Wow, halfway through the year! I did a quick review of the 2023 reading goals I set for myself. I am a bit behind on my Goodreads challenge (eight books! Normally I would be ahead of the game by now). Even though I’m behind, I’ve noticed my selections, on average, have been rated higher than the past few years. I must be getting pickier in my “old” age.
June 30 not only marked the year’s half-way mark, but was also “Stuff Your Kindle” day on Amazon, and I made sure to take full advantage of all the freebies that were offered. Thank goodness I had cleared up some storage not too long ago as I picked up over twenty new titles, mainly mysteries, horror, and a couple of cozies. Now to find the time for them all!
—What I’ve Been Reading—
The Ghost of Stormer Hill by Craig Wallwork — 4.5/5 out of 5 stars
(JB 3) The amazing finale to the Tom Nolan trilogy. Detective Nolan has gone through a lot of shit to get to this point, and things aren’t about to get any easier. This series has kept me on the edge of my seat, and while the ending wasn’t what I hoped for, I can’t think of a more appropriate finale. If you’re a fan of fast-paced thrillers (fair warning: a lot of violence and triggers!), be sure to check this trilogy out.
The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel — 3.5 out of 5 stars
(JB4) Alternating between past and present, we learn the story of Lane and her truly messed-up family. This is basically a watered-down version of a VC Andrews novel, complete with the whole incest/inbreeding, “innocence lost” plot line. The mystery behind the disappearance of Lane’s cousin is pretty good and kept me guessing up to the end.
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby — 3.5 out of 5 stars
(JB 5) Sometimes I do take a break from all the dark and gloomy stuff I tend to read, and this has been sitting on my TBR shelf for some time, calling my name. I wasn’t very familiar with the story, just a bit from snippets I’ve seen from the movie, so I didn’t know what to expect. I don’t know if reading a story about a guy who doesn’t seem to want to grow up and who can’t get over certain relationships was really the distraction I was looking for, but it was entertaining and not a bad way to spend a couple of lazy afternoons.
The Boatman’s Daughter by Andy Davidson — 3.5 out of 5 stars
(JB 6) I had a hard time deciding how to rate this one. It’s the story of Miranda, a young woman caught up in the local crime ring, a bayou witch, a strange little boy Miranda rescued many years earlier, and a sinister preacher. The writing is lush (yes, I’m actually using that word, it’s truly appropriate here) and the overall storyline is quite good. Surprisingly, where I had a problem, was when the mystery/thriller elements collided with the supernatural. Events would be unfolding and tensions running high when suddenly some otherworldly creature or happening would pop up. It just felt a bit off for me. Of course, this could have been my reading mood just not being at the right place for this particular story. Even though it was a bit off for me, I would still give this a solid recommendation.
Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub — 2.5/3 out of 5 stars
Only took me 8++ months to slog through this one!! I never thought I would rate a Stephen King novel so low, but here we are. I’m used to the verbose writing styles of both authors, but…good lord! I will say the last hundred pages were (somewhat) worth the wait and I found myself flying through them.
—Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies
Shooting Star by Joe Lansdale — 3 out of 5 stars
(JB 7) Joe Lansdale has made his literary mark with the Hap and Leonard series as well as his highly acclaimed titles like The Bottoms, The Thicket, and Edge of Dark Water. I don’t think this title will make the list of being one of his best, but it was a fun little novella, reminding me of a cheesy 1950’s sci fi movie mixed with some classic Twilight Zone. Not a high recommendation, but a quick little read if you need an alien invasion story fix.
Stay safe, and Happy Reading!