I will die with maybe one-ish regret: That I never could‘ve met Ambrose Bierce. This is a short freaking story and I‘m still thinking about it. Like, I want to throw up just thinking about it. I can‘t even tell you about it because you just need to read it. Consider me genuinely spooked, man. *shudders*

I think Ambrose Bierce really wanted history to know how stupidly horrifying and how horrifyingly stupid war is (specifically the Civil War). He writes the stories that have that hero‘s gleam to them and you think, “Well, that was kinda pointless, though,” and Bierce‘s ghost is sitting there like, “Right!? So why are y‘all morons still like this!?” Or however he talked. What can I say, Bierce? We‘ve learned nothing.

I mean, for starters, this book is dated. Published in 1990, people were still skeptical of DNA and digitized record systems. Hacking a computer was as easy as ordering lunch on the MCDonald‘s app. One thing Cornwell can do is write well. Did I cringe a few times, sure. But I was engaged enough to continue. I didn‘t love this one, but I understand why she was so popular.

Being in a cult and knowing you‘re in a cult can be two different things. Something has created a toxic world, but some have found shelter at the Sacred Sisterhood (but no men except Him..). As is typical with cults, there is a hierarchy, secrets, a mysterious leader. But what is the true price of shelter here? What does it really take to break free?

I‘m not sure where I‘m at with this one. I both enjoyed it and did not enjoy it at various times. I knew what had happened fairly early, but I think the point is something else. We get so stuck in our personal fable, especially when young. We try to play our part, but that‘s the problem. Life can‘t be scripted.

Why didn‘t anyone force-feed me this book earlier!? What a delight. I loved all the characters. These kids (and they are KIDS) are so complex, broken, and lovable. It‘s like if Ocean‘s 11 had a bunch of teens risking it all for a fat wad of cash and maybe also preventing genocide (or at best, a drug epidemic). You‘re left on a cliffhanger, but this is part one of a duology. I‘m excited to join the adventure.

What I thought was going to happen did indeed happen (& worse) & I wasn‘t sure I wanted to read a book with that, but I am so glad I stuck it out. The ways in which we shrink ourselves to make others happy, to keep the boat steady. The way others have ostrich syndrome. “If I can‘t see it, it can‘t have happened.” 🙄 The way we *swear* we won‘t visit our trauma on our spouses or our children, especially our children. Ah, to be so fallibly human.

A Black sheriff in a Southern town. A school shooter, a “victim” who, it turns out, has been assaulting kids, but that‘s just the first chapter (or so). What is unearthed is a team of serial killers with one member left standing and Titus has to find him before this powder keg of a town blows. Racism isn‘t always shouting the N-word. It‘s also in the micro-aggressions. That‘s what POC authors capture better than anyone (experience, unfortunately).

I WILL NEVER SHUT UP ABOUT STEPHEN GRAHAM JONES! He is one of *the* voices for contemporary American Horror. I will tell you this: the vampire isn‘t even the scariest thing in this book. We always want to pretend, don‘t we? If we don‘t look into the past, we can just pretend it‘s behind us. How inconvenient, then, when something from that past comes back to remind you that it has teeth? This was different than his other works, but I loved it so.

Sometimes people have these carefully constructed, house-of-cards lives. Change one thing, even if it‘s a secret thing, and you‘ve upset the balance. Suddenly you can see the cracks in the plaster, the mold of neglect…A woman visits her mother‘s grave every year. One year and for subsequent years after, she takes a lover for one night. Not the same one, however. This was a fascinating character study and I‘m glad his children decided to publish.

The deadliest thing about Shirley Jackson is her ability to take the absolutely normal and make it mind-numbingly terrifying. Is that man following you on your extremely predictable walk home? What *is* your spouse thinking about while reading the paper, even though they haven‘t turned a page in a dreadfully long time…Jackson is an absolute master of horror. I‘m so glad I read these.

