Books Read in 2020

 

WILDER GIRLS:

Rory Power

CINDERELLA

The Graphic Novel:

Beth Bracken & Jeffrey Stewart Timmins

GEEK LOVE:

Katherine Dunn

ZOMBIES HATE STUFF:
Greg Stones

THE LAST WISH
(The Witcher #0.5):
Andrzej Sapkowski

MAKING FRIENDS WITH FRANKENSTEIN:
Colin McNaughton

THE PERFECT WIFE:
JP Delaney

THE MELANCHOLY DEATH OF OYSTER BOY & OTHER STORIES:
Tim Burton

THE LAST SMILE IN SUNDER CITY:
Luke Arnold

THE GIRLFRIEND'S GUIDE TO GODS:
Maria Dahvana Headley

SKELLIG:
David Almond

STARGIRL: (DNF)
Jerry Spinelli

BUNNY:
Mona Awad

PATIENT K
(Short Sharp Shocks! #1):
Barbie Wilde

MARIA THE WANTED AND THE LEGACY OF THE KEEPERS
(The Keepers Series #1):
V Castro

DEAR LAURA:
Gemma Amor

THE DOLL-MASTER AND OTHER TALES OF TERROR:
Joyce Carol Oates

A COLLECTION OF DREAMSCAPES:
Christina Sng

THE FOURTH WHORE:
EV Knight

SAWKILL GIRLS:
Claire Legrand

VAMPIRE BREATH
(Goosebumps #49):
RL Stine

RETURN OF THE MUMMY
(Goosebumps #23):
RL Stine

SAY CHEESE AND DIE!
(Goosebumps #4):
RL Stine

THE SCARECROW WALKS AT MIDNIGHT
(Goosebumps #20):
RL Stine

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
(Goosebumps #12):
RL Stine

A SHOCKER ON SHOCK STREET
(Goosebumps #35):
RL Stine

ATTACK OF THE MUTANT
(Goosebumps #25):
RL Stine

IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SINK!
(Goosebumps #30):
RL Stine

THE HEADLESS GHOST
(Goosebumps #37):
RL Stine

THE HAUNTED MASK II
(Goosebumps #36):
RL Stine

DARK CELEBRATIONS:
Calvin Demmer

LABOR DAY HUNT:
Calvin Demmer

DYING VALENTINE:
Calvin Demmer

THANKS SINNING:
Calvin Demmer

THE NECROMANCER'S APPRENTICE:
Naomi Clark

NAILS:
Fiona Dodwell

WE ARE ALL MONSTERS:
Cassie Carnage

WARDING:
Kev Harrison

THE FLOWER GIRLS:
Alice Clark-Platts

GHOSTER:
Jason Arnopp

FAIREST: Levana's Story
(The Lunar Chronicles #3.5):
Marissa Meyer

THE AWESOME: (DNF)
Eva Darrows

GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW:
Silvia Moreno-Garcia

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE:
Celeste Ng

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES:
Jeffrey Eugenides

SEVEN LIES:
Elizabeth Kay

NINTH HOUSE:
Leigh Bardugo

THE UNINVITED:
Cat Winters

SUNSHINE: (DNF)
Robin McKinley

WHITE IS FOR WITCHING:
Helen Oyeyemi

ROSES & ROT:
Kat Howard

THE FAMILY PLOT:
Cherie Priest

THE SKULL:
Philip K Dick

MR. SPACESHIP:
Philip K Dick

WONDERLAND:
Juno Dawson

BEYOND THE DOOR:
Philip K Dick

PIPER IN THE WOODS:
Philip K Dick

THE FESTERING ONES:
SH Cooper

PAY THE GHOST:
Tim Lebbon

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT HER:
Andersen Prunty

SICK
(Sick #1):
Christa Wojciechowski

PRINTER'S DEVIL COURT:
Susan Hill

SICKER
(Sick #2):
Christa Wojciechowski

SICK
(Sick #3):
Christa Wojciechowski

HUSK: (DNF)
Rachel Autumn Deering

THE HANGING STRANGER:
Philip K Dick

IF IT BLEEDS:
Stephen King

THE CRYSTAL CRYPT:
Philip K Dick

THE DEFENDERS:
Philip K Dick

REBECCA:
Daphne du Maurier

WE SOLD OUR SOULS:
Grady Hendrix

A BLADE SO BLACK
(The Nightmare-Verse #1):
LL McKinney

THE BOOK OF KOLI (DNF)
(Rampart Trilogy #1):
MR Carey

THE POSSESSION OF NATALIE GLASGOW:
Hailey Piper

LOCKDOWN:
Peter May

VASSA IN THE NIGHT:
Sarah Porter

THE STRAITJACKET IN THE WOODS
(Short Sharp Shocks! #41):
Kitty R Kane

THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES
(Hercule Poirot #1):
Agatha Christie

