Delightful! It made me miss being young & the mischief you could get into with your friends. Including playing pranks, getting lost outside without bringing sandwiches first and peeing in your kiddie pool.

🛝😏

Ryosuki is the solo survivor of mass killing tragedy. Three years later he‘s hired by an elite video game company, a job he doesn‘t quite feel qualified for but the company wants his personal insight for their specialization, death survival games.

Only EDC wants realistic details to corner the death survival market. Really, really real portrayals.

If you can‘t handle gore do not apply for this job. Coz it‘s really really real. ⭐️✨🌟✨⭐️

I liked this one. Dystopia where humans have turned into insects & feed off humans. So🤢

It bills itself a mix of Mad Max & Attack on Titan. I‘ve never seen that latter but feel free to clue me in.

Action-heavy shonen. There may also be an anime of the series.

6 volumes total I think? I am checking out volume 2.

The art here is stunning. The premise, a school for cryptologists to learn healing skills, that has legs as the saying goes.

But a bit scattershot in execution. I had to wonder if this could be a translation issue, it had that feel, a bit off?

I looked for an image from the graphic to share.

Ah ha!! Yes it‘s in translation from French. I‘ll keep following the story; the art sells itself that well,

I‘ve never read the books but I know they‘re popular. I wasn‘t necessarily blown away by the art here but it suffices. If you‘re a fan of the books you‘ll likely enjoy this one.

I *did* learn something: Quarin, more traditionally QUAREEN. Pre-Islam & Islamic mythology. A djinn that can either be good or evil but the Quareen is someone‘s companion, guardian, driving you to good or evil behavior.

Main character is Blake Franklin, private investigator. First case is labeled “Money, Mayhem and Muscle Cars”.

Skeevy Mexican car thieves who also dabble in human trafficking & work for the Sinaloa cartel.

Set in Fort Worth, Texas. My mind wandered but I finished on audio. A short audio, around 5 hours. You can access free if you have Audible.

This reminded me of “Someone‘s Killing the Children” & the Serial Killer convention in “Sandman”

Picture a town of evil clowns with a blowtorch, murderous puppet boyfriends, “Jigsaw” but less committed, koala-hat-wearing garden fanatic & someone who goes by the Fckmaster.

Lotsa dead law enforcement, some Byzantine kills, an evil granny since we all have one.

This may be a one-off Dark Horse series. Sad if so. I‘d keep following the storyline.

I probably would have gotten more out of this if I was ever a reader of the Archie comics, knew all the characters. It‘s meant to be Archie Horror so gets a bit graphic. Graphic *horror* but PG-13.

Have at it, ghouls! It‘s worth a read.

Middle school scary. Just a monster-hunting ‘cemetery boy‘ that overseas his graveyard with his clandestine bestie flesh-eating mermaid friend.

Goal one: Collect the credits he receives by cashing in on the captured monsters in hopes of resurrecting his long dead mother.

I loved it! Great read to dull Election Day catastrophe blues. 😨

I can‘t recommend this with the appreciation it truly deserves. It‘s a series of weird, amusing vignettes of oddity.

Loved 💚loved 🧡 loved! 💜 for fellow quirky readers. 🧌

An irreverent review to Netgalley:

Thanks so very little for making me want to cry. I miss my mom. I miss my mom everyday. If my mother made me the person I am today don't thank her for that either.

There were some portions where I deeply hoped Valerie‘s disappearance wasn‘t going the way I feared it might. And it didn't. Still, it did end in poignancy for me. 'Cause I miss my mom.

I give lousy book reviews, sorry about that.

This is such a sweet little book. Tender tale & illustrations. A Chinese authored & translated children‘s fable.

Try it yourself or for the spawn. KIDS. I meant kids! 😝

(I‘m a childless dog lady & it‘s Halloween. 🤦‍♀️)

🎃 An old fat woman who needs more Zepbound

👻 Tagged book! Not sure why rating so low. It‘s a Halloween-themed trilogy. Do one a day on audio!

#twofortuesday

@TheSpineView

Tag thy selves, heathens! 😈

Interesting premise in mangaka fashion. People are randomly combusting for no reason given yet but you need the Fire Force to take down the “Infernals”—those victims of spontaneous combustion.

The art is exciting, not overly complex. However I won‘t continue the series for the accidental tit-grab stuff. Stick to shoujo, me. 🤷🏼‍♀️

You read too much indie scares you‘ll run into several titles not yet in our system.

Same author, “The Dollhouse”.

Excellent read! Neglected dollhouse, possessed dolls, Bell Witch curses & family secrets.

What more would you need? Great read, YA-friendly with scares not gore.

The novel isn‘t yet in our system but the correct title is “The Graveyard Watch” by R.J. Eason

“Who do you call when the corpse has died again?
Jocasta Lewis needs a job. What she doesn't need is gnome forensics, terrifying monsters, a werewolf with an unhealthy interest in her love life and a police captain who will (literally) lift her off her feet.”

NOT horror, but more romantic paranormal with some bad & scary villains. 🧛🐺👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

This is the 1st volume of 10. I know I‘d never make it through coz some things you know happened but you really *don‘t* want to know, right?

