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OutsmartYourShelf

OutsmartYourShelf

Joined September 2016

review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

It's best not to know too much about Stuart Turton's books before reading them, then you get the full effect. Suffice to say that a group of 122 villagers live on an island, the last refuge on earth for humans, after a strange fog with killer insects inside took over the planet. Three scientists also live on the island & are responsible for keeping the villagers safe, but one of the villagers (called Emory) knows that something is not quite right.

OutsmartYourShelf When the lead scientist is found murdered, Emory is given the task of finding the murderer before the fog takes over the whole island in less than 5 days.

Although this one doesn't quite live up to the author's first book 'The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle' it's still a cracking read. I couldn't put it down until I found out just what was being hidden from the villagers.
2d
OutsmartYourShelf Really entertaining read but I would have liked to find out where the fog & insects came from. Maybe a prequel?

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5997383165
Read 3rd - 4th Nov 2024

#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
2d
38 likes2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
The Secrets of the Titanic | Paul-Henri Nargeolet
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Pickpick

A book about the finding of the wreck of the Titanic in September 1985 & the subsequent expeditions to bring to the surface items such as dining sets, luggage & jewellery. Thousands of items have been recovered & yet so much remains down there & not even the ship's lists give the full picture of the items carried. Rumours have abounded since the beginning about millions of pounds' worth of diamonds & gold being interred in the first class safe.

OutsmartYourShelf There is also the other side of this - treating the wreck with respect due to the loss of life & having those items recovered used in museum exhibitions rather than disappear into private collections.

This was a short yet fascinating look at the expeditions carried out by Paul-Henri Nargeolet. The photographs at the end were very interesting.
3d
OutsmartYourShelf I didn't realise until reading this book that Nargeolet was one of the men killed by the submersible implosion in 2023. This casts a melancholy pall over points of the book when the author is talking excitedly about the trips he has taken & will take including that ill-fated journey. RIP. 4🌟

#TodayILearned that the iceberg the Titanic struck weighed approx 1.5 million tonnes & would have been like hitting concrete hence the damage.
3d
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 3d
Bookwormjillk 🚢🚢🚢 3d
36 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
The Murder Hypothesis | Sarah Wishart
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Mehso-so

Grace moves to the country in Devon with her dad for a fresh start after Grace suffered some (unspecified) trouble. They have an ex-service dog called Shelby who has also undergone a trauma of her own. The village is too quiet for Grace but it seems that may not be the whole truth. One night Grace is downstairs having trouble sleeping when the smart speaker (Alexa) in their rented house suddenly switches on & tells her “I'm going to murder you.“

OutsmartYourShelf When it happens again the next night, Grace realises the speaker has been pre-programmed & that the threat was aimed at one of its previous owners. When she starts to investigate, Grace uncovers four mysterious accidental deaths linked to the device. Her dad won't believe her so Grace treats the deaths like a science experiment, gathering evidence & testing her hypothesis that one of the deaths was in fact a murder. 3d
OutsmartYourShelf Unfortunately this didn't quite live up to the early promise for me. It deals with mental health, trauma, & PTSD not only for the main character but for little Shelby too. The mystery itself wasn't bad (although the twist was pretty obvious) but the main character was a problem. Basically she is annoying as hell. Would these adults really spill their guts to a nosy 16-year-old who just arrived in the village? No, they'd tell her to take a hike! 3d
OutsmartYourShelf Shelby is an absolute sweetheart though so I'm going to up the rating to 3⭐ just for her.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK Childrens'/Harper Fire, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6920086328
Read 1st - 3rd Nov 2024

#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
3d
DieAReader #Next 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻 3d
32 likes4 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

4 US Presidents have been assassinated in office & this book offers a fascinating look at what could have happened if they had survived. Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, & John F. Kennedy never got to complete their presidential terms, as each succumbed to an assassin's bullet. After examining what happened in the lead-up to their deaths & the weapons used, the author then considers what could have happened if they had lived.