SOMEONE LIKE ME:
MR Carey

THE GREAT GATSBY:
F Scott Fitzgerald

SLIMER:
Harry Adam Knight

SPIRITED:
Julie Cohen

THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN
(Choose Your Own Adventure #13):
RA Montgomery

EVERY MOON ATROCIOUS
(Short Sharp Shocks! #6):
Emile-Louis Tomas Jouvet

THE MERCILESS:
Danielle Vega

THE SILK HOUSE:
Kayte Nunn

MEM:
Bethany C Morrow

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES:
Mindy McGinnis

THE WALLS AROUND US:
Nova Ren Suma

DOROTHY MUST DIE
(Dorothy Must Die #1):
Danielle Paige

THE MERCILESS II
The Exorcism of Sofia Flores:
Danielle Vega

THE SAFEST LIES:
 Megan Miranda

DARK BLUE RISING
(The Circle #1):
Teri Terry

THE WICKED WILL RISE
(Dorothy Must Die #2):
Danielle Paige

THE MERCILESS III
Origins of Evil:
Danielle Vega

(DON'T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME:
Kate Karyus Quinn

YELLOW BRICK WAR
(Dorothy Must Die #3):
Danielle Paige

THE MERCILESS IV
Last Rites:
Danielle Vega

UNNATURAL DEEDS:
Cyn Balog

THE END OF OZ
(Dorothy Must Die #4):
Danielle Paige

MALORIE
(Bird Box #2):
Josh Malerman

MEXICAN GOTHIC:
Silvia Moreno-Garcia

THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS:
Micaiah Johnson

PLAYING NICE:
JP Delaney

MEG
(Meg #1):
Steve Alten

BREAKING THE HABIT
(Short Sharp Shocks! #27):
Yolanda Sfetsos

ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS:
Seanan McGuire

BABY TEETH: (DNF)
Zoje Stage

POWER:
CS Alleyne

I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS:
Iain Reid

IN THE SCRAPE:
James Newman & Mark Steensland

MIDNIGHT SUN
(Twilight #5):
Stephenie Meyer

BETTY:
Daniel McDaniel

HALLOWEEN SEASON:
Lucy A Snyder

WHY I QUIT ZOMBIE SCHOOL
(Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors #4):
RL Stine

THE SOUTHERN BOOK CLUB'S GUIDE TO SLAYING VAMPIRES:

Grady Hendrix

THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS:

Nancy Springer 

MY SISTER, THE SERIAL KILLER:

Oyinkan Braithwaite 

THE WITCHES:

Roald Dahl

THE MURDERS OF MOLLY SOUTHBOURNE: 

Tade Thompson 

WRITING IN THE DARK:

Tim Waggoner

THE TURN OF THE SCREW:

Henry James

FEVER DREAM:

Samanta Schweblin

BLOOD SUGAR:

Daniel Kraus

THE ALCHEMIST:

Paulo Coelho

THE BUS ON THURSDAY:

Shirley Barrett

THE TRENCH
(Meg #2):
Steve Alten

THE BONE FACTORY

(Murder! Mystery! Mayhem! #5):
Yolanda Sfetsos

FORTUNE AND GLORY

(Stephanie Plum #27):

Janet Evanovich

HALLOWEEN

The Official Movie Novelization:

John Passarella

THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM:

Victor LaValle

KINGDOM OF THE WICKED:

Kerri Maniscalco

THE GREAT ESCAPE FROM WOODLANDS NURSING HOME: 

Joanna Nell

STARVING GHOSTS IN EVERY THREAD:

Eric LaRocca

NARWHAL

UNICORN OF THE SEA:

Ben Clanton

SUPER NARWHAL AND JELLY JOLT:

Ben Clanton

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY:

Ben Clanton

FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS:

Françoize Boucher

THE NEED:

Helen Phillips

HEX:

Rebecca Dinerstein Knight

TWISTED WINTER:

Edited by Catherine Butler

PAPERBACKS FROM HELL:

Grady Hendrix

DUNE: (DNF)

Frank Herbert

MONSTER BLOOD

(Goosebumps #3):
RL Stine

HOW I GOT MY SHRUNKEN HEAD

(Goosebumps #39):
RL Stine

ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND

(Goosebumps #16):
RL Stine

LITTLE SHOP OF HAMSTERS

(Goosebumps HorrorLand #14):
RL Stine

BITS

(Short Sharp Shocks! #43):

RA Busby

ODD SPIRITS:

ST Gibson

THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM:

Tyler Jones

Books Read in 2020: 150/150

( Number of DNF books: 7)

