A translated gothic vampire novel?! Gimme it! I foolishly used to think I didn’t like vampire stories. But over the last few years, there have been some wonderful examples; Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste, The Hacienda by Isabela Canas, recent TV adaptations of Interview with the Vampire and Dracula, and THAT episode of UK anthology … Continue reading Review: Thirst, by Marina Yuszczuk, translated by Heather Cleary (Dutton)
Review: The Haunting of Velkwood, by Gwendolyn Kiste (Saga Press)
The Haunting of Velkwood is compelling from the first page, and does not let go until the very end. The concept of this novel is so clever, yet so simple. Instead of a haunted house, we have a haunted block of homes, which no one can enter, except the three survivors. Our protagonist, Talitha, is … Continue reading Review: The Haunting of Velkwood, by Gwendolyn Kiste (Saga Press)
Bookish Babblings – May 19 2020
I Have a Problem I've put a self-imposed physical book-buying ban on myself. I'm still working, still parenting, so it's not as though I have extra time to actually read these books. As I run to the door and sweep the packages up in my arms, I hear my myriad unread books weeping. The ban … Continue reading Bookish Babblings – May 19 2020
Book Blatherings – April 2020 Round-Up
Novels So far this year, I've struggled to find novels that truly engage me. I consume audiobooks differently that the written word; it's not exactly passive, but I definitely feel more involved with a book if I'm actively reading the words. It may be to do with the fact that when I read a book, … Continue reading Book Blatherings – April 2020 Round-Up
My Week in Short Stories – March 29th to April 5th
Hello again! Another week, another bundle of stories. 3/29/20 Green Red Orange Mariana Enriquez 3/29/20 Things We Lost in the Fire Mariana Enriquez 3/30/20 Forgotten Journey Silvina Ocampo 3/30/20 Mildly Unhappy, With Moments of Joy Amber Sparks 3/30/20 Birthing Stones Daisy Johnson 3/31/20 The Apple Tree Daphne du Maurier 4/1/20 The Lady Who Plucked Red … Continue reading My Week in Short Stories – March 29th to April 5th
Book Blatherings – March 31st
Book Surprises I got a lovely surprise this week. I finally bought a copy of Rachel Swirsky's collection, How the World Became Quiet. When it arrived, it was an immaculate ex-library book (which sadly looked unread), and when I opened the cover, I saw this: I love it when something secret appears in a used … Continue reading Book Blatherings – March 31st
My Week in Short Stories – March 22nd – March 28th
I suppose I've been reading strange stories this week in an attempt to make the "real" world seem a little more normal. Anyway, onward! 3/22/20 - 3/23/20 Rapture Julia Elliott 3/23/20 Tooth, Tongue, and Claw Damien Angelica Walters 3/24/20 Blood Intan Paramaditha 3/25/20 The Organ Runner Lidia Yuknavitch 3/26/20 Your Clothes a Sepulcher, Your Body … Continue reading My Week in Short Stories – March 22nd – March 28th
My Week in Short Stories – March 15th – March 20th
Well, looks like we'll all have more reading time, eh? Hope you're doing okay. Here's what I read this week: 3/15/20 The Lovely Kisselthwist Karen Heuler 3/16/20 Wolf Trapping Kij Johnson 3/17/20 The Scattering Daisy Johnson 3/17/20 Orange Dogs Marian Womack 3/18/20 The Zhanell Adler Brass Spyglass Helen Marshall 3/18/20 El Arbol (The Tree) Cynthia … Continue reading My Week in Short Stories – March 15th – March 20th
Bookish Witterings – March 21st
Short Story Recommendations Looking back through the favorites tab on my short story spreadsheet, it would seem I favor a harrowing, post-apocalyptic short story. Not so bloody intriguing now we're living it though, is it? Anyway, here are some recent favorites of mine, on the themes of apocalypse, isolation, and endings in general. Probably not … Continue reading Bookish Witterings – March 21st
My Week in Short Stories – March 7th – March 14th
I think we can all agree, it's been quite the week. If you're reading this, I hope you're okay, physically, mentally, and professionally. I'm trying to remain as calm as possible for my family, and I think I'm doing okay. The reading continues, so here we go! 3/8/20 In Praise of Cracks Clare Fisher 3/8/20 … Continue reading My Week in Short Stories – March 7th – March 14th
California Reading 