la other novel ‘All‘s Well‘). 💖

I have lots of spooky reads on deck for October, so in the run up to that, I‘m reading the tagged Middle Grade book and the eARC of its sequel (which is out on shelves in November!). Loving it so far - very Halloweentown wholesome. 🧙🏻‍♀️ 🎃

Neighborhood‘s already starting to get into the holiday spirit. 🥰

The tagged makes me so excited for what‘s to come from this author. The book is exactly as advertised (‘Horror Movie‘/‘The Ring‘ maybe through a Stephen King-esque lens), but also fully delivers on heart with this large cast of characters and heart-pounding, unsettling scares. This book is out next week and is ideal for #SpookySzn. Wehunt definitely “belongs” with us horror nerds. 👑

My thanks to St Martins Press/Net Galley for this ARC! 👻

What a treat it was to meet SGJ today! They say don‘t meet your heroes, but luckily he was every bit the kindest soul I hoped for.

After seeing my Aardvark copy, he also mentioned how he‘s included in Aardvark Book Club‘s upcoming short story collection next month and that they chose to name the collection after his story contribution which he found really flattering.🤘🏻

A solid haul including three signed titles (one I brought from home), an ARC, and the fancy sprayed edges version of Katabasis, 💪🏻

Soft pick - very ‘Final Destination‘ meets ‘The Office‘. SGJ is pretty effective with imbuing so much personality even in the most minor of characters.

I left this short to read it today…this author will be at the book festival I‘m attending. Can‘t wait to hear his panel - he‘s a fave of mine.

Welp. I joined another book box. 🙃🤣😱🫣

Aardvark has so many fun, weird, left of center picks, and the last few months of BOTM have been a bit of a let down. I‘m planning on hanging on to BOTM at least til I hit BFF status, then I‘ll feel less need not to skip. But I‘m hoping Aardvark may be a strong alternative for this self-proclaimed thriller/horror girlie.

I got another title too but I‘m hoping to get it signed this weekend. 🤞🏻🤩

Maybe one of my faves from Hendrix and it was a short story! Wild. Builds tension like breadcrumbs in the woods and counts on the reader to draw their own conclusions rather than tell them. Brilliant…and timely.

Starting in on this ARC. Usually when blurbs compare to Stephen King, I get a bit nervous because it‘s a tough comparison to live up to especially when it comes what I think King does best: well-fleshed out characters.

So far, I‘m a few chapters in and it‘s clear there‘s no need to worry. I‘m thinking I‘ll like this much more than ‘Horror Movie‘. 🍿

New novella only on Amazon/Audible. Spooky, ratcheting tension, well done.

Well.

I got to a quarter deep and just couldn‘t continue. I‘m sure there‘s more inviting Vonnegut to try instead but this was all that was available in my library at this moment. I told myself I‘d allow one author to be DNF if situation called, I guess this one‘s it for me. #AuthorAMonth

What a ride. Mona Awad‘s title as Queen of the Dark Comedy Fever Dream holds strong for another novel.

Admittedly, I was a little wobbly in the first half, I‘m so glad I held on & trusted the process so to speak for the conclusion. I will say if you haven‘t read or didn‘t love Bunny, this one definitely isn‘t for you (unless, like, you really love Frankenstein stories? 🙃). Dark, weird, funny, unsettling. It‘s Awad. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh gosh, here we go, Bunny! 🐰 😱

Reread holds up for me - although knowing what I‘m getting into this time definitely makes Samantha‘s story more heartbreaking (& disturbing). Part 2 is next and is described as sequel, prequel, and stand alone. With Mona Awad, anything‘s possible. 🐰

I so rarely re-read, even my faves, so revisiting this is such a treat that I‘m somehow enjoying it even more than the first time. Like, totally took for granted how funny (bunny) it was. It is so weirdly funny.

I still have no clue how this will translate to film/TV (if that is still on the table - film rights were bought years ago).

Oh, Bunny 🐰

It‘s been five years since I stumbled upon this book after purchasing it cold at my first Brooklyn Book Festival. I‘ve devoured everything Mona Awad since. Re-reading before starting a deliciously procured ARC of the sequel next. 🧁 🎭 🪆👑🐇

Wow. If you love (intense) body horror with meaning and heart, I strongly believe this novel will stand up as commentary to the post-Roe world we‘re currently living in. Sad, very dark, intensely human. So much more than a gory monster cult story - and what a conclusion!

But like most good horror, it‘s not for everyone. Look into triggers - there‘s a lot here. But wow, what a story. 🥺🫣

I was leaning toward 4 out of 5 stars until the last quarter knocked it back to a 3. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is basically akin to Divergent with sex scenes. I‘m down for Part 2 so long as it‘s more about Wren‘s inner conflict of interest and less about her dues ex machina boyfriend(s) — although I doubt I‘ll get what I‘m wanting. 😆

Spoilers hidden in the comments.

So I have less than a hundred pages left and a major “twist” has been revealed - and it‘s something I really didn‘t want to be true bc it felt very obvious. Sigh.

That being said, I‘m excited to discuss this with others who‘ve read it once I‘m done (probably tomorrow).

On the #Romantasy scale for me, so far it‘s this > ACOTAR #1 > ACOTAR #2 >>>>>>> Fourth Wing.

If you describe your book as “Alien meets Midsommar”, I‘m instantly intrigued. This was on my TBR already so getting approved for an ARC literally made my day. Let‘s get #Summerween up in here! 👽

If I could give this 6 stars out of 5, I would.

Brutally honest and achingly empathetic, this memoir details child stardom, predatory Hollywood practices, eating disorders & beauty standards, religious & sexuality phobias/discrimination, and sexual assault. It‘s unflinching and sometimes pretty painful to read. I give Alyson so much credit for being so vulnerable & honest.

I‘d recommend whether you‘re familiar with their work or not. 😭

🧐 Mr. Grey, I presume? 😜

I told myself if I could get through 100 pages, then I‘d continue with the whole book. While it follows a familiar formula (I mean like…rote familiar, so far anyway), I appreciate this has more of a sci-fi bend than magical creatures…I hope?

100+ pages/a quarter of this book complete so…I guess I‘m in it now. 🫣

Well. Here we go!

ACOTAR & Fourth Wing just didn‘t work for me. Telling myself to suspend my judgey-ness and just open myself up to the #romantasy of it. Let‘s hope this one hits. 🤞🏻

This author is totally new to me but boy, is she on my radar now!

Steady propulsion but things really get cooking in the back half, especially the final quarter moving at NASCAR level speeds. A solid thriller. I can definitely see it being a Netflix popcorn film.

#BOTM had it early, it‘s on shelves next week I think.

Any opinions on which of these to start in on next?

Trying to knock out my #BOTM reading challenge. 😂

I‘m only a third in to Alyson‘s memoir but am already so engrossed with how they describe navigating the entertainment business as a single digit age child star.

I know them best for dancing in music videos by Missy Elliot and being egregiously underutilized in the DCOM film series “Camp Rock” (above).

Well. 🫣

This is my 2nd “for adults” Judy & while I liked it more than the other, it did feel like chaos personified and not in a popcorn way. I look at this as a more accessible Stepford Wives or Valley of the Dolls…or at least sits at a table with them as subversive accounts of life for women during second wave feminism.

But holy moly, so much smut. 🫣 (And TW: some not great depictions of POC.)

#AuthorAMonth

Lucky find (I hope!) at my local #LFL