----------------------------------

Number of books read to catch up on series/duology/trilogy: 44

1. THE LAST WISH (The Witcher #0.5)
2. PATIENT K (Short Sharp Shocks! #1)
3. MARIA THE WANTED AND THE LEGACY OF THE KEEPERS (The Keepers Series #1)
4. VAMPIRE BREATH (Goosebumps #49)
5. RETURN OF THE MUMMY (Goosebumps #23)
6. SAY CHEESE AND DIE! (Goosebumps #4)
7. THE SCARECROW WALKS AT MIDNIGHT (Goosebumps #20)
8. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR (Goosebumps #12)
9. A SHOCKER ON SHOCK STREET (Goosebumps #35)
10. ATTACK OF THE MUTANT (Goosebumps #25)
11. IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SINK (Goosebumps #30)
12. THE HEADLESS GHOST (Goosebumps #37)
13. THE HAUNTED MASK II (Goosebumps #36)
14. FAIREST (The Lunar Chronicles #3.5)
15. NINTH HOUSE (Alex Stern #1)
16. SICK (Sick #1)
17. SICKER (Sick #2)
18. SICK 3 (Sick #3)
19. A BLADE SO BLACK (The Nightmare-Verse #1)
20. THE STRAITJACKET IN THE WOODS (Short Sharp Shocks! #41)
21. THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES (Hercule Poirot #1)
22. THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN (Choose Your Own Adventure #13)
23. EVERY MOON ATROCIOUS (Short Sharp Shocks! #6) 
24. THE MERCILESS (The Merciless #1)
25. DOROTHY MUST DIE (Dorothy Must Die #1)
26. THE MERCILESS II (The Merciless #2)
27. DARK BLUE RISING (The Circle #1)
28. THE WICKED WILL RISE (Dorothy Must Die #2)
    
29. THE MERCILESS III: Origins of Evil (The Merciless #3)
30. YELLOW BRICK WAR (Dorothy Must Die #3)
31. THE MERCILESS IV: Last Rites (The Merciless #4) LAST BOOK IN SERIES
32. THE END OF OZ (Dorothy Must Die #4) LAST BOOK IN SERIES
33. MALORIE (Bird Box #2)
34. MEG (Meg #1)
35. BREAKING THE HABIT (Short Sharp Shocks! #27)
36. MIDNIGHT SUN (Twilight #5)
37. WHY I QUIT ZOMBIE SCHOOL
    (Goosebumps: Hall of Horrors #4)
38. THE TRENCH (Meg #2)
39. FORTUNE AND GLORY (Stephanie Plum #27)
40. THE BONE FACTORY (Murder! Mystery! Mayhem! #5)
41. NARWHAL: UNICORN OF THE SEA #1
42. SUPER NARWHAL AND JELLY JOLT #2
43. PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY #3
44. MONSTER BLOOD (Goosebumps #3)
45. HOW I GOT MY SHRUNKEN HEAD (Goosebumps #39):
46. ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND (Goosebumps #16)
47. LITTLE SHOP OF HAMSTERS (Goosebumps HorrorLand #14
48. BITS (Short Sharp Shocks! #43)

My 2020 reading plan

2020 Goals

 

So, this hellish and bizarre year is winding down. It's been a year that often felt like five. I still can't believe it's ending because it feels like we've made no real progress in the pandemic department. 😣

I've never had more trouble keeping track of days and weeks because the global pandemic turned everything upside down and made it so hard to keep track of things.

Still, I didn't let that stop me from staying busy and losing myself in a bunch of projects and books. We made the most of the lockdowns and the social distancing/isolating thing.

It's time to look back at the writing, reading and other stuff on the Goals List I posted at the beginning of the year (before we knew what lay ahead). 

Here's how everything turned out:

• Continue the awesome habit of going for two daily walks: OKAY, WE KEPT THIS GOING UNTIL APRIL. AFTER SYDNEY WAS PUT ON LOCKDOWN, WE HAD TO CUT THE WALKS TO ONCE DAILY. STILL, SOME DAYS WE DID SQUEEZED IN TWO WALKS OR WENT FOR LONGER ONES.

• Try to get back into doing two yoga workouts a week: BECAUSE OF THE LOCKDOWN IN APRIL, WE STARTED DOING MORE YOGA WORKOUTS. MOST WEEKS WE ENDED UP DOING THREE WORKOUTS A WEEK.

• Write between 100-200k words: ENDED UP WRITING 304,696 words & EDITED 2,078 pages. (These totals make me VERY happy. 😃👍)

• Read 100 books: READ 150 BOOKS. (Only 7 DNFs.)

• Finalise at least two horror novel first drafts: UNFORTUNATELY, I TOTALLY FAILED THIS ONE BECAUSE I SPENT THE YEAR WRITING NEW STORIES, REVISING & COMPLETING THEM.

• Write two new novels:  I WROTE TWO FIRST DRAFTS. An Adult horror slasher (61,044w) and an Adult adventure horror for NaNoWriMo (65,560w). 

• Finally write at least one novella: THIS IS FINALLY THE YEAR I ACTUALLY DID WRITE SEVERAL NOVELLAS! (3, to be exact.)

• Keep writing short stories & sub: I WROTE SEVERAL SHORT STORIES & REVISED THEM. (I subbed quite a few stories to a bunch of places and actually got several acceptances. 2 stories were finalists in Crystal Lake Publishing flash fiction contest.)