OutsmartYourShelf Before starting this book, I knew the most about Lincoln & Kennedy, & had never really read anything about Garfield & McKinley. Very remiss of me, I feel. Here we are given a brief snapshot of their lives - enough to whet the appetite for reading more & there are some good starting points given in the book. The more important elements are the assassinations themselves & what happened with some searching 4d
OutsmartYourShelf questions being asked of those involved in protecting the President in at least three of the cases. The 'what ifs' are intriguing from a purely academic standpoint, but at times they feel a little too sunshine & rainbows. Overall it is an engrossing read which asks some pertinent questions alongside 'What If?'.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Collective Ink Limited/Chronos Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
4d
OutsmartYourShelf Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6514277689
Read 1st - 3rd Nov 2024

#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
#NFN @bookwormjillk

#TodayILearned that James Garfield died due to the doctors trying to save him infecting his wound rather than directly dying of the gunshot.

4d
Bookwormjillk Another book for my TBR! 4d
DieAReader 🤓Awesome! 4d
35 likes1 stack add5 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Biography of Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, leader of the 'Dambusters' which asks what could have caused the plane crash which took his life at age 26, less than a year before the end of WWII. His death (& that of his navigator Squadron Leader James Warwick DFC) occurred when returning from a bombing raid on the German towns of Mönchengladbach & Rheydt & this book examines the various theories & evidence.

OutsmartYourShelf Gibson seems to have a contradiction: respected for his flying prowess & leadership & yet not liked on a personal level. He comes across as someone it would have been difficult to get on with, bombastic with lower ranks, & a bit of a martinet with others & yet willing to bend the rules himself. Yet his achievements cannot be denied. 5d
OutsmartYourShelf A fascinating look at this point in British history but some of the flying technical sections were a little dry to me. 3.5🌟

TWs: attitudes of the time including the use of racial slurs.

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Pen & Sword/Air World, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6826754508
Read 29th Oct - 1st Nov 2024

#ReadAway2024 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES
5d
DieAReader Great! 4d
32 likes3 comments
blurb
OutsmartYourShelf
Supernatural: One Year Gone | Rebecca Dessertine
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Thank you to those who took part in my first #SupernaturalBookBingo readathon, I really enjoyed seeing what everyone picked for the prompts.

There were 175 entries in total for the giveaway which I collated throughout the month & the random picker chose number 75 & the winner is..... @puddlejumper 🎉 Congratulations! Please contact me on gayle.noble@yahoo.co.uk & there will be an early Christmas present heading your way!

PuddleJumper Oh lovely! Thank you! I've sent you an e-mail. 6d
BookmarkTavern Congrats @PuddleJumper ! And thanks again for hosting! This was such a fun reading challenge! 6d
See All 6 Comments
OutsmartYourShelf @BookmarkTavern I'm so glad you enjoyed it, thank you. 6d
BookwormAHN Congratulations @PuddleJumper 🎆 6d
29 likes6 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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TheSpineView Excellent! 7d
22 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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Assorted bingo cards 4.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf

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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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Assorted bingo cards 3.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf

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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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Assorted bingo cards 2.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf

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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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Assorted bingo cards 1.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf

review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

A collection of Halloween hauntings. Precious little gore, these are more along the lines of unsettling rather than flat out horror. Standouts for me were:

'The Ghost Mermaid', 'Pink Lace & Death Gods', & 'When You See Millions of the Mouthless Dead Across Your Dreams in Pale Battalions Go' - quite possibly one of the longest short story titles I've seen. (Honorable mention 'Bootsy's House' - nice twist.) The rest were not really memorable. 2.5⭐

21 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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November's list for #ReadYourKindle &, although there will be some fiction reads, I'm concentrating on nonfiction for #NFN (Nonfiction November).

@CBee

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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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My total points for #HauntedShelf & team #Flerken

Really enjoyed it, thanks so much to @puddlejumper for hosting & being our team leader.

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ Brilliant! 1w
kwmg40 Impressive total! 6d
24 likes2 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Anonymous
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Managed to complete my goal of 31 hours read in October & almost tripled it!