It does seem Japanese culture of this time was fairly authoritarian & childrearing fairly brutal

I‘ve never been comfortable with the destruction of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. It should never have happened & the second bomb X 🔟

I now have native Japanese & 1/2 Japanese ppl in my family. I love you. ❤️‍🩹💧🏵️

This was one of the Indie Horror Brawl challenge books happening over on StoryGraph.

It‘s a chilling mashup of “Exorcist”, The Omen” and “Small Soldiers”.

I recommend only don‘t expect a happy ending! 😈

https://app.thestorygraph.com/
reading_challenges/ce124995-25f4-4a9f-8564-b03445b76ee5

New Fable club: The Beat Generation! First read is Scratching the Beat Surface: Essays on New Vision from Blake to Kerouac.

First two follow-ups will be “Desolate Angel: Jack Kerouac, The Beat Generation And America” by Dennis McNally, “Understanding Jack Kerouac” by Matt Theado.

Link if you‘re curious! https://fable.co/club/the-beat-generation-with-aurelie-lagrange-449625541661?inv...

New Fable book club: Indie Thriller & Chiller 🤯📚
Get 'em cheap & read endless dystopias, military scifi, zombies, EMP attacks...

First up is this Ryan Schow 6 volume set. Join as you wish!

https://fable.co/club/indie-thriller-chiller-with-aurelie-lagrange-127645200611

Reading on Fable.

Linking…Join as you wish! 🎼🎶🎵🎶

https://fable.co/club/lollapalisten-pt-with-aurelie-lagrange-793196257899

Dark Horse Comics, now we‘re talkin‘, or reading rather.

I know this is a much beloved series by Robin Hobb so I‘ll give it that. Jody Houser is the illustrator & never much been a favorite of mine, sorta does the “also ran” stuff, not the bigger franchises.

One caution—animal death, beloved dog death. I thought about sharing but I won‘t. If you‘ve read the series you likely know the animals share their feelings. So death is scary & hurts 😢

Ablaze Comics is also new to me. This is essentially Orwell‘s “Animal Farm” only the dogs are fascists. This offends me. Okay, YES my chihuahuas were fascistic but my Pomeranians & Yorkshire Terrier are not.

Animal death obviously.

Finishing up my Hoopla Free Borrows. Scout Comics is new to me.

An interesting premise, the Shepherd of Souls. My advice: Don‘t piss off Ammit the Devourer. She‘s the Egyptian goddess that eats the hearts of the deceased who were found unworthy during the Judgment of the Dead. She‘s apparently a compilation of all three: 🐊🦛🦉

Who‘s scarier? It‘s not the crocodile, it‘s the hippopotamus! So don‘t piss off Moo Deng either.

Time for #ThreeListThursday presented by @dabbe

My 3 favorites from this list:
1. Sea of Love
2. Wargames
3. Scream

I‘m surprised I didn‘t do better. I‘m not as familiar with much before the 70s I suppose. I definitely need to check out the book I tagged.

AND I definitely want to rewatch my favorites list now.

TAG THYSELF 😈💗

#TLT
https://www.listchallenges.com/litsy3-afis-100-
years-100-thrills-up-to-2001

The would be the ideal book for young budding astronauts. It gives you some terminologies & concepts without dumbing them down. I also lets you know you‘ll really, really have to like math. 🧮

Also…I also do feel this rocket‘s pain. 🤷🏼‍♀️

This was cute & about inclusivity for children. If you can‘t tell Nook is a shy rabbit as rabbits generally are. She sits in her own “nook” in a tree and watches her friends play

Only once day Badger shows up & wants Nook‘s safe spot. Her friends try to oust churlish Badger. None doing.

But now Nook sits out with her friends even though Badger has left.

But what if we like Badger & want him to feel safe too?

Can‘t we be nice to Badger too?

Quite a heartbreaking read. 😢

Colonial Jamestown. Things have gone to ish. Starving, self-harm, domestic violence, cannibalization.

Saving grace: The saved & surviving young pet dog, “Spider”.

Use extreme caution when either reading or recommending this book.

It is dark. It is sad. It is largely based on real historical events. 🤕

Audible‘s buy Three-Get-One-Free sale.

Go wild with credits, listeners! 🎧👂📚

This one was hard to conjure an AI pic for. It‘s a scary read, a great read that covers child sex trafficking & what kind of sleezeballs come together to run an operation

There are elements of the supernatural & the topic isn‘t a thrill-ride. The violence may bring to mind Hanna-Barbera, violence just the same

This isn‘t a XMAS read but an unexpected & astounding final plot twist might bring it to mind.

Read it and tell me what you think.

The title here is Pilgrims by M.R. Leonard, his literary debut. I‘d call it speculative scifi & when i describe it it sounds ludicrous.

Earth is under oppressive martial law awaiting a coming alien invasion. 🛸👽

The aliens land. The aliens are devout Catholics.🧐

Sounds like satire. It is not.

Our main character is a Latin teacher that discovers studying Classics in college was a crackerjack major after all. 🤯

My goodness! This is a trip & half story.