• Take part in NaNoWriMo: I  TOOK PART & GOT MY 14th WIN! (This time I wrote a fun demonic horror/adventure with UF elements. 😁)

• Keep spring cleaning/sorting clutter all year: TOTALLY DID THIS ALL YEAR & I'M STILL DOING IT NOW. THIS YEAR I'VE GONE THROUGH MY BOOK STACKS & DONATED HEAPS TO THE MANY STREET LIBRARIES WE HAVE NEARBY!

• Actually play games on my 2DS & Switch Lite: WELL, THIS WAS A BIT OF A FAIL BUT I DID PLAY A BIT OF TETRIS ON MY SWITCHLITE.

Well, there's my list of completed goals for this year. Considering all the extra and very unexpected crap, I'm really happy about what I achieved. 😀

I'm also super excited about having two short stories published in these awesome Women of Horror anthologies from Kandisha Press:

 

And that my novella THE BONE FACTORY was published by Demain Publishing:

This year, I might not have revised the past books I intended to, but I did something else. Something totally new to me. I made sure that even after leaving a bit of time between drafts, I completed every story I wrote during 2020 from start to finish. The only one I didn't have enough time to revise completely was my NaNoWriMo novel. 

Very happy with all the stuff I accomplished this year. 😃

2020 Summary:

Now it's time to come up with a 2021 Goals List...

THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM by Tyler Jones

 

The Dark Side of the Room by Tyler Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this novella for a few weeks and decided to get stuck into it today.

Betsy lives in a rundown apartment block with her many cats, and others that pop in and out. When a strange man moves into the building, she can't help but fear his arrival. At least she's got her happy memories...

I have to admit that I didn't like Betsy much. From the beginning she's judgemental and bitter and only seems to care about her cats and piano. That is, until I realised there was something weird going on with her, something that went much deeper. To a very dark place.

This story is strange, often disorienting and throws the reader from sensical to confusion often. It's also disturbing and quite gross. And the way it's written keeps you guessing until the very end.

Until the only true thing you know is that you can't trust anything. 😳

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ODD SPIRITS by ST Gibson

 

Odd Spirits by S.T. Gibson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was really excited about this novella because it sounded great and the cover looks so cool. Plus, it features two very different magicians who are married. Awesome, right?

Well, it started out great. I loved the atmosphere and how the ambience in the house was portrayed in such a nice way. As was Rhys and Moira's marriage, because we got a sense of how different they are but still manage to be in a good and loving marriage. Until it's suddenly not.

Seriously, everything was great and we even get an awesome glimpse into their past, how they met and instantly connected. Then, suddenly, there's a toxic entity inside their house and Rhys calls in his ex to help and he's a jerk (for no real reason) and Moira's personality starts sliding down into some very uncomfortable territory.

But hey, not to be outdone, as vile as Moira's issue is, Rhys won't be outdone. He's got a really silly problem with her that makes no actual sense.

There were too many strange 'problems' thrown in out of nowhere. And by the end, I realised that I pretty much hated this married couple.

Unfortunately, another thing that I found super distracting are the many typos throughout.

It pains me to give this story such a low score because it had the makings of such a good story, but slowly fell apart. 😞 

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BITS by RA Busby

 

Bits by R.A. Busby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was in the mood for something short and sharp, and this fit perfectly. 😁

Nadie Denneby is a schoolteacher having a really bad day. It all starts with a car accident, and ends in broken pieces...

I really enjoyed this unsettling story! It was easy to feel bad for Nadie because everything that happened to her was out of her control, and was truly terrifying.

She was so nice and harmless, and all I wanted to do was help her.

I mean, who hasn't had those awful dreams about losing teeth for no apparent reason? *cringe* I know I have. It's a total nightmare, which is actually what reading this story felt like. It was like being caught up in a creepy dream that draws you under in a very unexpected way. And the ending drops a few final surprises before letting the reader go.

This is another great addition to the Short Sharp Shocks! series. 

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LITTLE SHOP OF HAMSTERS by RL Stine

 

Little Shop of Hamsters by R.L. Stine
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This really wasn't very good.

Sam really wants a pet but his parents don't think he's responsible enough. So, he gets a job after school in a pet store called Little Shop of Hamsters...

You know, Sam's parents were right. He really wasn't ready for a pet. Or a job, really.

Yet, that isn't the worst thing about this book. Nope. It's totally silly, the characters are mostly super annoying (I'm talking to you best friend and little brother), and the hamster thing was just so... ridiculous.

There's nothing freaky or creepy about this story. It's not even interesting because I often found myself skimming forward and didn't miss a damn thing. 😒

Anyway.


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ONE DAY AT HORRORLAND by RL Stine

 

One Day at Horrorland by R.L. Stine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Now, THIS is the kind of Goosebumps book that I enjoy. It was spooky, fun and full of weird things.