#31by31 @catsandbooks #HauntedShelf #Flerken

Catsandbooks Amazing! 👏🏼🧡 6d
24 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Untitled
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Only 1 bingo on #AtoZReadathon #AtoZBingo - so many of the book titles seemed to start with the same letters 😃

Thanks for hosting @texreader

#Flerken #HauntedShelf

willaful I didn't do as well as I expected either, given how many books I read! 1w
Texreader Nice!! It takes a lot of work to try to get every letter in one month!! 1w
OutsmartYourShelf @willaful Same. A lot of repeat letters due to ARCs. 1w
OutsmartYourShelf @Texreader Thanks. Will have to clear my month of ARCs beforehand next time. 1w
19 likes4 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Untitled
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PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 Great job! 1w
20 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
Supernatural: One Year Gone | Rebecca Dessertine
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I managed 3 bingos for the first #SupernaturalBookBingo challenge. Slightly too many ARCs to read so will have to bear that in mind next time.

Anyone who has taken part, please tag me when you post your cards so I can check you all get the correct number of entries into the giveaway.

#HauntedShelf

BookmarkTavern Thanks for hosting! I‘ll post mine later today! 1w
PuddleJumper Thanks for hosting! I had a lot of fun with this one, it was a challenge 1w
OutsmartYourShelf @BookmarkTavern Thank you, Hope you enjoyed it. 1w
OutsmartYourShelf @PuddleJumper Thank you. I think next time I'll try & make sure I only have a couple of ARCs to read to allow me to choose more books. I think it went okay though. 1w
21 likes5 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Untitled | Untitled
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Managed to complete both mazes for #PromptMaze The first one was really surprising as completed after 3 books!

@thearomaofbooks #HauntedShelf #Flerken

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! Thank you for playing along!! 1w
21 likes1 comment
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OutsmartYourShelf
The Terror: A Novel | Dan Simmons
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Desolate'.

This book sticks in my mind for the sheer bleakness of their situation.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Desolate

Gissy I have this one, need to read it 1w
inthegreensandblues Great pick for this prompt 🤍 1w
22 likes2 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Quarantined | Joe Mckinney
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Panpan

San Antonio, Texas has had an outbreak of a particularly virulent & deadly form of flu & have been cut off from the outside world by a perimeter wall built around the city. Hundreds are dying every day & have to be buried in mass graves. Det Lily Harris works collating burial statistics & notices a body that doesn't seem to have been autopsied & a bullet wound suggests that this is a murder victim hidden amongst the other dead.

OutsmartYourShelf As the police investigation intensifies, they uncover a conspiracy involving those in charge who are intent on hiding the truth from the public.

To say this was originally written over a decade before Covid, it sure got a lot of things right: masks, lockdowns, & staying so many metres apart. It could have been really good except for the fact that the MC, Lily, is a horrible person using fatphobic & homophobic language to describe people.
1w
OutsmartYourShelf In books like this where the MC is fighting for survival, the reader has to become invested in their story, but I really couldn't care less if Lily survived the pandemic or not. 2⭐

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/862208779
Read 29th Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 326 pts

#AfterDarkBingo #BodyCountBingo @puddlejumper
#31by31 @catsandbooks
#SupernaturalBookBingo (Fake ID)
#HalloweenAtoZReadathon #HalloweenAtoZBingo @texreader
1w
22 likes2 comments
blurb
OutsmartYourShelf
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Luck'.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Luck

review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Violet & her friends are the lucky eight girls who receive an invitation to the annual scavenger hunt for 2020. This year they have to break into the Poison Apple Carnival after hours & collect an item each. When they reach the park, they split off into smaller groups to cover the area more quickly, but a masked madman starts to attack them. One by one the girls are picked off in a series of bizarre & gruesome killings.

OutsmartYourShelf A competent slasher horror read. I thought the setting of the Poison Apple Halloween carnival was great - plenty of scope there with the rides, stalls & attraction. Some of the deaths were brutal - one girl dies by candy floss! The characters were actually not completely annoying for a group of teenage girls. I did find the motivation of the killer a bit blah though. I mean, really?! 3.5🌟

TWs: drug use (mild), violence, murder.
1w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🩷 1w
27 likes3 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Biography of Norman Brokaw who worked his way up from mail room clerk to CEO & Chairman of the William Morris Agency. Along the way, Norman worked with a host of stars from Marilyn Monroe & Elvis to Donna Summer & Dick Van Dyke. Known as a man who would do his utmost for his clients, keep their confidences, & never say a bad word about anyone, Norman was a popular & well-respected man. His private life wasn't quite so settled though.

