Book Review: Goosebumps – A Night in Terror Tower by R. L. Stine

A Night in Terror Tower by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book 27 in the original order. This book has a lot of good scares both imagined and real. The books plot goes to places now Goosebumps book has gone before. This is the first Goosebumps book set in England. The pacing for this book is good it draws you in right away. The twist is really clever, and the climax is is pretty nail biting for a Goosebumps book. Scary moments are a stream of sewer rats, being lost in a foreign country, some following you, grabbed by a skeleton, and thinking you fell on a dead body. Something that is totally 90’s when the kids are in trouble they don’t have money to use the pay phone, thanks cell phone technology, I remember being that kid. On of the tortures is to get smothered with pillows, is this an homage to the Montey Python sketch or just my hope about R.L. Stine. A Night in Terror Tower was made into a episode for the Goosebumps series that has some good horror elements and sticks really close to the book. This is one of the better Goosebumps books see where A Night in Terror Tower ranks against the 26 other titles I’ve read at the end of this review.

The Plot Summary: Eddie And Sue are the youngest people on a tour group, they arrive at their destination on there London tour, The Tower Terror. The Tower Terror war a real life debtor’s prison and torture chamber. They see neat stuff that gives them goosebumps. Then Sue notices a strange man in a cape is following them. They try to escape the man, which they do but end up getting lost from the tour group. The man with the cape finds them now all alone. To escape do the go down the dark creepy tunnel where they don’t know where it leads or do they go through the caped man.

What I Liked: So much happens in this story, I struggled to summarize it due to all it’s twists and turns that I did not want to spoil. The summary I wrote is maybe 25% of the book. The big twist was really clever even though i saw a part of it coming, Stine got me with the way he twisted it. The scares and creepiness worked really well. The horror of not knowing what was going on. The climax had me on my toes since the two escape attempts were thwarted. This story had so many twists I loved it.

What I Disliked: I felt this story could of had one more scare at the end, but that would of been the cherry on top of a delicious sundae. I could say Eddie and Sue weren’t developed enough but when you get the twist it makes sense.

Recommendation: Out of the 27 Goosebumps books that I have read so far this is my favorite, I did not see any book knocking Stay Out of the Basement, but it has. This book was so much fun and totally recommend you check this book out. It was scary and it goes to crazy places with the story. I rated A Night in Terror Tower 5 out of 5 stars. Here’s my full ranking of the 27 Goosebumps books that I have read in order to my favorite to least favorite: 1) A Night in Terror Tower, 2) Stay Out of the Basement, 3) Ghost Beach, 4) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, 5) The Haunted Mask, 6) One Day At Horrorland, 7) Night of the Living Dummy, 8) Welcome to Camp Nightmare, 9) The Phantom of the Auditorium, 10) The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, 11) Say Cheese and Die, 12) Let’s Get Invisible, 13) The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, 14) Welcome to Dead House, 15) Monster Blood II, 16) The Girl who Cried Monster, 17)Deep Trouble, 18) The Ghost Next Door, 19) My Hairiest Adventure, 20) Be Careful What You Wish For… , 21) Return of the Mummy, 22) Why I’m Afraid of Bees, 23)Attack of the Mutant, 24) Go Eat Worms!, 25) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, 26) Monster Blood, And 27) You Can’t Scare Me!

Book Review: Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind

Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind is book 6 in The Sword of Truth series. It is the continuous tale of Richard and Kahlan and how they fight oppression and tyranny in their world. This novel is an ode to Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand, We find out the villain that has been at war with them through 4 books was a Communist, and we see how the villain home town runs. I have mixed feelings about this narrative, the end worked really well but at some points it felt like agenda writing and took away from the story, and even inserting verbatim Ayn Rand quotes. When showing tyranny and how the system of works, it is good, but the hard left turn one of the best villain of the series does feels forced to get you to read about a communist society. The ending was super exciting with lots and twist and turns. The flow of this book was one of the best one of my biggest complaints in Goodkind is not switching perspectives enough but this book was the best so far and really kept the story going. The villain was really exciting at the beginning, then changed, but an interesting character that had been in the sidelines for the last 4 books. The battle scenes were really good I feel like they ties Stone of Tears book 2 for excitement. Goodkind keeps his streak of making Richard and Kahlan getting out of impossible situations he loves these characters but he also love torturing them. The gore goes up a notch in one betrayal scene with fire. Some of the character’s death’s hurt in this one, it felt to premature for what the character was becoming. Kahlan’s story was by far my favorite which is a switch because it is usually Richard’s.

