Goodreads Monday: June 5, 2023

Goodreads Monday is hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog. “Goodreads Monday allows you to post about what books are on your “to read” lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenge, and any other Goodreads news!”

Books I Finished In the Past 3 Weeks:

The Ballad of Old Joe Booth: A Song for Eighth Block by William Pauley III

Some monsters are impossible to see.

This is The Ballad of Old Joe Booth.

An epic poem in four parts.

A song for Eighth Block.

See my review of this book here.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.

Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, entertaining as it is deeply moving, Cleopatra and Frankenstein marks the entry of a brilliant and bold new talent.

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles–the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

Book I am Currently Reading

The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear by Nat Segaloff

Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever madeand its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film. Written by Nat Segaloff, an original publicist for the movie and the acclaimed biographer of its director, with a foreword from John Russo, author and cowriter of the seminal horror film Night of the Living Dead.

On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it had become legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Some audience members famously fainted or vomited. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle.

The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages. Nat Segaloff, biographer of the film’s director, William Friedkin, draws on original interviews with cast, crew, and participants as well as revelations from personal papers to present an intriguing and surprising new view of the making of movie, and its aftermath.

Segaloff also examines as never before the keys to the movie’s enduring appeal. Friedkin and Blatty’s goal was far more ambitious than making a scary movie; they aimed to make people “think about the concept of good and evil.” The Exorcist succeeds, and then some, not just by creating on-screen scares, but by challenging viewers’ deepest personal beliefs—and fears.

Progress: Kindle 22% (May 15th: 11%)

The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell

There are dark forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular), so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them…

A weekly newspaper dedicated to the weird and the wonderful (but mostly the weird), it is the go-to publication for the unexplained and inexplicable. At least that’s their pitch. The reality is less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered, and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor… well, that job is a revolving door–and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who’s got problems of her own.

When tragedy strikes in Hannah’s first week on the job, The Stranger Times is forced to do some serious investigating. What they discover leads to a shocking realisation: some of the stories they’d previously dismissed as nonsense are in fact terrifyingly real. Soon they come face-to-face with darker forces than they could ever have imagined.

Progress: page 220 of 420

Next Up:

Title: One True Loves

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Book Length: 331 pages

Goodreads Summary: In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is, until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what it’s saying.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Ballad of Old Joe Booth (A Song for Eighth Block) by William Pauley III

Title: The Ballad of Old Joe Booth (A Song for Eighth Block)

Author: William Pauley III

Audiobook Length: 45 minutes

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Bizarro Fiction, Horror, Novella

Read Start Date: May 23, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 23, 2023

Number of Book in Series: 5

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads:  Some monsters are impossible to see. This is The Ballad of Old Joe Booth. An epic poem in four parts. A song for Eighth Block.

My Review: I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the 5th book in the Bedlam Bible series, but I haven’t read book 2 or 3 yet because they were archived on Netgalley before I had a chance to download them. In any event, it isn’t necessary to have read the previous books, as this one is stand-alone.

The Ballad of Old Joe Booth is a captivating tale narrating the genesis of the enigmatic cosmic horror entity known as Old Joe Booth. The Bedlam Bible, an extraordinary compilation encompassing every book in the series, holds the key to Old Joe Booth’s demise. Learning of its existence, and the potential fatal nature of the Bedlam Bible, Old Joe is prompted to embark on a relentless quest to eradicate this ominous tome. With its evocative descriptions and thrilling narrative, this eerie and delightful short story by William Pauley III is yet another resounding success.

Other Books in the Series (that I have read)

Title: The Tower

Author: William Pauley III

Audiobook Length: 2 hours and 23 minutes

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Short Story

Read Start Date: January 27, 2023

Read Finish Date: January 31, 2023

Number of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower…

There’s radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. A giant green brain pulsates under the roof, pumping electric venom throughout the apartment building. The residents are trapped and losing their minds.

Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.

See my review of The Tower here.

Title: Fight Tub

Author: William Pauley III

Audiobook Length: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Bizarro Fiction, Horror, Novella

Read Start Date: May 6, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 8, 2023

Number of Book in Series: 4

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads:  The story of a man who became his bathroom.

See my review of Fight Tub here.

Reviews Published
Professional Reader
10 Book Reviews

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

BOOK REVIEW: The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight

Title: The Fungus

Author: Harry Adam Knight

Book Length: 192 pages

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Novella

Read Start Date: April 28, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 5, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from GoodreadsWhen a brilliant scientist seeking to solve the problem of world hunger tries to create giant mushrooms through genetic manipulation, what could possibly go wrong?

