What I've Been Reading

Finished up The Wandering Inn overall it wasn't bad, just way, way, too long. It could have used a good editing there were so many parts that were just overly repetitive. It's very stream of consciousness with all the mundane details of every single things the characters are doing. 

I wasn't planning on picking up the second (or third, fourth, etc) and that decision was cemented because of what happened to the adventuring party, The Horns of Hammarod (or however it's spelled, I did the audio version). Those were the characters I liked and I don't care much for Erin or Ryoka or Pisces. I do like Erin's skeleton Torin, but she treats him like a piece of furniture so there's that. I'm just not invested enough to spend another several years getting caught up. No seriously, it took me three months to listen to book one and there are nine? of them so far with no end in sight. 

Devil's Creek

After finishing up Duma Key I picked up Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling. I like long, involved, horror so this was right up my alley. There was some repetition but overall the book was beautifully written with excellent characterizations and I enjoyed it immensely. It was the first in a series of books that Cemetery Dance is doing as a book club. I signed up last year to see what it was all about and if all the offerings are this good I'll be a happy camper. It's about a small town in Kentucky that is being overtaken by a messed up religion. It was brutal and intense and don't get too attached to any of the peripheral characters.

I also read Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. This was the February pick for the Let's Get Lit Bookclub. I voted for it and was so thrilled when it got picked. It reminded me a lot of A Man Called Ove which I absolutely adored. I guess I have a thing for elderly Swedes. The story follows Tova an elderly widow who cleans the aquarium at night and her relationship with Marcellus a giant pacific octopus. It sounds ridiculous but it really works. Sure you have to suspend belief I mean octopuses are super intelligent but they can't do all the things Marcellus does (or can they?) but you know what, I don't care. I love, love, love this book!

Next up is The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward which sounds fairly ridiculous from its blurb: 

"In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. A teenage girl who isn't allowed outside, not after the last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the bible. An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all."

I'm sorry, a what now? A bible reading cat? Ok, then. We shall see. 

I have another one of Catriona Ward's books Sundial in my TBR pile. It was a selection from Night Worms back in January 2022. I'm a little behind in my reading because I keep getting distracted by things that are shiny and new. 

It was the January selection from the Down the Rabbit Hole Book Box which bills itself as an immersive monthly book box where you open bookish gifts and intriguing items connected to the book as you read. Basically the items are all numbered and boxed and there are post-it-notes on the pages of the book at the point where you are supposed to open them. I found that an intriguing take on the traditional box of spooky stuff (like Creepy Crate which I also get) so I thought I'd give it a try. It helps that they focus on dark fiction since that's my preference. I'm excited to participate in the experience. I'll be back to post about how it goes when I'm done. 

February's selection at Down the Rabbit Hole was Perfume by Patrick Suskind which I've read but it was a long time ago and I remember loving it so I didn't put a hold on that box. I want to see what they pick out as items to go with the story. March's selection is up, and I peeked because I can't resist but I won't spoil the surprise. When I looked it up it sounds intriguing so I can't wait for that one to come.

What am I subscribed to now - Down the Rabbit Hole, Twisted Retreat, Creepy Crate, Abominable Book Club, Night Worms, and My Thrill Club and I'm waiting for my number to come up on the Unplugged Book Box waiting list. 

Here's what the box looks like inside. There's the book and then there are individual boxes/bags nestled in the packing material. There are a total of five in this box. Plus a bookmark, a playlist, and a pamphlet with some author facts.