The Plot of Wizard’s First Rule: Richard Cypher is a wood guide that that has recently lost his father to a brutal murder with no suspects. His father and him had a code where one would leave an item in a jar my the door, the item is a rare vine that should not grow in his land. Richard is on a mission to find the vine and it takes him on the outskirts of the boundary of Westland. While investigating he finds a beautiful woman, Kahlan being chased by four big men. Richard knowing the trails can get to the woman first. He gets to the woman first and ends up defending her and defeating the men. they become fast friends as the woman in mystified by Richard and the way he treats her, it is revealed she is from the other side of the boundary, the Midlands, the boundary is protected by miles of border wall of the underworld, and not used to the kindness from men. Richard takes her to an old healer/ cloud reader friend, Zedd. Quickly Richard finds out that his old friend is not what he seems but a powerful wizard, one of the last of his kind. Kahlan is very important to the cause and Richard is special and anointed the Seeker of Truth, which comes with a powerful weapon the Sword of Truth that is a powerful magical item that focuses emotion into the blade. Richard finds out the true nature of the world that there is a Threat in Darken Rahl that involves tearing down the boundaries and ruling the world. It is up to Kahlan, Zedd and Richard to stop him.

The Plot of Stone of Tears: The Plot: Two days after Richard defeated Darken Rahl. A creature from the underworld has escaped and it wants to mark Richard so he can open the underworld for the Keeper. Zedd deals with these creatures first and must find Richard and seek side in closing the veil to the underworld. Richard and Kahlan are returning a boy back to the mud people when a creature from the underworld comes for them. They defeat the creature but Richard gets migraines that make it feel like his head will explode they keep getting worse and worse. He meets 3 Sisters of Light that day they can help him but they must collar him and own him to teach him to control his new magic. He refuses and the sister creates suicide right then and there, saying that was chance one you will have two more chances to get help of you do note, you will die.

The Plot for Blood of the Fold: A funeral is held at the Palace of the Prophets for the Prelate and the Prophet. They were burned by Sisters of the Dark who have infiltrated the Sisters of the Light. Sister Verna who is the a good Sister of the Light and a friend to Richard Rahl the Seeker of Truth, is set up to be the new Prelate she doesn’t know if this is for real or a trick of the Sisters of the Dark, the prophesies foretold that the false Prelate will destroy the Palace of the Prophets. She believes this to be free when she unravels a conspiracy that makes the prophesy come to pass. Richard having just came from seeing Kahlan and confirming she is alive when the world thinks she is dead. Richard waits at the Mother Confesser’s temple and fights the Mriswith a deadly snake like creatures that he saw and killed in the old world but has never seen one in this world. The Mriswith have now started to plague the land, they are being lead by something Richard must find out. Richard has started to embrace the Rahl part of his name he believes that the only way to unite the Midlands is be the supreme ruler, with all of Midland under his rule. He tries for peace by strong arming The Blood the Fold leader, the very same man who thinks he murdered Kahlan, but the Mriswith help him as their ruler wants him to live, and has a purpose for him. The ruler is known as the Dreamwalker and quickly takes over the Sister of the Dark and the Blood of the Fold, he wants Richard defeated and the Palace of the Prophets to be his especially the slow aging spell attached to it. Richard and Verna must fight the Dreamwalker on to different fronts.

The Plot for Temple of the Winds: Richard and Kahlan are finally reunited and talking wedding. They get three very special visitors One is a man claiming to be Richard’s brother an illegitimate son of Richard’s father Darken Rahl. The second visitor is Nadine a girl from Richard’s village who was sent by the witch woman Shota to marry Richard. The final visitor is an assassin who’s job it is to kill Richard. Through interrogation of the assassin they find that he was not alone, and with a sister of the dark that work for the Dreamwalker. The Sister has started a plague which starts a prophesy for Richard if he does nothing millions will die, if he wants to fight Kahlan will betray him . and Ricard will be no more. When the first victim of the plague dies his spirt takes over his body and talks about the winds This leads them to find out of a spiritual place called the Temple of the Winds that could hold the key to the cure and stop the plague. The price to enter the Temple of the Winds might be too high?