When Lizzy and her family get lost on the way to the Zoo Gardens Theme Park, they end up in Horrorland for a day packed with freaky stuff. A LOT of freaky stuff...

After suffering through two very silly and dull Goosebumps, I had a great time reading this one. I really liked this family and how this bizarre situation stresses them out in different ways, but they still manage to try and enjoy the rides and sights.

Some pretty awful things happen to them, but I loved how they stuck together until the very end. Lotsa very cool fun! 😊


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HOW I GOT MY SHRUNKEN HEAD by RL Stine

 

How I Got My Shrunken Head by R.L. Stine
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is another ridiculous Goosebumps book with a very cool cover.

I was actually really enjoying Mark's weird little adventure until the whole Jungle Magic thing made an appearance and I laughed so much it was hard to keep reading this with a straight face.

The action was cool. The travelling was interesting. But the big reveals--because there are a few--were just too predictable. And that Jungle Magic crap kept coming up, so my mind kept wandering away... What was I saying? Oh yeah, after reading this I feel like my brain shrunk.

Anyway.


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MONSTER BLOOD by RL Stine

 

Monster Blood by R.L. Stine
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is the worst Goosebumps book I've read so far. 😣

There are just so many problems with it. Starting with parents who sound like immature brats dumping their kid on a great-aunt they don't even know. And then Evan treating his dog like crap just because. There's also too much low-key animal violence. The Monster Blood can was ugh, in the worst way possible. The villain that pops up at the end out of nowhere was an annoying surprise.

Oh, and that's before getting started on the bully twins.

There are only two things I liked in this book: Trigger and Andy. But sadly, they weren't enough to save such a crappy story.

What a silly book! 😵



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PAPERBACKS FROM HELL by Grady Hendrix

 

Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction by Grady Hendrix
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this gorgeous book for a long time. 👀 So when hubby ordered a copy, I couldn't wait and loved the hell out of it as soon as it arrived. 😍

Seriously, this is a beautiful book full of gory, excellent and cheesy covers. Every page is packed with SO MUCH AWESOME, sometimes it took me forever to turn the page.

Grady Hendrix sure has a way with words, and the way he introduces the many (many) books, authors, cover artists and publishers is outstanding. And hilarious. Plus very informative.

Not to mention how well he captured the way each time period was reflected in horror books from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

I actually had to skip a few story descriptions because I was surprised to find I have quite a few of the mentioned books on my TBR pile. It was also cool to see the many I've already read.

I took my sweet fucking time with this book, and it somehow seems fitting to have finished it on Christmas Day 2020.

Paperbacks from Hell is a must-have book for any and every horror fan's book collection. It's going to look amazing on my bookshelf next to my other, very pretty Hendrix books. 😈💕


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TWISTED WINTER edited by Catherine Butler

 

Twisted Winter by Catherine Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The other day, we found a cute (and really nice) Happy Holidays bag from the local library inside one of our favourite Street Libraries, and found a copy of this book inside.

After really enjoying the spooky introduction, I got stuck into the stories...

· DARK by Katherine Langrish:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story of an unhappy boy, the bully terrorising him, and the unwanted dog that changes his life.

Really enjoyed this well written, spooky story featuring a cemetery and the creepy glow of streetlights.

· THE PARTY by Susan Cooper:⭐⭐

A Halloween party for young and old turns into a spooky situation when everyone is wearing masks.

This one was just okay for me. I liked the message behind not disturbing the trees, but the creepy factor lacked intensity.

· THE GATES by Liz Williams:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Hannah moves to the country with her mum, she doesn't expect to find the mythological gates of the dead.

Loved this one! Not only did Hannah's lovely and honest voice hook me in, but her wondrous experience was a delight to share.

· FLAWLESS by Frances Hardinge:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Chloe spends most of her day cleaning hotel rooms to help her mum and looking after her annoying little brother. Until an encounter in the snow changes everything.

Another great and creepy story because this one actually destroyed a lot more than I was expecting. Pretty dark. Love it!

· LOSERS by Frances Thomas:⭐⭐

Brad is a jerk and a bully with a cruel plan.

Spending time in his head wasn't a nice experience.

· A DOG IS FOR LIFE by Catherine Butler:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nell's brother is a wild troublemaker, she just didn't realise how wild he really is.

Oh. I enjoyed this one because it's so darn twisted. I didn't expect that to happen to her brother. 😳 Bittersweet ending, too.

· HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Rhiannon Lassiter:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The story of Persephone is sad and melancholy. It's also one of my favourites.

And this version is exquisite. Absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. Wonderful and so very cruel. The writing is lush, full of dark imagery and the confused thoughts of a girl whose life was stolen from her. Absolutely loved this!


This turned out to be such a great collection!

Like all anthologies, some tales were better than others and I had my favourites--The Gates and Home for the Holidays--but it was interesting, spooky and intriguing.