The mutated spores escape the lab and spread across all of England. Toadstools grow to twenty feet tall, and a case of athlete’s foot can mean a grisly and horrible death.

But those who die quickly are the lucky ones. Those who survive infection by the fungus will be transformed into something unthinkably monstrous …

With a perfect mix of nightmarish horror and black humor, Harry Adam Knight’s cult classic The Fungus (1985) will grow on you. This edition features a foreword by the author.

My Review: The Fungus is a 1985 science fiction horror novel by Harry Adam Knight, a pseudonym of John Brosnan. The novel tells the story of a genetically modified fungus that escapes from a laboratory and begins to spread across England, quickly mutating and becoming increasingly deadly.

The novel begins with the introduction of Jane Wilson, a brilliant mycologist who is working on a project to create a new type of fungus that can be used to produce food. She hopes to create a mushroom that will end world hunger. Wilson is successful in creating an enzyme that when coming into contact with fungus, grows it to enormous proportions. She accidentally lets it escape the lab, causing widespread panic throughout England.

As the fungus spreads, it begins to mutate even further. It grows to enormous sizes, and it becomes increasingly deadly. People who are infected by the fungus begin to suffer from a variety of symptoms, including hallucinations, fever, and skin lesions. Depending on the type of fungus that came into contact with people, some are entirely consumed, while others are forced into a grotesque mutation / symbiosis with the fungus. In most case, eventually, the infection kills them.

The British government is quickly overwhelmed by the fungus. The military is unable to contain it, and the country is soon in chaos. People are forced to flee their homes, and food and water become scarce. The government eventually decides to quarantine England, and the country is cut off from the rest of the world.

The novel follows the efforts of a group of survivors as they try to find a way to stop the fungus. The group includes Jane’s husband, a former mycologist named Barry Wilson, a psychotic soldier named Terence Slocock, and a woman named Kimberley. The group travels across England, on a mission to get to Jane’s lab to find her notes. They hope that if they can figure out how she created the fungus, they can find a way to stop it.

I had never heard of this book before I saw it on the shelves of my local library. The Fungus is a terrifying and suspenseful novel that will keep you up at night. At times, the depictions of the mushroom infested humans was grotesque and gag worthy. The novel is well-written and suspenseful. The author does a great job of building up the tension and creating a sense of dread. The characters are well-developed and believable. The novel is also very thought-provoking. It makes you think about the dangers of scientific experimentation and the hubris of man.

Even though written in 1985, the topic of world hunger and scientists trying to find a solution, is still relevant today.

Overall, The Fungus is a great read that will stay with you long after reading it. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction horror novels.

Friday 56, May 19, 2023: The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight

Welcome to Friday 56! Hosted by Freda’s Voice, you turn to page 56 or 56% in any book or reading device and pick a sentence that grabs you.

“‘You’re going to make yourself drunk,’ said Kimberley accusingly. ‘Lady, I hoped to be smashed out of my brain by the time I have to see those videos they’re going to show us. I advise you to be the same.'”

The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight, page 56

Time Travel Thursday, May 18, 2023

Time Travel Thursday is hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog. This is where I take a look back at what I was reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and compare it to what I am reading now.

Books I was Reading on This Day in 2022:

Beach Read by Emily Henry

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They’re polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

See my review of this book here.

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny

Welcome to winter in Three Pines, a picturesque village in Quebec, where the villagers are preparing for a traditional country Christmas, and someone is preparing for murder.

No one liked CC de Poitiers. Not her quiet husband, not her spineless lover, not her pathetic daughter—and certainly none of the residents of Three Pines. CC de Poitiers managed to alienate everyone, right up until the moment of her death.

When Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, of the Sûreté du Québec, is called to investigate, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with someone quite extraordinary. CC de Poitiers was electrocuted in the middle of a frozen lake, in front of the entire village, as she watched the annual curling tournament. And yet no one saw anything. Who could have been insane enough to try such a macabre method of murder—or brilliant enough to succeed?

With his trademark compassion and courage, Gamache digs beneath the idyllic surface of village life to find the dangerous secrets long buried there. For a Quebec winter is not only staggeringly beautiful but deadly, and the people of Three Pines know better than to reveal too much of themselves. But other dangers are becoming clear to Gamache. As a bitter wind blows into the village, something even more chilling is coming for Gamache himself.

See my review of this book here.