The Plot for Soul of the Fire: Richard and Kahlan are finally married by the Mud People and has reunited with Zedd. The wedding bliss does not last long as Richard feels something not right…with a chicken. This isn’t the only thing two of the Mud People children has died by mysterious circumstances, and everyone with magic has started to lose it. Zedd ask Richard and Kahlan about the Chimes, the beings from the underworld that saved the world from the dark magical plague, the Chimes manifest in water, air, and fire . Zedd fraked out that Kahlan said them out loud, but in his research the Chimes can only stay in this world if called by the third wife, Kahlan is Richard’s second since he was married to Nadine in the last book and did not last. Zedd with prelate Ann knows that somehow the Chimes are here but he knows Ricard will be safe in the Wizards Keep, so he makes up a creature the Lurk and fakes an illness so Richard and Kahlan will race off to the Keep while Zedd can defeat it. On Richard’s way to the keep he runs into Du Chaillu a slave girl he was chained to and saved, she comes to Richard pregnant and calls him her husband, with her rules they are married. The Chimes are in this world.

The Plot Summary of Faith of the Fallen: After the aftermath of the last book with Kahlan getting brutally injured and can not use magic to heal her, Richard takes her to his old town when he was Richard Cypher a woods guide and not the Seeker of Truth. When he arrives the town doesn’t want him, that lies of The Order have spread and he is ruining their better life. Richard who just came from a town that rejected him for The Order has but him in an odd place where he doesn’t want to fight anymore or yet, because people don’t know what freedom is. Nicci a Sister of the Dark and one of Dreamwalker’s ,the leader of The Order, disciples, is on the fringe since for some reason the dreamwalker can’t always enter her mind. She defies him killing a leader in his army as an example. Nicci is called on by the Dreamwalker while she investigates how Ann a Sister of the Light and her old Prelate have escaped and the Dreamwalker can’t enter their minds. She finds out it is Richard is the key, when the dreamwalker can’t enter her mind she was thinking of Richard. She finds Richard and place a spell on Kahlan that if any harm comes to her it comes to Kahlan as well. She convinces Richard to come with her to live in the heart of The Order to convince him of it’s gifts she goes back to where she grew up. Kahlan and Cara take their anger out on the army of the Order who’s invading the Midlands.

What I Liked: The flow of this book is what I have been asking for and it was a lot better read. The climax to this book was so exciting five charters all meet up with their own agenda and things get messy but it was so fun to read and I felt it was a satisfying ending with what the characters went through. Nicci was a great villain she was super scary at the beginning I wanted more of that but I like where her character was at the end of this book and hope to see more of her. The battle scenes were great it reminded me of the best battle scenes from the Stone of Tears, and they brought back the snowy battles. Speaking of Snowy battles I love how Kahlan used the elements against the army that is not used to it. I loved the new side characters that were introduced, I don’t feel like I will se them in the next book but I liked their arch’s.

What I Disliked: Agenda writing, is something unavoidable but don’t make it obvious and don’t take a way from the story, and I felt this book was guilty on both counts. I don’t care about political backgrounds or any of that stuff as long as the story is there. I think this book went over the line and hurt the story a little. I still loved the resolution to the story and I found the society interesting, but I felt at times lectured than a part of the story. I did feel this book over described nature when Richard was in his home, I felt like I was reading Walden for a second. The beginning was a little slow.

Recommendation: despite this books hiccups it was a good entry into the series, just be warned of the agenda writing. I know I’m a rare person that can read anything if there’s a story there, and I know a lot that can’t. Saying that if your a fan of Atlas Shrugged you will get a treat, I have not read it but seen the movies, and then looked up Ayn Rand and saw direct quotes in this book. I rated Faith of the Fallen 4 out of 5 stars. I ranked the 6 Sword of Truth books that I have read from best to worst 1) Stone of Tears, 2) Temple of the Winds, 3) Faith of the Fallen, 4) Blood of the Fold, 5) Wizard’s First Rule, and 6) Soul of Fire.