I also loved that all seven stories were written by women. And I love the cover.



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Happy Holidays!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

I hope you all have an awesome, fun and safe festive season. After the way this year turned out, I think we all deserve a wonderful, relaxing day full of good food and plenty of downtime. 

Eat what you want. 

Do what you enjoy. 

Watch all your X-Mas faves.

And please, stay home and social distance.

Have a great one!

🎅🎄🎁

Just because...

Yesterday, I posted this on Twitter:

 

That's right. After calling my slasher novel complete last week, I decided to grab my Paperwhite and re-read it. 😁

I know, it was supposed to be done and I was sure I'd moved on, but I was wrong. There was a little voice inside my head telling me to check it out one more time. To make sure that all the last-minute changes blended into the rest of the story seamlessly. And while most did, I found there were a few sections that needed the tiniest of tweaks.

To be honest, the final version would've worked just fine as it was but the things I found and smoothed out this week made the story stronger, better. And most importantly, FINALLY made me happy. 😍

I'm very proud of this novel. I've been a huge slasher fan since the 80s and this story is my love letter to this subgenre. I hope to one day share it with the world. 

But for now, I'm super excited to be done. Again. 

I'm going to miss these characters because they really got under my skin during the writing and revision process. Maybe that's why I kept going back.

Maybe I should check it out one last time... Just kidding. 🤣

It's really done this time. You know how I know for sure? Because my brain is now ready to start thinking about other stories. 👀

Well, that's it for now.

Hope you enjoyed this unexpected update!

HEX by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight

 

Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We found a copy of this book in one of our local Street Libraries. I didn't know anything about it, but the blurb sounded interesting and the cover caught my eye, so we grabbed it.

Nell Barber was a PhD candidate in biological science, but after someone on her team died, she was expelled.

Now, she's decided to continue her work exploring poisons and antidotes via plants inside her empty apartment. While keeping an eye on her mentor, her mentor's annoying husband, staying in touch with her dreamy ex, interacting with her smart best friend, and her best friend's alluring boyfriend...

What a wonderfully strange and seductive book this turned out to be! Like I said above, I didn't know what to expect, so this little gem was an entertaining surprise.

As soon as Nell started telling her story, I got caught up in her weird and messy world. Her voice is blunt and seems straightforward, before you realise it's actually quite disorientating and leads you down a winding path full of problems. Her narrative isn't linear but then it is. She's judgy, but so damn interesting.

Her obsession with her mentor Joan borders on disturbing, but is so fascinating that I couldn't stop reading. The intense way she idolises this woman fuels her brash attitude and I enjoyed the turbulent ride.

Actually, all of the characters are quite annoying and on the arrogant or flippant side, but the way Nell tells her story makes everyone and everything so interesting I just wanted to know more. Needed to find out where this was going because I could tell it wasn't going to end well.

I loved the complicated relationships between these six characters, how they're all so intertwined in academic ways as well as by so many emotional ties. It really was quite an experience!

The friendship between Nell and Mishti was so cool. And all the informative poison plant/flower talk was really interesting too.

I had a hell of a good time reading this book because the writing style is so unique! 😊



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THE NEED by Helen Phillips

 

The Need by Helen Phillips
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book I've had my eye on for a while and now that I've finished my last big writing project for 2020, I got stuck into it. 😊

Molly is exhausted. Her job as a paleobotanist keeps her as busy as being the mother of two very needy young children. She's also going through some things, and when someone breaks into her house, she finds herself confronting a strange and very unexpected situation...

I got sucked into this story right away, found myself slipping into Molly's two super exhausting worlds as easily as she did. Her job keeps her busy but she loves it. Although, a recent discovery has started causing some problems. Her homelife is hectic as she tries to balance a preschooler and a baby while her husband is away on business. She's so overwhelmed, she sometimes imagines hearing threats everywhere.

No matter what, her mind fills her with the worst kind of situations. Yet, nothing can prepare her for what she actually stumbles into. Or rather, what she's dragged into. Because her ordeal is disorienting, scary, amazing and totally surreal.

Molly's approach to motherhood is so relatable. The way she enjoys taking a break from the kids by going to work, but how at the same time she misses them with a physical intensity she finds almost impossible to deal with. It's the mental struggle of every mother, hers is just amped up several notches with a little sprinkling of the unknown, a good dose of sci-fi and a nice mix of terror.

I loved how the suspense starts from the first page and remains throughout even as we follow Molly through some very mundane daily jobs--both inside and outside the house. And when things get weird, they really go to some very weird places that make the reader question everything that's going on.

And that's the other thing I enjoyed about this book. There's a thin ambiguous line that works both as a speculative story and as the real experience of an overworked woman going through a psychological episode.

Not to mention how well the Bible story works.

Yep. This is a great book! 

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Finishing Time!

Hey!

How are you today? 

Can you guys believe we're halfway through December already? Sometimes, it feels like this year went fast and other times it feels like it totally dragged. But I tried to stay as busy as I could.