Edith Holler is a 12 year old aspiring playwright. Her father has told her the playhouse will fall if she tries to leave the building. Then her father remarries a horrible woman with her swarm of beetles to infest the city. She makes a local delicacy called Beetle Spread. But what *else* is in your tea cakes? Could it be Soylent Children? 😟

Or you all be just another ghost haunting the theater? 😳

🧟‍♀️ Depressive, smart, strange

🧛‍♂️ Nice?

👻 Daria Morgendorffer from “Daria” I am told

Please tag friends! I have no friends!

@Eggs

Caveat here: R^pe & young male psychotic bully viciousness.

I‘ll set the scene: Five teenage friends, growing up in foster homes. But they are friends & want to stay friends in college.

What could possibly go wrong? And dang, guys, no one needs to draw blood over “A Catcher In the Rye”. 🙄

That latter isn‘t actually in the book but it does briefly come into play.

Good read if you mind trigger warnings.

Fable now has a Banned Books club, one per month, should anyone be interested.

Current book is “Go Tell It on the Mountain” by James Baldwin.

Link: https://fable.co/club/authors-guild-banned-books-club-with-jason-boog-3791040640...

I had this one recommended through a LGBT+ readers list. The scene is set as a horror novel however I‘d say there‘s more strangeness than scares.

Jamie & Sidney feel like misfits, losers in life. Jamie is fleeing from his past, Sidney is a drunkard. There‘s a crater in the desert where people who visit, should they return, are transformed into ideal versions of themselves

This is a chance Sidney & Jamie are willing to take, come what may 🏳️‍🌈

I‘m not sure what I expected from this graphic but it wasn‘t this. “Reckless” is such a great series, I was sad it came to an end.

“Night Fever” is a once-off. It‘s dark. Some of the sex scenes reminded me of Kubrick‘s “Eyes Wide Shut”. A bit baroque, shall we say?

The art is gorgeous. The story is a huge mind-hump. Was Jonathan Webb deeply sleep-deprived & hallucinating? Are 4-armed aliens coming to conquer Earth?

I‘ve no idea. Mind-hump.

How did I rate this before I finished it??

High creep factor. Serial killers, evil children, madmen & pedo-adjacent adults.

Twists you won‘t see coming. Halloween read if you need one! 🧟‍♀️🎃👻💀😈🧛‍♂️

Not a great read. No dinosaurs. 🦕 🦖

But beyond that it‘s Patterson, do not doubt. Short chapters, underdeveloped characters that you neither like nor want to root for.

You will get action & scary-nature feels coz, 🌋

Rich WP remain sucking flaccid donkey teat, as we are well-known to do. It did make me want to devote more time to learning Hawaiian though.

I‘m mad I can‘t get a copy of this book. Australia only thus far.

I‘m signed up with Ben's Book Club, have to be awake at 3:00am PST to join them…

And THIS is how you do me?!

Thanks @Anna40

See what you‘ve done? SEE WHAT YOU‘VE DONE??

And there goes my TBR stacks! 😫

I need to read them all!

I‘m not sure how & why I started on “Queerly Beloved” but I enjoyed it. How can anybody that‘s not a phobe not?

Both likable characters & some silly het bridezilla conundrums. The setting is before the Obergefell (gay marriage) ruling so that‘s a bit of the theme.

The setting is Oklahoma so that was a rough road ahead in the early 2010s. The books does get a bit preachy but it‘s a cause we should all support & never, never lose.

Utterly, utterly cute. 🖤🐉

No squire, knight or dragon deaths.

No permanent doggy death either!

Im not sure about this one. Jeff Lemire is the comic book writer always look for but…

Well yeah, the little monsters are kiddie vampires. Rather unlikable kiddie vampires.

As in, well, monsters.

13 Volumes with this the first. I did check out Vol 2 so here we go, I guess. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Here‘s a treasure trove of important Black punk bands and figures you‘re likely way ahead of the Black culture curve if you‘re familiar with two or three of them (which is me).

Take notes, set up your Black Punk playlists (also me), copy & go through the reference page.

Indispensable, undeniable, industructable.
.

“The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other --“

Pretty dark, some uncomfortable violence. If you know that going it‘s a mesmerizing read.

Dark academia indeed. What different do you expect from the wealthy and privileged that join secret societies?

It is a queer-embracing story but the homophobia that‘s shown can get hard to take.

Just mesmerizing. Pain in beauty & beauty in pain.

🖤

Indie Horror Brawl challenge happening over on StoryGraph if anyone wants in!

I do own a few of these. I can't wait to get into the killer puppet in your attic one.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/ce124995-25f4-4a9f-8564-b03445b...

NOT Disney & NOT an edifying read.

Just so we‘re clear there. The Felix Salten original is a more realistic take.

Life can be so beautiful and yet also cruel. We grow, we get old, we die.

Life‘s Spring is not forever. It does go on, maybe with our relations, maybe not.

Mankind is not Nature‘s hero, just so we‘re clear.

I don‘t regret the read but it isn‘t one I‘d recommend for children.

Stick with Disney.