Book Review: Black Ice by Michael Connelly

Black Ice by Michael Connelly is a dark mystery taking place in Los Angeles and will travel down to Mexico to solve. Black Ice is book two in the original Harry Bosch series and book two in the expanded Harry Bosch Universe. This mystery is pretty compelling and full of twists and turns. The final twist is really memorable, I read this book 15 years ago and still remembered elements of the final twist. I liked this book quite a bit more than the first book. This book dipped more into police corruption, dirty cops, and the breaking of the laws for the means to an end that Bosch expanded on from the first book. Bosch as a character is so compelling, and is a joy to read his exploits. The pace is for this book was good at first then hit a lull when he arrives in Mexico, it picks back up to give a worthwhile end. The mystery was good but it did go into head scratching territory in Mexico for a bit everything was explained at the end but it took a while. Irving takes a much bigger role and his and Bosch’s back and forth against the politics of policing make this book good and a reason I find Bosch the show so compelling. There’s also a reference to the the father of the Lincoln Lawyer, who Bosch will eventually connect with and work with the Lincoln Lawyer in later books.

The Plot Summary: It’s Christmas and Harry Bosch is on call, he has no one and listen to Jazz and the police scanner. He hears a call of murder over the scanner but does not get the call. Bosch knows there’s something to this and finds out that the top brass is taking the case since it was a fellow cop. Bosch knew the cop Calexico, he was helping him out with a case involving a new drug called Ice, Bosch learned from the cop the drug originated in Hawii and now Mexico is making a product called Black Ice, and it’s causing a turf war, the last Bosch talked to the cop he was looking into it, now he is found dead by shotgun. Everyone is thinking suicide but Bosch he isn’t on the case but needs to find a way to get involved. His watch commander loads Bosch with cases of a cop on leave so he won’t get involved with the Calexico’s suicide investigation, but it fails when he gets a case of a Mexican day laborer that’s body was discovered by Calexico just days prior to his suicide.

What I Liked: Harry Bosch the character is great, he plays by his own sense of justice, and doesn’t care about politics. Its fun to see how his mind works and he detects. I love the little connections to the Harry Bosch universe and the revelation about his possible father. The mystery was good with lots of twist and turns, and I loved that we have all the knowledge that the character has to solve the mystery. I love the descriptions of scenery, especially LA. The climax was really good with a good memorable twist.

What I Disliked: The slow down of when Bosch gets to Mexico was too slow. I found the gunfight descriptions really hard to follow and picture. I liked the battle with the bull, but it was hard to imagine.

Recommendation: I love this series and it was a better entry than the first one. Black Ice is fun, dark, and great mystery that dips into the noir. I rated Black Ice by Michael Connelly 4 out of five stars.

Book Review: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid is a great novel about family, relationship, and history. I don’t know if I would call this book historical fiction even though most of it takes place in the 1980’s no major historical events happen but you can feel the decade in the narrative. Taylor Jenkins Reid’s gift is getting to care about characters so fast, I don’y know how she does it but I’m drawn in almost instantly, and the same thing happen with Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. The theme of directions and history repeating it self was layered through out, there was a subtitle passage about one character not turning a blinker and it is because at that moment his life has no direction. This novel is an emotional ride, there’s so many highs and lows like a surfer’s wave. The narrative bounces between the past and the present, we see the patterns and the life repeating itself in the past then in the present. when we get to the big party scene the narrative doesn’t just focus on the family but does vignettes of many party guest. I do feel it dipped into too many lives at the party which is my only real complaint about the book. For a non-mystery there are so many twists and secrets you find out about this family that are written so well, and as I’ve already stated I cared about these characters and some of the twists and secrets hit you hard. The Climax was really well and focused on the right story, it didn’t wrap up every thing in a bow but you were left with a feeling the character would be okay. The focus of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s next book is a minor character in this that was the least sympathetic Carrie Soto the tennis pro and the other woman to one character. I know this character will have layers in Reid’s hand so call me a little intrigued, I did put in for the advanced reader’s copy on Netgalley but Reid’s books are in high demand. This book did win the Goodreads choice for best historical fiction of 2021.