That brings me to this week's update.

Last week, I completed the third draft of my slasher WIP and took a three-day break before getting started on the final read-thru on Monday. I really enjoy this stage of the revision process because everything looks different on my Paperwhite. It makes all the strange/weird stuff stand out.

Besides, it means that I'm so much closer to completion.

Here's how my week went:

• Monday: 58/156 (60,220w)
• Tuesday: 118/156 (60,210w)
• Wednesday: 156/156 (60,005w)
• Thursday: 61,044w / 163pgs

Yay! As you can see, I actually reached The End yesterday and I'm SO HAPPY. 😁🎉

I can't believe how a story that started with a very vivid and creepy dream turned into a novel about love, friendship and murder. Oh, and thanks to hubby, I ended up making a few tweaks/additions that really added an extra spark I wasn't expecting.

This is a tweet I posted back in July just before getting stuck into it in August:

I'm very proud of this story and am really happy with how it turned out. Now I've got the usual story hangover and am feeling a combination of happy, sad and even a bit lost. This slasher turned out so much better than I expected.

It's very exciting! Not just because I finished this novel, but also because I got it done before the end of the year. And because it means that asides from my NaNoWriMo WIP, every story I've written during 2020 has been completed. Awesome!

Now, I'm going to take the rest of the year off to go through my books, read some more and start dreaming/thinking about my future writing projects.

I really need a bit of a mental break. (Unless any pesky short stories decide to grab my attention. 😊)

Well, that's it for now.

Have a great weekend!

NARWHAL UNICORN OF THE SEA / SUPER NARWHAL AND JELLY JOLT / PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY by Ben Clanton

 

Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hubby found the first three books in this series during one of our Street Library adventures and I couldn't leave behind the adorable happy Narwhal on the cover.

Narwhal is a really happy narwhal who befriends a very serious jellyfish called Jelly. They might be different but soon find themselves having a great time...

I'm SO glad we grabbed this book because it's ADORABLE. And so happy. Like many of the other reviewers said, it's hard to keep the smile off your face while reading this lovely book.

The stories are cute and the illustrations are gorgeous in their simplicity. There are also some fun narwhal and jellyfish facts inside.

Great fun! 

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View all my reviews Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt by Ben Clanton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, I just had to read the next book in this adorable, happy Narwhal series. 😁

Narwhal and Jelly decide to become superheroes and that involves discovering Narwhal's superpower...

OMG. This was SO great.

Another super ADORABLE collection of stories with pretty illustrations. As well as some handy ocean facts, plus plenty of puns and clever references. Like the first book, this one made me smile but also made me feel emotional because Star's (starfish) story was 😞 and 😍.

Great fun! 

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View all my reviews Peanut Butter and Jelly by Ben Clanton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

And, of course I read the third book in the amazingly adorable Narwhal series. 😁

When Jelly introduces Narwhal to the wonders of peanut butter, Narwhal's life changes. Over and over again...

This was hilarious and great. Did I mention hilarious? Because I was laughing my head off all over the page. I mean, place! 🤣

I'm enjoying the hell out of this super ADORABLE collection of stories, and the pretty illustrations were really amped several levels in this one. So funny.

The handy ocean facts are always very cool, and we got to find out a few more things about our favourite and super peculiar narwhal. SO cheeky!

These books are SO MUCH FUN! They also make me happy. Even if you're feeling blue, one look at that super happy Narwhal will bring a smile to your face. 😍

I have to get my hands on the fourth book...

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The Revision Continues...

 

Hey! How are you today? 

Last week, I completed the second draft of my slasher WIP and then took a four-day break. During that time, I relaxed a bit, read a little and started sorting through my book piles. It's time to cull any books that don't grab me. 😬

We ended up donating a LOT of books to several of our local Secret Libraries.

I also got (very) excited about tackling the third draft by taking notes and figuring out how to make sure everything makes sense. There were a few things bugging me but after some thinking and brainstorming, I worked out how to fix everything. No wonder I was excited. 😉

Here's my progress:

• Monday: 42/145pgs (57,921w)
• Tuesday: 81/150pgs (59, 261w)
• Wednesday: 122/153pgs (60,137w)
• Thursday: 60,334w / 156pgs

I actually reached The End today and I'm SO HAPPY that it's done.

This draft took a bit longer than the second to complete, but I was expecting that. I worked really hard to fix all the inconsistencies, add depth to the characters and situations, plus amped up the violence and emotion. And that meant adding 4,593 words, which took this story to 60k territory. That, I wasn't expecting. LOL. 

Now, I'm going to take another mini-break so I can have some time away from the story. This one's emotionally heavy and mentally draining, which is why I love this novel so much.

Just needs one final read-thru on my Paperwhite before I can call it done. The story always looks different when I do this. The book format (as opposed to Word doc) makes any repetition stand out.

Well, that's it for this week. Hope you're having a good one. 

Have an excellent weekend!

