REVIEW: The Coming Storm

The Coming Storm
Author: Mark Alpert

In 2023, New York City is a dangerous place to be. Superstorms, dangerous floods caused by rising sea levels, and violent squads of soldiers threaten the public daily. Dr Jenna Khan, a geneticist, knows the situation is even more dangerous than most realize. The soldiers are genetically enhanced humans, stronger and more violent than anyone ever imagined. Now the very government that started the experiments into genetic enhancement want to cover it up while they continue their plans to alter humanity. Jenna knows too much. She finds herself on the run. Can she stop the government's plan to forever alter human genetics?

I really wanted to like this book. The book blurb promised a "pulse-pounding'' thriller. But, the story fell flat for me. The plot took a back seat to thinly veiled political commentary. I understand our current political environment is scary....not to mention immigration concerns, hate crimes against muslims and other groups, global warming and a whole host of other problems. I get it. But, I am getting very weary of reading books where authors try to weave current political commentary in with the plot. In this case, it just made this story klunky and trope-y, rather than pulse-pounding or exciting. For me, it killed the story. I never did get "into'' the plot or the characters. I wanted an action-thriller, not a slog through anti-trumpism. Bleck.While I totally understand the sentiments, I'm tired of being hit in the face with it nearly every time I open a book. Trump Trope....I'm over it.

This story disappointed me. But, others might enjoy it. Not every story is for every reader. This one is not for me.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from St Martins Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Haunting of Henderson Close

The Haunting of Henderson Close
Author: Catherine Cavendish

Many tourists come to see Henderson Close in Edinburgh, Scotland. The tales of crime, murder and intrigue, plague victims trapped inside their homes to die, and other haunting aspects of the Close's history bring the curious in droves. Hannah comes to Edinburgh to start her life over. She's divorced and her daughter is grown and at college. She sees the tour guide position at the Close as a dream job. But ghostly specters, disappearances and menacing encounters with evil soon make Hannah realize the stories about the Close are more than folklore.

This story sucked me in quickly....and I found myself reading until the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't put the book down! From a ghostly little girl with no face to the Auld De'il, the specters in this story are delightfully creepy and scary. I loved the setting. I have heard of Mary King's Close in Edinburgh, but didn't realize there were several similar sites in the city, all with their own scary tales. The story moves along quickly, with suspense from start to finish. I definitely would not want to be wandering around Henderson Close in the evening by myself! No thank you!

Great spooky story! I love ghost stories. Any spooky tale that keeps me up until 3 am because I can't put it down deserves full stars from me! I loved this story!

This is the first book by Catherine Cavendish that I've read. I'm definitely going to be reading more!

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Guy Who Died Twice

The Guy Who Died Twice
Author: Lisa Gardner

This is the first story by Lisa Gardner that I've read. I've wanted to read her books for ages. I have two on my TBR shelf, and my library has several more. But with literally thousands of books on my shelves, I just hadn't gotten to her yet. I think every avid reader must have a couple authors that they really really really (really x 10) want to read, but their work never seems to pop up at the top of the TBR list.

Reading this short story has officially moved Lisa Gardner's books to the top of my TBR pile. Immediately.

The Guy Who Died Twice is part of Gardner's Detective D. D. Warren series. I haven't read any of the prior books, but was easily able to get into this story. It's a nice stand alone short story. And definitely a great lead-in for those who haven't read the series....while still being a nice tale for series fans who are waiting on the next book.

In this quick read, Detective D.D. Warren tells the tale of her strangest case to date. A man walks into police headquarters in Boston announcing that he has information on his own murder. The man thinks he is already dead. Even after the detective and others attempt to explain to him that he isn't dead, Adam LaToile refuses to change his story. Strangely enough, a few hours later, LaToile is actually dead. Stabbed. In his own bed.

This story progresses like an Agatha Christie story. Christie is my favorite author, so I was in heaven as the detective arrived to find that a strange cast of suspects were in the house when LaToile met his grisly end. The wife. The doctor. Gardener. Driver. Man servant. Maid. Chef. It's almost like a demented game of Clue. And the tale ends with all the suspects gathered in the library for the reveal. All the Christie vibes had me very, very happy! The ending was unexpected and darkly entertaining.

Loved it! I am heartily sorry now that Lisa Gardner's books have been languishing in my ponderous TBR list for way too long. This series, and anything else by Gardner, is now at the top of my list. I have the first book of this series, Alone, on hold at the library already. :) For those who already love this series, Book 10 -- Never Tell -- will be coming out in February! (And it's on my review TBR)

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this story from Penguin via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: A Literal Mess

A Literal Mess
Author: J.C. Kenney

A Literal Mess is the first book in the new Allie Cobb Mystery series. In this series debut, Allie returns home to Rushing Creek, IN following the death of her father. Coming back to Indiana after living in New York is a bit of culture shock for her, but Allie is determined to help her mother close out her father's literary agency. Turns out someone else is interested in closing out her dad's former clients. Author Thornwell Winchester is found floating face down in the water under a bridge soon after Allie arrives in town. When her BFF and also the murdered author's daughter is declared a main suspect in the case, Allie is determined to prove that Sloane is innocent. Someone brave enough to be a literary agent in New York can ferret out a killer...right?