This is one of those horror universes that you continue to think about long after you turn the last page. A town is haunted by spirals. What could be so deadly about that!? Oh, you have no idea. NO idea. I will never look at a snail the same way again. Matter of fact, I will never *look* at a snail again…

The mystery of what happens to Ruthie is apparent to the reader early in the book. That‘s not the focus. This novel is character-driven. It‘s heavy, it‘s sad, but it‘s also so real. The deep, visible scars of what has been done to indigenous people that we just ignore as if they are not there. But Berry Pickers says, “No, you will look. This story isn‘t even that far-fetched. Look, feel, and know.” I‘ve recommended it to so many others already.

This one was a good read. Two different women, two different eras, one bloodline, one relatable story. The deep connection to nature being turned into something evil mystifies me. This is an empowering story. They didn‘t burn witches, they burned women.

Man, I don‘t even care. I have fun reading these. A friend from work felt alone in her fandom, so I told her I would read these, even though it‘s not my genre. I enjoy the world these characters live in and I‘m intrigued enough about where this story is going to keep reading. They‘re just a bit of fun and what‘s to hate about that?

This was a bit of a slow burn, but I felt it was worth it. I‘m always fascinated by human relationships, the carefully curated public persona vs the private one. What prices are we willing to pay to strengthen the future for our children? Does it work or are we just kicking the can down the road, causing unforeseen (or maybe they are foreseen) consequences? I would seek out Li‘s work again. Photo credit to imbookwild on Instagram.

I didn‘t read the first one, and that wasn‘t too much of an issue. Similar to Poirot, really. Sure, you miss a few details, but you can still follow along. If you want the coziest of mysteries, this has to be on your list. Does it make much sense? Meh, not really. But who cares!? It‘s fun, it‘s a mystery, and Vera pulls you into her orbit just as she does with everyone else. She reminded me of my Grams. I would def read more.

A solid collection of poetry, as was expected. I began collecting these during my Poetry Boot Camp class. I wanted to get an idea of what has/hasn‘t changed over the years. I‘m curious about form and how to stretch the rules without breaking them.

I had no idea about the Highland Clearances before this novel. People were being forcibly removed from their homes in the Highlands & the islands by their landlords. It‘s bleak and devastating. This novella follows John, a minister-turned-errand boy who is sent to evict Ivar, the last inhabitant on his island. John becomes injured and Ivar saves his life. Their growing bond, and the arrival of John‘s wife Mary, challenge what family really means.

A friend from work adores this series & she really wanted me to read it b/c she felt alone in her fandom. Are there flaws? Sure. Is Poppy frustrating? Yeah. But I think humans are like that too. So smart but so dumb. I appreciated the world Armentrout is building. I was invested enough to finish. Not everything has to make sense. Sometimes it‘s okay to just enjoy the ride. This was a nice, popcorn read & I will continue the series for my friend.

This book is honestly beautiful and so well-crafted. It‘s a war novel. It‘s a romance. It‘s a mystery. You have damaged souls all circling each other, scared to get too close lest they detonate like the German mines that surround them. A lovely adventure to be on, this novel. I can‘t wait to watch the movie. 246/1,001 #1001Books

As an avid fan of all things myth (from a multitude of cultures), this wasn‘t anything mind-blowing to me, but I absolutely had a good time reading it. I enjoyed her connections to modernity. I like her wit. It‘s always fun to take a feminist critique, which is what I often did with my own scholarly papers. It‘s important work, but it‘s also important to be accessible and Haynes accomplishes just that.

I read this for a work group. I didn‘t hate it, I just think the people who need to apply it the most are not the ones reading the book. This was a good read, nonetheless, and we had some great conversations because of it.

Goodreads has those little side challenges, and this was one of the qualifying books. This is not my preferred genre, so when I tell you this was a fun little smutty read, I mean it. I liked their banter, the premise was fun, it doesn‘t take itself too seriously. The Devil‘s Manor pops up in cities for centuries. Can you survive the week and earn your Devil‘s Boon? But is there more to Phantasma? Follow Ophelia to find out.