OutsmartYourShelf I'd never heard of Norman Brokaw before seeing this book for review but it turned out to be a really interesting read. One of the 'old school' members of Hollywood, Norman Brokaw was notoriously closed-lipped about his experiences & unfortunately many of them were not recorded before he began to show signs of developing dementia. 1w
OutsmartYourShelf Of those that appear in the book though, I will say that although the book is titled 'Driving Marilyn', Marilyn herself appears very briefly. I was almost disappointed. It's a very readable biography though written with humour by his son, & with a great deal of affection. 4.5🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Globe Pequot/Lyons Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

1w
26 likes3 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Welcome to The Venue! Enjoy your wedding in luxurious surroundings whilst we take care of every last detail. Invite your estranged family & frenemies - it'll be a wedding to die for!

When Amy receives an invitation to childhood friend, Caleb Hunt's wedding in an exclusive resort, her first thought is to wonder why he has invited her & her parents. They haven't been close ever since they left school. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf They haven't been close ever since they left school. They decide to go anyway & at first the resort is everything they could have dreamed. It seems strange that the guestlist is full of people who aren't exactly Caleb's closest friends & relatives but it all becomes clear when the bride & groom announce that everyone is locked in & you can only leave if you kill another guest first! 1w
OutsmartYourShelf This was a fun read in a sick, twisted kind of way. Caleb & his bride Lilith decide to wreak revenge on those they believe have wronged them. Is it over-the-top campy horror? Yes & I'm there for it. Note that this book has a high kill number so please check out the TWs before reading.

TWs: strong language, suicidal thoughts, drug use, violence, murder, blood, gore.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4133941304
1w
See All 6 Comments
DogMomIrene It‘s like a personal Purge. I might like this one, on my sick and twisted kind of days. 1w
PuddleJumper 🖤🖤 1w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 1w
31 likes1 stack add6 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Mist'.

A fantasy adventure aimed at Middle Grade/Childrens' age group.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Mist

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2w
19 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Catacomb | Madeleine Roux
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Mehso-so

In this 3rd & final book of the original trilogy, Dan, Abby, & Jordan hit the road on one last trip together before they head to college. Jordan is moving to New Orleans so the trio head towards the city. Abby & Jordan really want to put recent events behind them, but Dan is not so sure they can, especially as he thinks they're being followed. Then Dan starts receiving warning message from Micah by email - but Micah is dead, isn't he?

OutsmartYourShelf A slightly different concept for this book than the previous two in that it only has the faintest link to Brookline. I was hoping that the series was going to finish strongly but this is the weakest book of the three in my opinion. Jordan & Abby are rather annoying in this book, after everything they have been through as a group, they put Dan on the outside. The ending is also pretty unsatisfying. Overall it's a disappointing conclusion. 3⭐ 2w
TheSpineView Great job for finishing! 2w
See All 6 Comments
PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 2w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 1w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1w
24 likes6 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Monochrome'.

Another one on the list but not yet read.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Monochrome

PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 2w
28 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
The Blonde Dies First | Joelle Wellington
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Pickpick

Devon is invited to an exclusive private school party by her twin, Drew. The girls have been together for most of their lives, but since Drew was taken out of their original school & sent to a private one an emotional distance has been growing between them. Now that Drew is graduating early, Devon knows that she will soon be leaving home, so she wants to give her sister one last amazing summer.

OutsmartYourShelf When a Ouija board is produced at the party, it seems harmless fun, but Devon begins to feel as if she is being watched. An attack at her job confirms this but it's what attacked her - not who. It seems a demon is now stalking their friend group & it seems to be following horror movie tropes on the order of victims. Devon is the blonde & first one up but when she survives it moves onto the next. Who will be the Final Girl? 2w
OutsmartYourShelf This is the first book I've read from this author & although reviews are quite mixed, I liked this one. It was quite slow to start off with but after the initial attack, things picked up so I'm glad I stuck with it. The characters are all a bit tropey (obviously due to the storyline) but it works quite well. Honestly I think this one is going to be like Marmite - most people are either going to really like it or hate it. 3.5🌟

2w
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 2w
27 likes4 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Grave'.