What I’m Reading Now:

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles–the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear by Nat Segaloff

Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever madeand its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film. Written by Nat Segaloff, an original publicist for the movie and the acclaimed biographer of its director, with a foreword from John Russo, author and cowriter of the seminal horror film Night of the Living Dead.

On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it had become legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Some audience members famously fainted or vomited. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle.

The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages. Nat Segaloff, biographer of the film’s director, William Friedkin, draws on original interviews with cast, crew, and participants as well as revelations from personal papers to present an intriguing and surprising new view of the making of movie, and its aftermath.

Segaloff also examines as never before the keys to the movie’s enduring appeal. Friedkin and Blatty’s goal was far more ambitious than making a scary movie; they aimed to make people “think about the concept of good and evil.” The Exorcist succeeds, and then some, not just by creating on-screen scares, but by challenging viewers’ deepest personal beliefs—and fears.

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.

Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, entertaining as it is deeply moving, Cleopatra and Frankenstein marks the entry of a brilliant and bold new talent.

Then vs. Now

 ThenNow
Fiction xxx
Horror x
Sci-Fi  
Fantasy 
Mystery x 
Thriller x
Historical Fiction  
Women’s Fiction  
Romance xx
Contemporary xx
Nonfictionxx
True Crime 
History 
Self-Helpx
Humor  
Memoir 
Science  

BOOK REVIEW: Fight Tub by William Pauley III

Created with GIMP

Title: Fight Tub

Author: William Pauley III

Audiobook Length: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Bizarro Fiction, Horror, Novella

Read Start Date: May 6, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 8, 2023

Number of Book in Series: 4

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads:  The story of a man who became his bathroom.

My Review:

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is the 4th book in the Bedlam Bible series, but I haven’t read book 2 or 3 yet because they were archived on Netgalley before I had a chance to download them. In any event, it isn’t necessary to have read the previous books, as this one is stand-alone.

In this book, we revisit the 8th Block Tower, the peculiar structure where individuals (strange and sometimes mutated) reside for their entire existence despite the radiation in its walls. The plot follows a cluster of office employees stationed within the building, who gradually transform into a bathroom.

The protagonist wakes up one morning to discover that he is changing into his tub. When he shows up to work covered in bandages, his colleague is convinced that he is part of some fight club (hence the book name, Fight Tub). What could be worse than turning into your bathroom? Merging with the toilet bowl comes to mind. The fact that this disease seems to be contagious is a close second. Soon, the entire office is infected and changing.

Throw in a little love story and a cantankerous boss, and you’ve got yourself a great story! This story may be bizarre, but it is also really fun and hilarious. How does the author come up with this stuff? Another great book by William Pauley III and a definite must-read!

Other Books in the Series (that I have read)

Title: The Tower

Author: William Pauley III

Audiobook Length: 2 hours and 23 minutes

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Short Story

Read Start Date: January 27, 2023

Read Finish Date: January 31, 2023

Number of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Something is happening to the residents of Eighth Block Tower…

There’s radiation in the walls. Salt covers the hallways. The food and water are poisonous. A giant green brain pulsates under the roof, pumping electric venom throughout the apartment building. The residents are trapped and losing their minds.

Sanity is a myth. Sickness is life.

See my review of The Tower here.

Reviews Published
Professional Reader
10 Book Reviews

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday May 16, 2023: The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday! Hosted by Socrates Book Reviews this is where you share the first paragraph of one of the books that you are currently reading.

“By the time Norman Layne arrived home he’d long forgotten the embarrassing collision with the attractive woman in Tottenham Court Road. There were other things preying on his mind now, ranging from the sweaty itch caused by the nylon shirt that Nora insisted was all they could afford, to the lingering fury he still felt towards the black youth who’d played his huge radio as though he owned the train.”

The Fungus by Harry Adam Knight

Goodreads Monday: May 15, 2023

Goodreads Monday is hosted by Budget Tales Book Blog. “Goodreads Monday allows you to post about what books are on your “to read” lists, the progress you have made on your current books and reading challenge, and any other Goodreads news!”