The Plot Summary: In the Summer of 1983 Malibu, California the Riva siblings are throwing a massive annual invite only party. This party will be there last together. The siblings Nina (surf supermodel), Jay (professional surfer), Hud (professional photographer for taking picture of Jay), and Kit (soon to be surfer) are the children of a famous 1950’s singer Mick Riva (think Frank Sinatra level). A series of flashbacks will show the interesting relationship of the sibling’s mother and father which look similar to the way their life is heading, if they make the same choices. This party will be one for the ages and might change lives.

What I Liked: The story is such an emotional roller coaster that you the reader feel every up and down. The characters are so great you feel like one of the family while reading it. The secrets and twist really drive the narrative I gasped once because I was so invested. The setting is really neat, I used to live in Santa Monica which is the next town over from there and they did a fantastic job of describing it. I like the tiny 80’s pop culture references, I will say there was no surfer talk which I was okay with it still felt very early 80’s. I liked the way it was told and the rapid pace of the story. I liked that everything was left unfinished but you came away from the novel going these characters will be alright.

What I Disliked: When the book gets to the party it starts telling little vignettes of about some of the people in attendance, I liked half of them but some were easily unforgettable, and were not needed at all. There might be 10 and I feel 5 might have been better as it distracted from the main story line I was really enjoying.

Recommendation: Malibu Rising is a great book that will give you all the feels. I recommend you check this book out. Malibu Rising joins Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo as can’t put down, fun, and emotional roller coasters of books. I rated Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid 5 out of 5 stars. The order out of the three Taylor Jenkins Reid books that I have read from favorite to least favorite (I have rated them all 5 stars) The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones and the Six, and then Malibu Raising.

TBR: May 2022

May 2022 TBR list: last month I read all 6 books on my TBR list and added 1, I’m going to shoot for seven this month.  I have two advanced reader copy book from netgalley this month and one over due book.  I have my wedding this month I don’t know if that will hurt or harm my reading.  I’m taking two weeks off and should read when I get a chance.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid: The last 2 books I’ve read from her were Daisy Jones and the Six and the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo which were both 5 star ratings from me.  Taylor Jenkins Reid has the ability to quickly hook me with her characters where I instantly get caught in the drama.  I’m hoping the third time is a charm. This story is about a family of famous surfers who throw a party that will change their lives.

Hide by Kiersten White is a hoor about an ultimate game of hide and seek if you’re found, your dead, but if you can hide you when enough money to be set for life.  The reviews have been fairly positive so far.  Thanks to Netgalley and Del Rey Books for the advanced reader copy it is published on May 24 2022.

The Island by Adrian McKinty is a thriller where a widowed doctor marries a woman and books a wilderness tour to bring the family together, but they end up getting off course and have to fight for their lives together.  This has already been picked up and will be a Hulu Series soon. Thanks Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the Advanced Readers copy it is published May 17 2022.

Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind is book 6 in the Sword of Truth series.  This is a high Fantasy book series with a good amount of sex and gore, with alove story at the heart of it. I’ve been having a lot of fun reading this series, that last book was the worst of the series I hope this one is a lot better.

Black Ice by Michael Connelly is book 2 in the Harry Bosch series.  I read this about 15 years ago and didn’t review just rated it. Two month ago I read the first book again it has been a fun series to read again, on of my favorite mystery series. I love the Amazon Prime show Bosch that is based on the books.

The High Republic: Mission to Disaster by Justina Ireland is the a star wars middle grade series set 200 years before a new hope.  I read about 8 books in the High Republic series and only rated 2 books five stars; one was in this middle grade series by the author Justina Ireland.  I’m hoping this book is really good.  Thanks to Negalley and Disney to let me read this book it was published on March 1 2022.

A Night in Terror Tower by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book 27 in original series order.  This is the first book set in England.  The story is a brother and sister gets lost on a tour of an old prison tower after hour with an executioner who wants them dead.