First one in a series of crime fiction books. Grave in the title & on the cover.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Grave

AnnCrystal 🎨💝. 2w
PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 2w
23 likes2 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Fancy Font'.

Looks like a cute cozy mystery. Again no idea when I bought this one.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #FancyFont

PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 2w
25 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

The fourth book is one of the best of the series: danger, intrigue, dragons, & the Triwizard Tournament. There's plenty of action with the 3 tasks, alongside a few lessons on being careful who you trust. Sirius is back (briefly) & there are some new characters who will play a part in what is to come.

It's been a while since I first read this series & it's amazing just how much I 'forgot' through just watching the films. (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf The whole storyline with Winky - I'd erased that one from my mind. Reading the books also allows you to fill in some details for events in the films that seemed quite incongruous without their backstory. Bit apprehensive about the next book for one reason only - Umbridge. 5🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/747560141
Read 17th - 24th Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 2501 points
2w
Librarybelle It‘s been so long since I read the series! 2w
See All 7 Comments
DogMomIrene Your comment about forgetting certain details because of watching the movies resonates with me. It‘s been a long time since I‘ve read these too. I‘ve been buying the illustrated versions, so I might need to heft those mighty tomes out in 2025. 2w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 2w
31 likes7 comments
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

A look at the last great dynasty of Ancient Egypt, from the initial conquering by Alexander the Great, to the annexing of Egypt by Rome. Although the ruling house of Ptolemy starts off strong, there is a gradual decline throughout the generations leading to the last moments of its most infamous rulers - Cleopatra.

Judging by the other reviews I seem to be an outlier here, but I found the majority of this book quite dry to read.

OutsmartYourShelf The story of Alexander & the first Ptolemy's takeover of Egypt was interesting as were the final chapters about Cleopatra, Caesar, & Mark Antony. These sandwiched the rest of the book which, although well-researched, didn't keep my attention in the same way. There was a lot about the different political factions & agriculture/ farming, but I wanted to know about the people themselves. 2w
OutsmartYourShelf I did enjoy the bits about the religious cults of the Apis Bull & others & would have liked more. Overall, it was informative & well-researched, but I found it a little academically dry in tone. 3.5🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (UK & ANZ), for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6665750254
Read 18th - 23rd Oct 2024
2w
23 likes2 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Orphan Monster Spy | Matt Killeen
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Art Deco'.

Had this on my TBR list for ages, still not read it.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #ArtDeco

PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 2w
25 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

At last! A collection of short stories that (mostly) do “exactly what it says on the tin“. Nine short stories in the tradition of Christmas ghost stories which give the reader a chill.

The standout stories to me were 'The Wrong Teletubby', 'The Old Folk', & 'Panic Room'. Each of these had a killer twist at the end. This is probably the only collection of short stories I've really enjoyed reading recently, (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf as normally I find short stories a little disappointing. I recommend this is you like stories that send a chill down your spine. 3.5🌟

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Swift Press, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6606789674
Read 20th-21st Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 280 points
2w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 2w
28 likes1 stack add5 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Trials of Magic | Thomas K. Carpenter
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Magic Sparks'.

No idea about this one - assume I managed to snag it for free off Amazon.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #MagicSparks

PuddleJumper It looks like it would be free 2w
17 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

Gobbelino London, snarky cat PI, & his human sidekick, Callum, are visiting a grave at the cemetery when a dog suddenly brings his owner a detached arm. Obviously it's from one of the graves & Callum offers to rebury it, but when they return later that night things are more complicated than it first appeared. The dead are rising from their eternal rest & Gobbelino doesn't want to get involved but he doesn't have much choice in the matter.

OutsmartYourShelf I loved this second book, it was even better than the first. The plot was pacier & the light-hearted element to it balances out the darker side. I really like Gobbelino - I have a black cat & I can imagine he'd be just like Gobbelino if he could talk. At the heart of the series is the friendship between Gobbelino & Callum & though he might try to hide it, you can tell that 'Gobs' (Callum's pet name for him) cares. 2w
PuddleJumper Well done! Sneeze is not an easy find 2w
See All 7 Comments
OutsmartYourShelf @PuddleJumper No, I found plenty of ‘sneezing‘ in other books but few ‘sneeze‘s. 2w
TheSpineView Fantastic! 2w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2w
Catsandbooks 🧡👻👏🏼 2w
29 likes7 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
Blue Skin: Book One | Steven Jenkins
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Skin'.