I will definitely be reading more of this new series. I like the concept, the literary agency background theme, the characters....it was just a pleasant cozy experience. I read a lot of cozies because they are my go-to for brain palate cleansing in between heavier horror, thriller/suspense or action fiction. I love it when I find a new series that is a bit different from all the other cozies I have read. This is the first cozy series I've read with a literary agent background theme. I like it!

The mystery moves along at a nice pace. Even though this is the first book in a new series, the plot isn't slowed down by too much character introduction and development. The story flows nicely and doesn't bog itself down, while still introducing the characters and setting. I like Allie as a main character. She is intelligent with just the right amount of feisty.

All in all, a great start to a new cozy mystery series! This is Author J.C. Kenney's debut novel! I'm definitely in line for his next book! It won't be a long wait. Book 2 in this series, A Genuine Fix, will be released in July 2019.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Kill Creek

Kill Creek
Author: Scott Thomas

I love haunted house stories. Always have. I was really in the mood to read some good ones...so I posted on Goodreads asking for suggestions from friends. Several people recommended Kill Creek, so I grabbed the audio book.

Wow! I'm so glad they suggested this book -- it's a great haunted house story! And a great listen on audio!

The audio book is almost 16 hours long and narrated by Bernard Setaro Clark. Clark has a nice voice and reads at a steady pace. I have partial hearing loss that at times makes audio books difficult to understand, but I was easily able to hear and understand this entire book. Listening to this story added another dimension to its creepiness....there's just something about having a scary tale read to you!

The basics: Four horror writers are invited to a Halloween night interview session at a famous haunted house. The Finch House in Kansas has a reputation for being haunted and dangerous. The house has been closed for decades, but has been cleaned and prepared for this publicity stunt. Video and audio from the interview will be streamed live, posted online and used every which way to gain attention for the media outlet sponsoring it, and the authors themselves. But turns out the attention and online exposure is not enough to make a night in the Finch House worth it. The cost to all involved will be high.

I loved this book! The plot is very creepy and suspenseful! I liked how all of the authors write in the horror genre, but they are all very different from each other. Each one reacts to the situation differently as well. The story is well-written and kept my attention from beginning to end. And speaking of the end....I didn't see it coming. Lots of twists and turns in this tale!

Great listen! So happy my friends at Goodreads recommended this one!

Closing out 2018....movin' on to 2019

Every year I spend a bit of time on New Year's Day checking my reading stats for the year. For the past two years I have been on a mission to: Read books that I want to read and clear books from my ponderous TBR.

Let's get real -- I own thousands of books. Some have been on my shelf for 10+ years and I haven't read them yet. I decided it was high time I actually read what was on my shelves....so I could donate/trade them and make room for new books! I placed myself on a book diet....allowing very few purchases of new books (vowing to make use of my library more and my credit card less!) while reading (and re-visiting a few favorite) books off my shelves. I have found that between reviewing new releases for publishers and using my library card for physical and digital books/audio books, I really can survive without buying very many books. It didn't cramp my bibliophile lifestyle one little bit.

My main goal this year? Clear shelf space.

I love reviewing new releases. I'm going to continue. I love listening to audio books from the library. And I'm going to continue. BUT....I have to make reading my TBR stack a priority this year. So the goals in order of importance for 2019 look like this:

1. Read books off my shelves -- donate/trade -- and clear out shelf space so I can ease my restriction on new books just a bit in 2020. Lots of backlist books languishing unread on my bookshelves! I have floor to ceiling built-in shelves in my office....completely full. And five huge bookcases in my bedroom...also full. Even after two years of diligently reading, I still have too many books. 2019 -- clearing out space baby!
2. Read books that I have always wanted to read -- but never did. And re-read some favorite books and series from the past. I'm still working through the list off 100 books included in The Great American Read. I'm going to continue reading from that list. Plus there are other great books I have always wanted to read, but haven't yet.
3. Continue reviewing new releases in advance with the intention of getting my review TBR pile down to a 10 book limit by June and keeping it there. Then I have to read an ARC before I can request another one. 10 and ONLY 10.  Right now I'm ending 2018 with a waiting eARC list of 33 books released from January - August And about 15 physical ARCs that I need to read off my shelf. I can easily pare that down to 10 books by June without reviewing anything past its release date.

Stats for 2018:

I read a total of 486 books in 2018. I reviewed each one. I think that makes up for me buying fewer books as reviews also help support authors and publishers. I used my local library and also joined the nearby larger Charlotte-Mecklenburg library so I could access their digital site. Best $45 I ever spent! I will definitely be renewing my card this year! The city library just has a lot more funding than my small town consortium does, giving me access to many, many more books and digital services like Hoopla.