Wrap Up: April 2022 Book Reviews

Dear Readers, April was a great month for reading I read 7 books this month. I read all the books on my TBR and one extra.  My ratings for this month were really mixed I had 3 books that were five star and 4 that were three star. This month I did read my favorite novel I have read so far this year. In the over three years of running this book blog I have never had such a mix with no four star reviews. I read 2 science fiction, and 2 horror this month 2 young adult, I read 1 books in an existing series and 3 first books in a proposed series, 1 advance reader copy (thanks to Netgalley).  I did post one non-book blog post, which was very personal to me, selling my first short story Séance for Dummies to the online magazine Theme of Absence.

Five Star Reviews:

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir puts the “science” in science fiction. This book was fantastic easily my favorite book that I have read so far this year It services as both a compelling story and a lesson in science that is fascinating and not boring. This book is filled with twists and discovery. The story is told from the perspective of Grace Ryland a man with no memory waking in space, we get his back story as his brain slowly starts to remember. The narrative really works and leads to a lot of discovery about science and his character. There’s no love interest and I give props because there could have been one but it is a character that had devoted his life to science and in the end that’s what he does. My lack of science could fill a library full of book shelves, but I came away learning a lot about measurements and the scientific method. This book had a surprising amont of humor that were layered throughout the novel. For a novel about one character this story is very compelling.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles is historical fiction taking place in the 1950. This is a wonderful story about life and the many ways it can change either by standing up to change or being caught in the wave of it.The theme of the book is redemption, all the characters are trying to redeem themselves of either something they did or their family did. What I love is that all don’t succeed or have a very messed up view about redemption. I though this book was going to be a road book, where the characters get thrown off course to the California destination but eventually make it, but the opposite happens where the character by happenstance go backwards away form California. The narrative is the thing that really sticks out to me and what the writer Amor Towles is known for. The Narrative is told using 8-9 character perspectives, every character is unique and interesting, they do not just provide the narrative but a flashback to their own story and the redemption they seek. Other reviews have said that this story was slow but I was pretty hooked from the beginning and I felt a connection to the character immediately and wanted to know more about them.

Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen is an original take on Harley Quinn’s origin, a rocking feminist revenge plot and a mystery all rolled up into one. Was not expecting to like this book as much as I did, but was pleasantly surprised. Harley Quinn: Reckoning is part of the DC Icons series which tells origin stories for the young adult audience before the hero or villain has became a super hero or super villain. Harley Quinn is one of my favorite characters and represented pretty well here it was a little shaky at the beginning but at the end I fell she was nailed. The narrative starts with a flash forward then goes back 8 months and catches up to flash forward a little bit after the halfway point. A big part of this book was the mystery, and I was really compelled to find out who done it. There’s a couple of really clever plot twist and there is some twist that lead to the mystery that is Harley Quinn. The book really dives in to the bisexual aspect of Harley.  I read this book early thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s. Harley Quinn: Reckoning is published on April 26 2022.

Three Star Reviews:

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes is a horror novel that takes place in a science fiction setting. This novel reminded me very heavily of the Science Fiction film starring Lawerence Fishburn and Sam Neil called Event Horizon. They both have space ghosts, a character Just wanting to see love one that are separated, and eye gouging. This novel had all that I could want but it took me a really long time to connect with these characters. I started really enjoying myself 50% in. The pace drastically picks up and the novel gets good. There’s a couple of good twists that I did not see coming. The climax is the saving grace of this book it is full of gore, action, and some good twists. The highlight of this book is the madness and the horror that comes with it, it made me look around my dark room once or twice and felt my chest pounding. This is a rare three star that I did recommend based on the ending.

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow is feminist retelling of Sleeping Beauty. A Spindle Splintered is a novella and the 1st book in a series called Fractured Fables. This story is not you typical retelling, this book starts off in the real world and calls out how creepy the Disney version is and how the story hurts women, then the main character goes into the fairy tale, which reminded me of Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, where some of the events in the story happened but are changed. The story is brutal in it’s knocking of the damsel in distress. The story cleverly ties the story of sleeping beauty to real word event, and telling the heartbreaking truth of where the fairy tale originated from. The story is fast paced for a book that is 128 pages. The story is clever at times but goes a bit bonkers at certain points. The ending was okay, I wanted better.