A dystopian horror where human children cannot survive a lethal virus leaving only vampire-human hybrids to be born.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Skin

PuddleJumper Terrifying cover 🤣 2w
22 likes1 comment
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Carrie | Stephen King
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Mehso-so

You don't really need a synopsis for this book do you? OK, how about bullied teenager uses telekinetic powers to get revenge at the prom.

After reading several of King's other books & not liking them, I decided to finally read one of his books that most people seem to rave about (to see if the problem was the particular books I'd read before) & it was.....ok. It wasn't bad but it wasn't earth-shatteringly good either.

OutsmartYourShelf It was mercifully quite short (I read The Stand & that was tough going) so the author didn't have quite as much time to go all around the houses instead of getting to the point. I skipped the pig killing scene. 3⭐

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6936359474
Read 19th-20th Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 471 points
3w
Librarybelle I‘m not a King reader, but I‘m not a horror reader either…I have way too vivid of an imagination! 3w
See All 8 Comments
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 3w
PuddleJumper 🧡🖤🧡 3w
The_Book_Ninja I‘m not a fan of his books. Way too much waffle 3w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 2w
29 likes8 comments
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OutsmartYourShelf
The Gate - 13 Tales of Isolation and Despair | David McAfee, David Dalglish, J. L. Bryan, Mercedes M. Yardley, Daniel Pyle, Robert J. Duperre, Joel Arnold, Michael Crane, Dawn McCullough-White, Steven Pirie, D. P. Prior, K. Wood, Benjamin Wretlind
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Gate'.

A collection of 13 “dark & odd tales“.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Gate

PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 3w
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The Beast from Cabin X | Karsten Knight
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Beast'.

This is from a series of scary stories for children, I picked up the first 3 for nothing on Kindle last week. Haven't read any as yet.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Beast

PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 3w
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OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

“If there is an explanation for the Mackenzie Poltergeist, 'didn't really happen' isn't one of them. This is its story.“ (cue Law & Order noise).

What an entertaining read this is - alternating between sending shivers of fear down my back & making me laugh out loud. I've actually visited Greyfriars in Edinburgh & wish I had known about the ghost walk at the time as I would definitely have gone on one.

OutsmartYourShelf There's also plenty of history here about the area & the issues of the time (mainly the religious side of things with the 'Covenanters' who were locked in an area of the graveyard for weeks/months until many of them died) & the author manages to keep it informative & interesting.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in real-life hauntings - just don't read it at night or you won't sleep. 5🌟

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 806 points
Word: fluffy
3w
TheSpineView Great job! 3w
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PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 3w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼🐦‍⬛🧡 3w
Emilymdxn This sounds so cool! 3w
OutsmartYourShelf Forgot to add this one to #ReadYourKindle @CBee That's two I've crossed off for this month. 2w
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OutsmartYourShelf
Winterbay Abbey: A Ghost Story | Davonna Juroe, John Bladek
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Figure'.

A ghost story based around an abandoned convent in Maine.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Figure

PuddleJumper 👻👻 3w
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OutsmartYourShelf
Friends of the Dusk | Phil Rickman
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Pickpick

A new bishop at the Cathedral sees Merrily's work in 'Deliverance' (aka exorcism) at risk. Meanwhile she is asked to take on a case of strange activity at a 12th century house on the border between Wales & England. The new owners have been seeing & hearing weird shadows & noises, but when Merrily goes to see them, she has the feeling they are holding something crucial back. Good news - Lol is finally back. Bad news - so is Jane.

OutsmartYourShelf Elsewhere, police detective Frannie Bliss is called in when storm damage unearths a skeleton.