More Exciting News!

I'm SO excited to announce that my short story, Lady of the House, will be included in the third Kandisha Press Women of Horror Anthology alongside such awesome authors: 

My story is a melancholy tale with gothic vibes, about Ophelia and Spencer. Two people with a real connection but so many obstacles between them.

It also strengthens my love for skulls and skeletons. 💀

I can't wait to see the cover for this one.

Have a great day!

 

STARVING GHOSTS IN EVERY THREAD by Eric LaRocca

 

Starving Ghosts in Every Thread by Eric LaRocca
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this book for a while because I really like the cover and the synopsis sounded interesting.

Teddy has a shitty job and even shittier life. She's stuck in a small town and also has a strange condition that demands a bizarre price. Her mother also has her own set of problems. But after meeting Kiiara, everything changes...

Unfortunately, this story didn't work for me. It took me a while to get the imagery right in my mind, and when I did I found the concept dark enough to intrigue me. But the more I read, the less I enjoyed what was going on. Especially when Teddy meets Kiiara and gets caught up in a bunch of situations I couldn't get into.

Actually, I almost DNFd this novella a few times. I only stuck around because I was hoping it would get better, but for me it didn't.

The writing style was nice, though.



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Exciting News!

I'm super excited to announce that my YA short story, The Girls Who Walked into the Woods, will be published in the first Otranto House anthology.

And here's the awesome cover:

Isn't it cool? I love the colours and each of the featured story clues.

My story is about friendship and grief, plus the woods. 😊🌳

I'm looking forward to finding out more and will share all the details as soon as I find out.

Have a great weekend!

 

THE GREAT ESCAPE FROM WOODLANDS NURSING HOME by Joanna Nell

At nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy. From the confines of her 'room with a view' of the carpark, she dreams of escape. 

Fellow 'inmate', the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter. 

When Hattie and Walter officially meet at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, they seem at odds. But when Sister Bronwyn is dismissed over her unconventional approach to aged care, they must join forces -- and very slowly an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow...

Well, this is a book that really took me by surprise. Firstly, because I found the blurb so charming I really wanted to read it. And secondly, because it turned out to be great.

When Hattie Bloom ends up in a nursing home after a bad fall while trying to save an owl nest, all she wants to do is go home. Walter Clements has to stay in the nursing home after a serious car accident, and is also looking forward to going home.

But escaping the confines of this institution turns out to be a lot harder than either expected...

Well, this was such a lovely story! It's lighthearted and uplifting, but is also edged with a certain degree of sadness because it focuses on what ageing does to a person. If their body hasn't stopped responding properly, it's their mind failing.

It was also sad to read about how the elderly are often disrespected, disregarded and have their lives stripped away from them by rules and a list of safety targets that sometimes do more harm than good. Isn't it enough to have their bodies turn on them without adding more disappointment and hardship? 😞

The story is told in the alternating POVs of Hattie and Walter. Two characters who are very different, yet so alike. I adored Hattie's love for birds, nature and how much she values her solitude. So it was heartbreaking when it was taken away. And Walter, the oldie widower who tries too hard to be the funny guy and often comes across as annoying, sexist and arrogant. When he's simply a lonely man shaped by a society that quickly changed around him. Oh, and Murray is such a sweet old guy.

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a melancholy book that I enjoyed immensely. The pages are peppered with interesting characters, each with a tremendous amount of history that intrigued me so much I couldn't wait to read more. It's also a really fun tale that proves friendship, kindness and adventure can happen at any age and can change the system.

There's certainly a lot to love about this book.

Thank you Hachette Australia for sending me a copy! 

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home, November 2020, ISBN 9780733642869, Hachette Australia

It's Revision Time!

That's right! I've decided to revise the slasher novel I wrote in August.

My plan is to complete the revision process by the end of this month. If I can get this done, then almost every short story, novella, novelette and novel I've written during 2020 will be completely off my WIP slate. I say almost because my NaNoWriMo novel will have to wait until next year. 😊

I've got a bad habit of writing first drafts and not following through with the full revision process. But this year, I decided to stop doing that. It's why I plan to revise a bunch of my 'forgotten' first drafts during 2021. But I'll post more about this another time.

For now, here's how my progress went:

• Monday: 41/135pgs (52,937w)
• Tuesday: 88/138pgs (54,433w)
• Wednesday: 55,741w / 141pgs 

I'm really excited about getting this done and how the draft turned out. I cut a bunch of stuff, added 4,137 new words, and will now put it aside for the rest of the week. I like to take a handful of days off between drafts. This way, the story gets a chance to slide in and out of my mind so I can start a new Revision List. Actually, I've already done that. LOL.

Well, aside from throwing myself into revision, we've been keeping up with our yoga workouts and walks. I've also squeezed in a bit of reading, but that's about it.

I'm looking forward to taking another mental break before tackling the third draft next week.

Anyway. Hope you're all having an awesome week!