Books I Finished In the Past Week:

Your First Novel Revised and Expanded Edition: A Top Agent and a Published Author Show You How to Write Your Book and Get It Published by Anne Rittenberg and Laura Whitcomb

In this revised and expanded edition of Your First Novel, novelist Laura Whitcomb, seasoned literary agent Ann Rittenberg, and her knowledgeable assistant, Camille Goldin, team up to provide you with the essential skills needed to craft the best novel you can–and the savvy business know-how to get it published. Complete with updated references, analysis of new best-selling novels, and the same detailed instruction, Whitcomb will show you how to:

– Practice the craft of writing, using both your right- and left-brain
– Develop a flexible card system for organizing and outlining plot
– Create dynamic characters that readers love–and love to hate
– Study classic novels and story structure to adapt with your ideas
Featuring two new chapters on choosing your path as an author and understanding the world of self-publishing, Rittenberg and Goldin dive into the business side of publishing, including:

– What agents can–and should–do for your future
– Who you should target as an agent for your burgeoning career
– How the mysterious auction for novels actually goes down
– Why you should learn to work with your agent through thick and thin
Guiding your first novel from early words to a spot on the bookshelf can be an exciting and terrifying journey, but you’re not alone. Alongside the advice of industry veterans, Your First Novel Revised and Expanded also includes plenty of firsthand accounts from published authors on their journeys, including Dennis Lehane, C.J. Box, Kathleen McCleary, David Kazzie, and more.

Books I am Currently Reading:

Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors

Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank’s life is full of all the excesses Cleo’s lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could’ve predicted.

Each compulsively readable chapter explores the lives of Cleo, Frank, and an unforgettable cast of their closest friends and family as they grow up and grow older. Whether it’s Cleo’s best friend struggling to embrace his gender queerness in the wake of Cleo’s marriage, or Frank’s financially dependent sister arranging sugar daddy dates to support herself after being cut off, or Cleo and Frank themselves as they discover the trials of marriage and mental illness, each character is as absorbing, and painfully relatable, as the last.

As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, entertaining as it is deeply moving, Cleopatra and Frankenstein marks the entry of a brilliant and bold new talent.

Progress: library book page 63 of 283 (May 8th, page 12)

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?

Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles–the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

Progress: Audiobook 24%

The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear by Nat Segaloff

Since 1973, The Exorcist and its progeny have scared and inspired half a century of filmgoers. Now, on the 50th anniversary of the original movie release, this is the definitive, fascinating story of the scariest movie ever madeand its lasting impact as one of the most shocking, influential, and successful adventures in the history of film. Written by Nat Segaloff, an original publicist for the movie and the acclaimed biographer of its director, with a foreword from John Russo, author and cowriter of the seminal horror film Night of the Living Dead.

On December 26, 1973, The Exorcist was released. Within days it had become legend. Moviegoers braved hours-long lines in winter weather to see it. Some audience members famously fainted or vomited. Half a century later, the movie that both inspired and transcends the modern horror genre has lost none of its power to terrify and unsettle.

The Exorcist Legacy reveals the complete story of this cultural phenomenon, from the real-life exorcism in 1949 Maryland that inspired William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel on which the movie is based, to its many sequels, prequels, TV series, and homages. Nat Segaloff, biographer of the film’s director, William Friedkin, draws on original interviews with cast, crew, and participants as well as revelations from personal papers to present an intriguing and surprising new view of the making of movie, and its aftermath.

Segaloff also examines as never before the keys to the movie’s enduring appeal. Friedkin and Blatty’s goal was far more ambitious than making a scary movie; they aimed to make people “think about the concept of good and evil.” The Exorcist succeeds, and then some, not just by creating on-screen scares, but by challenging viewers’ deepest personal beliefs—and fears.

Progress: Kindle 11%

Next Up:

Title: The Stranger Times

Author: C.K. McDonnell

Book Length: 432 pages

Goodreads Summary: There are dark forces at work in our world (and in Manchester in particular), so thank God The Stranger Times is on hand to report them…

A weekly newspaper dedicated to the weird and the wonderful (but mostly the weird), it is the go-to publication for the unexplained and inexplicable. At least that’s their pitch. The reality is less auspicious. Their editor is a drunken, foul-tempered, and foul-mouthed husk of a man who thinks little of the publication he edits. His staff are a ragtag group of misfits. And as for the assistant editor… well, that job is a revolving door–and it has just revolved to reveal Hannah Willis, who’s got problems of her own.

When tragedy strikes in Hannah’s first week on the job, The Stranger Times is forced to do some serious investigating. What they discover leads to a shocking realisation: some of the stories they’d previously dismissed as nonsense are in fact terrifyingly real. Soon they come face-to-face with darker forces than they could ever have imagined.

BOOK REVIEW: The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Title:  The Last Thing He Told Me

Author: Laura Dave

Audiobook Length: 8 hours and 49 minutes

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Contemporary

Read Start Date: April 24, 2023

Read Finish Date: May 5, 2023

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads: Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

My Review: The book follows the story of Hannah Hall, a woman who is forced to face the truth about her husband’s past when he suddenly disappears.