Another long & mostly slow plot that somehow manages to keep me interested enough to keep reading. I don't know how Phil Rickman does it, I really don't. Merrily was bearable enough in this one, & the plot strand about the possible haunting was quite interesting. Can't say the same about Bliss & his boring relationship with boss, Annie Howe.
3w
OutsmartYourShelf Also, I find Jane very trying to read about. If I were boyfriend Eirion, I'd have dumped her months ago. Mind you, Merrily is almost as bad sometimes with Lol. Just take 10 mins to talk to the man!

Overall, interesting enough but some characters make you want to commit a literary murder yourself. 3.5🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1289487542
Read 14th -16th Oct 2024
3w
20 likes3 comments
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Maleficent | Elizabeth Rudnick
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Horns'.

I really enjoyed the film - Angelina Jolie was fantastic in the role This book is the written novelisation.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Horns

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The Weight of Blood | Tiffany D. Jackson
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Blood'.

Oops I missed yesterday's prompt so there will be two posts today. This seems to be a YA retelling of 'Carrie' & the MC is biracial giving it an additional angle.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Blood

PuddleJumper ❤️❤️ 3w
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review
OutsmartYourShelf
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Mehso-so

A look at the darker side of Christmas in Europe including: Krampus, Santa's alter-ego St Nicholas, & how Christmas carolling from door-to-door could have developed from the originally much more sinister practice of guising.

I've always thought that the words to 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' were a little bit sinister - demanding figgy pudding & refusing to leave until they received it - & if it did originate with guising then no wonder.

OutsmartYourShelf Although the author did explain why the book wasn't laid out in date order, I found the jumping about from month to month a little frustrating. I also thought that for such a wide-ranging subject , it was quite a short book & certain things could have been expanded on. For example, the walk on Christmas Eve before sunrise where legend has it that you could see ghostly re-enactments of the future burials that would take place during the next year - 3w
OutsmartYourShelf I'm from the UK & never heard of this. Where did it come from? Is it a regional thing? I think the whole ghost side of things could have featured more. 3⭐

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Granta Publications, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6665749809
Read 14th-15th Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 311 points
Words Found - unearthly
3w
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Sace That‘s a gorgeous cover! 3w
Dilara Fascinating! 3w
PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 3w
TheSpineView Awesome! 3w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻❤️ 3w
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Nine Tailed | Jayci Lee
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I'm posting the #BookScavengerHunt prompts in order & today is 'Animal'.

This is a book based on Korean folklore. I've not read it so no idea if it is any good or not. Thought it fitted in well with the month & daily themes.

#Flerken #HauntedShelf @puddlejumper #Animal

5feet.of.fury I‘ve read it! It was pretty cute, pacing was a little iffy. 3w
PuddleJumper Ooo yes, I got this from First Reads 3w
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OutsmartYourShelf
Sanctum | Madeleine Roux
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Pickpick

Following the events of their previous summer at New Hampshire College & the towering presence of Brookline asylum, Dan, Abby, & Jordan have remained in touch but can't seem to move on. Dan is persuaded into going to see Felix, another summer school student who has been institutionalised ever since, by Felix's mother & he tells Dan that he has to return to Brookline & gives him the co-ordinates for three addresses there.

OutsmartYourShelf So the three friends find themselves on campus once more, this time as 'prospies' (prospective students). They will need to sneak away from their guides to check out the addresses, but Dan has more problems - namely he has started to see the ghost of a young boy everywhere. Is he literally haunted?

3w
OutsmartYourShelf I actually thought this was an improvement on the first book. It was much pacier, less focus on Dan & Abby's romance, & Jordan was at his best with the sarky comments. There were no big surprises but the story is unfolding nicely & I'm looking forward to the conclusion. 4🌟

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2327137186
Read 13th-15th Oct 2024

#Flerken #HauntedShelf 776 points
3w
Sace I‘m going to have to check out this series! I hadn‘t heard of it. 3w
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PuddleJumper 🖤🧡🖤 3w
OutsmartYourShelf @Sace I hadn't heard of it before, I happened to buy the 3 main books at a charity sale & they've turned out to be quite good. 3w
Sace @OutsmartYourShelf I‘ve got a boxed set in my cart ready for online purchasing 😂 3w
TheSpineView Great job!👍📖 3w
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3w
Catsandbooks 👏🏼👻🧡 3w
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