The breakdown of the 486 books I read in 2018 is as follows:

112 audiobooks (mix of Audible and online offerings from the library)
37 kindle books (purchased and Kindle Unlimited)
29 physical books from the library
35 physical books off my own shelves
53 OOP books read from Openlibrary.org
220 ARC copies read for review (new releases)


At first look, it appears I didn't read many of my own books (35 out of 486.... eek!). But...many of the audio books I listened to were ones I also owned physical copies of. I listened to the books on audio so I could enjoy the story while working at home, driving, etc. Helped me clear a few more titles off my shelf. Easily 2/3 of the audio books I listened to were books I owned.....so I really read about 120 books off my own shelves this year. I was able to clear out 3 bookshelves. I donated the shelves and the books themselves to local charity and friends. Real progress!!! I want to see more progress in 2019! Listening to all those audio books also helped me learn to love listening to books! In the past, I really didn't like audio books. I would get busy and lose concentration and have to rewind all the time. I just didn't like it. But, I learned to listen in small snippets....a half an hour here and there, rather than trying to listen for long periods. I also learned to listen while working outdoors in my garden (or while painting the house this summer).....I could listen for longer periods of time while working. It made my work more enjoyable to have a story along! I find now I really enjoy audio books! In some cases (like horror or ghost stories) having the tale read to you really makes the story pop! Love it! I never thought I would say that....but I am truly a convert. Love audio!

I reviewed 220 new releases for review this year. That's more than I intended, but I'm happy with that number. Less than half of my total reading. But only by a bit. In my defense, a lot of great books came out this year! I do want to pare that number down just a bit in 2019 and focus more on reading backlist titles from my own shelves. I'm going to be more picky about the ARCs I request and review requests I receive. I'm tired of having five bookshelves filled to capacity in my bedroom! I need to read my own books!

In 2018, I also read 53 books on OpenLibrary.org, a digital library website. Most of the books were out-of-print older books and ones not available from my local library. This is a great way for me to be able to read books I have always wanted to read but that are now hard to find. I also revisited a lot of old favorites from childhood ..... old OOP scholastic books, the Trixie Belden series, etc. I love OpenLibrary! I got to read 53 books that would have been unavailable to me otherwise.

I read 37 books on kindle in 2018. I make use of Kindle Unlimited that offers thousands of books for free for a monthly fee. I want to make better use of this service in 2019. Not only do I have hundreds of books on my kindle, but I want to be able to justify the $10 a month I pay for KU. I also feel that reading more free books I've downloaded on Amazon and really utilizing KU then reviewing each book I read will help those indy authors who publish their work through Amazon. I'm considering setting aside an entire month in 2019 to read only indy authors whose books are awaiting me on my Kindle app. I have more waiting on a list on the Amazon site.....KU titles that I want to read. I just have to decide which month will be indy month! I want to whittle my review TBR down to 10 books first. So....in order to be sure I make good on my plans for an Indy Authors Month.....when I have my review pile down to 10 books, I will set the following month as KU/Indy Authors month and get that TBR stack down a few notches as well. :) Sounds like a plan!

All in all, 2018 was a great year for reading! I got to enjoy and review many, many books in a whole spectrum of genres. I only DNF'd three all year. And there were very few that I didn't enjoy. I am selective in what I read and review though....so I don't normally have a lot of low/bad ratings to give. But, I'm always honest and rate according to my real feelings when I finish a book.

On to 2019! I hope to have only one small bookshelf in my bedroom by the end of the year!! And less crowded shelves in my office! Maybe I can lift my book buying ban in 2020!

Happy New Year!!

REVIEW: Bird Box

Bird Box
Author: Josh Malerman

What a deliciously terrifying demented story! I loved it!

First there are alarming news reports from Russia. People are going crazy, killing others and then killing themselves. Soon The Problem has spread throughout the world. People see and hear something....then go violently insane. Things quickly go apocalyptic with extreme prejudice. The only survivors are ones who rarely venture outside...and never, ever uncover their eyes. You look? You die.

OMG.

The entire time I was reading this book I kept thinking "I would have peeked by now.'' Yeah. I would be dead.

This book is a relatively straight forward, quick read. It's horror not complex fiction....read it for all the creepy feels. The story jumps back and forth in time a bit....but it's the type of story where that works. Instead of feeling confusing, it helped build suspense.

I read through this book in just a couple of hours because I wanted to watch the Netflix movie. I have a rule that I always read the book first before watching any film version of a story. I'm about halfway through the movie...took a break to come write this review. Turns out reading this story is creepy....but SEEING it happen (given the eebie jeebies with sight intrinsic to the story) is a rough watch. Had to pause and walk away for a bit....ha ha. For those who have watched: [SHE SAID DON'T LEAVE THE BOAT!! and DID YOU JUST OPEN THAT DOOR????? WTF!] (That's my limit for out of context spoilers)

Awesome creepy story!

An aside: I'm glad I got my paperback copy of this book BEFORE it had a big red circle splotched onto the cover about the Netflix movie, or before editions were released with movie-related art. I really really really x 10 hate it when ads are on the covers of my books! Or when covers are altered to pictures of actors, or movie art. Slip a card inside the book....even put a blurb on the BACK cover....but don't alter/F-up the front cover of books to promote a movie, television series, etc. YUCK!