Jesmyn Ward has the gift of prose. I‘ll say that. I had a hard time putting this one down, even though it‘s a miserable subject. I can‘t add to the conversation about this novel, so I won‘t try. I‘ll only say that I will continue to read Ward‘s work.

This was a fun little read. This is a fairy tale retelling of Sleeping Beauty. What if the fairy gifts weren‘t to protect the Princess, but to protect others *from* the Princess? It really is a charming little novella. Give it a go!

People of the 1800s must have been GAGGED when this book came out. Wells takes aim at several societal institutions, which may be why it‘s hard to nail down a central theme. Also, it‘s hard to escape the times in which this book was written. That said, I think it‘s a scathing indictment of “civilized” people. For all your pretenses at being better than anyone else, your behavior is no better than an animal‘s. 245/1,001 #1001Books

What if you killed someone? What if no one knew the crime had been committed yet? With an axe hanging like a pendulum over his head (will it land, will it miss?), our narrator returns home after killing a one-night stand. How does one deal with this internal knowledge? What does it reveal about oneself? 244/1,001 #1001Books

This is a soft pick for me. I really enjoyed the storyline based on her grandfather. I didn‘t hate Patrice‘s story, I just felt it could have been its own narrative? I‘m not sure. Either way, it‘s an engrossing read. Erdrich doesn‘t miss.

Let‘s be clear: this is not close to the Disney-fied version. This story is basically, “Hey, what if we show everything that happens in nature, including Man hunting animals, in all its reality, from the *animal‘s* perspective?” And it works. This was cute, playful, maddening, and devastating. Here, read it. 📸: Instagram @ heartstriingz

Judas Priest, this novel is a tough read. This is McMurtry‘s debut novel and it is a bleak, realistic, coming-of-age tale. Life on a Texas cattle ranch isn‘t easy. There are hard lessons to learn at such a young age. Unfortunately, Hud (the biggest pile of walking excrement I‘ve ever had the misfortune of meeting on a page) teaches Lonnie every lesson the hard way. First in a trilogy.

Much like the black cake in the book, good things take time, patience, skill. A woman dies and her two children learn there was more to their mother than they could have ever imagined. I normally don‘t read sweeping family dramas, but this one needs to be on people‘s radars. It was a lovely journey.

This book was batshit. It‘s amazing. I can‘t even tell you anything about it or it will ruin it, break the spell. Look, if you‘re also a bazaar reader, dive in. If not, dive in anyway. What‘s the harm, Bunny? Don‘t you want to belong, Bunny?

I‘m late getting this up, but since my list doesn‘t change, no harm, no foul. ☺️☺️☺️ I‘m excited to figure this one out! It‘s a short month and my goal is to finish at least 4 books a month, so we shall see! Happy Reading, fellow Spinners!

My final read of 2024. I didn‘t like this one as much as I did Downpour, but I do enjoy Holmes‘ poetry style.

He killed her, but that‘s just the beginning. Robert and Gloria meet by chance and she convinces him to be her partner in a dance marathon. You get free food and a place to sleep as long as you last, plus a big payout if you win. In Great Depression-era America, that‘s a sweet deal. But Gloria wants a favor. This is bleak, American noir at its peak. 243/1,001 #1001Books

I‘m not sure how to feel here. There are two different stories. One story follows an an agent involved with the Vietnam Project, his obsession, and his descent into madness. The second story is about Jacobus Coetzee, a white settler in 18th century South Africa on a hunting expeditions that goes awry. I‘m not going to sit here and say I *enjoyed* spending time with either of these men, but I think that‘s the point. 242/1,001 #1001Books

I‘m not one of those people that can give a glittering review of poetry, but I can tell you this was a nice book with which to spend my time. There were some poems I read twice, just to let them sink in. Definitely worth the read.

