Katrina
"We are all stardust and stories."
--Erin Morgenstern, The Starless Sea
A dark and haunting novel set in 1666 with creepy artwork by the author. A fantastical story of feminine revenge, witchcraft, and good versus evil.
I cannot contain the excitement and passion that pours out of me when talking about Hollow Kingdom, and now Feral Creatures. I have pushed it on all of my friends and have received only positive feedback. This book is superb- a second read proves it may be my favorite book ever. And the follow up, Feral Creatures, is simply perfect as well. Spectacularly written, funny, devastating, brutal, and unforgettable. I am absolutely obsessed with Kira Jane Buxton's books. S.T. is my very favorite and I will love him forever.
I absolutely adored this novel. It was thrilling, funny, and full of emotion. It made me laugh, gasp, cry, and then laugh some more- all out loud, no matter where I was reading. Besides a page-turning plot, the writing was phenomenal and the characters really struck a chord with me, despite (or maybe because of) almost all of them being animals. When all the humans in the world start succumbing to a disease that turns them into zombie-like creatures, S.T. the crow(who thinks he should have been born human) and his faithful Bloodhound must go on a quest to free the pets of the world from the confines of the houses they are locked in. S.T. is such a plucky, genuine narrator and unlike any I've read before- I loved him so much. From page 1 this book drew me in and I couldn't stop reading it or thinking about it. I want to sit down and read it all over again. (After a second read, it still holds up!)
This is a spooky story set in Sleepy Hollow, over 30 years after the events in the original story. I loved this twisty, eerie take on the original!
Chuck Palahniuk has done it again. In one of his best novels in recent years, The Invention of Sound invites us to a dark side of Hollywood that not many are familiar with. Mitzi Ives is the best Foley artist around- the screams she records for movie soundtracks are bone chilling and almost too realistic. Gates Foster has been searching for his missing daughter Lucy for years. He's dove down into the depths of the dark web to find predators, like the ones who may have taken Lucy. When Mitzi and Gates' paths cross and we learn their secrets, there is no turning back. I read this novel in one day, mesmerized and trusting in the hands of this master writer. Transgressive, gruesome, and satirical- all in typical Palahniuk fashion- The Invention of Sound leaves us thinking about art, violence, and what really goes on in the dark behind the scenes.
This intense, fascinating graphic novel tells the life story of Ed Gein- from growing up under the thumb of his domineering, extremely religious mother to his breakdown after her death that led to the disturbing activity that mad him infamous. Clearly well researched.
Lemony Snicket's unique wit and voice shines through in a short philosophical story about a writer (Snicket himself) who discovers a peculiar and ominous note after eating breakfast that says he has been poisoned. He then decides to retrace his step to where he procured his breakfast in order to find out who has poisoned him. A meditation on many things; including books, libraries, authors, eggs, poison, and breakfast. I highly enjoyed this read!
This novel was a thought provoking and satirical fable that imagines what would happen if animals were in charge of the fate of humans. After a plague and man-made Calamity reduce the human population to a small number, the titular Council of Animals is voting to decide whether to help the humans or eat them. A baboon, bear, dog, and cat are the main members of this council and they have to make a decision soon. I enjoyed the humor and the interesting reversal of humans versus animals.
The Gardens are a fantastical place: time doesn't pass for the lords and ladies and every day is the same full of feasts, violent games, and brutal consequences for child servants who grow up. Thistle, a servant, and Dora, a one of a kind outcast, are each others' only comfort. When they escape the Gardens, they are thrust into the crossroads of the multiverse and are taken in by the Memory Theater, a troupe that shows us how important sharing memories are to our personal stories. This dark and dreamy fairy tale is Tidbeck's best work yet- I absolutely devoured it and am longing for more.
Let your morbid curiosity get the better of you and enter the dark and strange world of Anthropodermic Bibliopegy- or the craft of binding books in human skin. Filled with the history of medicine, book binding, collecting, consent, and other fascinating tidbits of the strange and dark. Perfect for fans of Caitlin Doughty or Mary Roach.
Oh man. This is so, so much more than a zombie story. It's a story of a married couple coming to term's with a terminal illness one of them is suffering from. It is a story of a married couple, how they survive together, and then what happens after. It's beautiful and full of emotion, love, and devastation. My heart aches for Lyle and Jude.