The story begins with Hannah’s husband, Owen, disappearing without a trace. Hannah is left alone with her stepdaughter, Bailey, and a note from Owen that says, “Protect her.” This sets off a chain of events that forces Hannah to confront the truth about her husband’s past and the secrets he kept from her.

As Hannah delves deeper into Owen’s past, she discovers that he was not who she thought he was and she begins to question everything she thought she knew about her husband.

The narrative of The Last Thing He Told Me is presented from Hannah’s point of view, unfolding in two distinct timelines. One timeline progresses forward from the day Owen vanished, while the other traces backward from the day Owen left. In the current timeline, we witness Hannah’s struggle to come to grips with the shocking truths about her husband’s past. Meanwhile, in the past timeline, we gain a deeper understanding of their relationship and the version of Owen that he chose to reveal to her, now causing her to question everything and piece together his true identity. Hannah is caught between her love for Owen and her responsibility to shield Bailey from the risks of Owen’s past. As she tries to navigate this complicated situation, Hannah must decide whom to trust and must make the impossible choice between Bailey’s safety and being a family again.

I first listened to this audiobook in the first year of my daughter’s life, when I was so sleep deprived I couldn’t really appreciate it. Upon the second reading, I absolutely loved this book. From the well crafted thrilling plot, to the well-developed and realistic characters, this book had me gripped from the first page.

I really liked how the story unfolded in two timelines, as it gave a comprehensive view of the story, while at the same time kept the tension high.

I also really liked Hannah, a nice, caring woman put in an impossible situation by her husband’s dark past. She handles the complex situation she is thrown into with a grace and determination that had me rooting for her through out the book.

This book won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Mystery&Thriller in 2021. I can see why!

Summer is just around the corner. If you haven’t read this book already, I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list.

BOOK REVIEW: Hounds of the Underworld by Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray

Title: Hounds of the Underworld

Author: Dan Rabarts and Lee Murray

Audiobook Length: 8 hours and 18 minutes

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Crime, Mystery

Read Start Date: April 21, 2023

Read Finish Date: April 24, 2023

No. of Book in Series: 1

Brief Summary of the Plot from Goodreads:  On the verge of losing her laboratory, her savings, and all respect for herself, Pandora (Penny) Yee lands her first contract as scientific consult to the police department. And with seventeen murder cases on the go, the surly inspector is happy to leave her to it. Only she’s going to need to get around, and that means her slightly unhinged adopted brother, Matiu, will be doing the driving. But something about the case spooks Matiu, something other than the lack of a body in the congealing pool of blood in the locked room or that odd little bowl.

Matiu doesn’t like anything about this case, from the voices that screamed at him when he touched that bowl, to the way his hateful imaginary friend Makere has come back to torment him, to the fact that the victim seems to be tied up with a man from Matiu’s past, a man who takes pleasure in watching dogs tear each other to pieces for profit and entertainment.

Hounds of the Underworld blends mystery, near-future noir and horror. Set in New Zealand it’s the product of a collaboration by two Kiwi authors, one with Chinese heritage and the other Māori. This debut book in The Path of Ra series offers compelling new voices and an exotic perspective on the detective drama.

My Review: I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hounds of the Underworld is about siblings Matiu and Penny, who team up to solve a man’s disappearance. Penny, on the brink of losing her laboratory, is hired by the police for her services, and Matiu, her adopted Maori brother, tags along to the crime scene. Accidentally touching a bloodied bowl on the floor, Matiu hears a cacophony of screams in his head and wakes up his childhood imaginary friend, Makere. The siblings are thrust into a dark world of dog fighting, murder, and supernatural forces.

With respect to the audiobook recording, I really loved listening to the New Zealand accents of the narrators. The book includes a list of Maori terms that were used throughout the book, but I didn’t find it helpful in the audiobook version. With a paperback, you could flip to the back to see the definition, but by the end of the audiobook, it was already too late.

The dog fighting ring depicted in the story may be a trigger for dog lovers — it was for me. I was ready to cry at some points in the book and I was not happy that the authors didn’t do more to at least have a happy ending for a certain dog I have in mind.

The book starts off slow, focusing on the siblings’ relationship, but picks up pace in the last half and ends on a cliffhanger. Since this book was first published in 2017 (I think the audiobook format was just released), the 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy are already published and available. I already have a long list of books on my “TBR” list this year, but I will definitely be adding the next books for reading in the future.

Reviews Published
Professional Reader
10 Book Reviews

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.