Wow. I bought this at Barnes & Noble as a blind-date-with-a-book promotion. It was wrapped up and the tag said “Cain and Able-esque” which is what sold me. Bonus: Obioma teaches at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, my home state. Four brothers fish in the forbidden river. A madman spits out one of his prophecies, changing the course for the family forever after.

Another fresh slate of a year!! One of my resolutions is to stay off my phone as much as possible and read instead. 🤞🏻 I wish you all a wonderful year full of light and love. Here is my list, which will remain largely unchanged for the #BookSpin challenge. I look forward to this one every year! ☺️ Side note: I read the tagged book in HS and I still remember it fondly. ☺️

Listen, are there things that I‘d change? Sure. Overall, this was fun. Harry wasn‘t some Superman-style all-powerful boy-scout of a character. He‘s kind of a dick, but I think that‘s what kept me turning pages. I wanted to know what happened to everyone. It was worth it, just to meet Bob, to be honest. Anyway, I liked the universe and will read more. August‘s #BookSpin

This is a collection of Victorian-era (if memory serves) ghost stories. Are they bone-chilling, jump-out-of-your-skin scary? No, but they‘re thought-provoking and fun, in some cases. There‘s usually a larger comment about society at play with Victorian stories. Anyway, give this one a go if only for The Monkey‘s Paw! ☺️ April‘s Double #BookSpin

This one wasn‘t for me, but I know it will work for so many others! It‘s a Little Women homage (which have not gone well for me) about 4 sisters and their messy, complex relationships and lives. I saw a lot of tell but very little show and that‘s just a personal pet peeve. If sweeping family sagas are your jam (as they *usually* are for me) I do think you‘ll like this. I‘m sorry I didn‘t. July‘s Double #BookSpin

Is this my umpteenth re-read? Yes. And I don‘t care. This is one of my comfort novels, so I was glad I could use it to fulfill my Double #BookSpin prompt for July. I love Louis and his ever-present quest to simply understand what the point of his existence even is. I love Lestat‘s sassy ass. I‘ll read it again. I‘ve seen me do it.

I can‘t shut up about SGJ. I didn‘t like this one as much as The Only Good Indians, but I still liked it. Jade Daniels isn‘t Final Girl material, but she does love a good slasher. When murders start occurring in her small town, could she actually be living in one? Or is Jade somehow involved? I‘ll be reading the rest of this trilogy and anything else SGJ wants to throw my way. My July #BookSpin (How am I still so behind on writing these!?)

This volume collects the scripts from season one of the absurdly brilliant Welcome to Night Vale podcast plus behind-the-scenes introductions to each episode. This is my brand of weird and I feel no shame about that. Actually, I feel no shame or really any other emotion…I am suspended in a jar of jelly that isn‘t really jelly, just the consistency of what you know to be jelly. Send help. Or don‘t. It‘s whatever.

This was one of those short story collections that I sat with for a while before moving on. I didn‘t want this to end and that‘s the mark of a good short story. I had this on my GoodReads TBR for a while. I went in completely blind and I think that worked in my favor. Surreal fiction is, apparently, my jam.

The plot? Where? The Bishop‘s Bedroom? What about it? Did I miss something? Most likely. Do I want to go meandering with these two misogynistic weirdos again? I‘m good, thanks. I literally grabbed this at the library because of the cover and the blurb on the back and boy did that pay off in no way whatsoever.

I am really digging science-fiction and/or speculative fiction short story collections lately. They‘re just hitting it out of the park. As with most collections, some stuck more than others, but it‘s a solid outing. I looked forward to each story, getting enveloped in each reality, and I look forward to reading more of Chung‘s work.

There really isn‘t anything I could add, or really should add, about James Baldwin‘s work, except to say, “Read him.” I fell madly in love with his voice when I read Go Tell It On the Mountain. You must read him.