My Hairiest Adventure by R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 26 in the original series. This book is an obvious reference to puberty and growing hair in strange places which Stine has a lot of fun with. I think the premise of my group of friends suddenly disappearing and leaving with no trace, then resembling something hairy is terrifying but the way the book is set up it doesn’t impact us the way that it should. This book was made into an episode for the Goosebumps TV show that was terrifying, but the book didn’t do the greatest job. The nightmare where hair consumes the main character and starts eating his own hair was the only scary part of the book. The story starts fast and is pretty focused on the hair growing out of control plot

Life Flight by Lynette Eason is a thriller with a hint of romance. This is the first book of a new series called Extreme Measures focusing on a different character in a connected universe, I guess like Bridgerton. Life Flight focus on two characters Penny, a helicopter rescue pilot and Holt a FBI agent with the narrative bouncing back and forth. Penny is the stand out character where I really enjoyed her scenes and the way she thinks. Holt had a couple of nice scenes but Penny steals the show. The plot of this story is pretty crazy, it reminded me of early James Patterson. The story was really easy to read and had a really good pace. There was a bad side plot that involved Holt’s sister which felt like it belonged in another book all together. I had fun with the plot even though it was such a stretch at times. The dialogue was really bad in some places that took be out of the story.

Séance for Dummies: First Published Short Story

Hey all, I wrote a short story and the Theme of Absence website liked it so much that they published the story and paid me for my work. You know me on reading with my eyes wordpress as a huge book blogger that reads and reviews over 80 books a year. Now I want you to know me as one of the artists that I review. I’m still a book blogger and that will never change. I simply had an idea for a short story that would not leave me, I wrote it and luckily got accepted on my second submission.

Séance for Dummies is a PG13 story that has a supernatural element. The genre that it most fits is humor. It is 1458 word story, a little longer than a flash short story. It’s a fun little story that I had to tell.

This is all new to me being on the writer side of a review. Any feedback will help me dearly.

This will not be a regular thing and, if it is I will make my bookblog and writing separate.

Thank you,

Séance for Dummies by T. R. Hixson

Book Review: Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes is a horror novel that takes place in a science fiction setting. This novel reminded me very heavily of the science fiction film starring Lawerence Fishburn and Sam Neil called Event Horizon. They both have space ghost, a character Just wanting to see love one that are separated, and eye gouging. This novel had all that I could want but it took me a really long time to connect with these characters. I started really enjoying myself 50% in. The pace drastically picks up and the novel gets good. There’s a couple of good twist that I did not see coming. The Climax is a long that is full of action and some twist. The beginning really made me work it, I don’t think it was ever in the do not finish category, but it was so hard to connect to any of the side characters, and Claire the main character took a while to connect as well. The highlight of this book is the madness and the horror that comes with it, it made me look around my dark room once or twice and felt my chest pounding.

The Plot Summary: Claire hears and sees ghost based on a tragedy that killed both her parents when she was younger. She knows she a risk and isolates her self on the farthest outpost that is monitored in space. She’s been alone for a while but now her job of monitoring is getting replaced with bots. She and her crew of five start heading back on their last day and hear a distress call. The agree to go off course to find it. What they find is the find of the century a luxury starship the Aurora. The Ship has been missing for over 20 years, the crew debates about calling it in but since they’re all jobless after this why not take from it themselves before over scavengers can. When they see the ship they were prepared to see dead bodies but they see bodies not dead to exposer but dead to being brutally murdered. They scavenge but get the idea to use their ships navigation to bring it in so they will get everything, but that means they will have to stay on the ship with all the dead bodies. Everything goes fine until the crew starts to see things that aren’t their and commit self harm. Is the treasure worth it if they don’t have their sanity and life?

What I Liked: The climax is spectacular and the saving grace to this novel it was written very well. I liked the twist with the ship and what was going on. I loved the horror aspect to the book, there’s some scary gory imagery that will haunt you. In the end I ended up liking the romance angle, I didn’t buy it at first but in the end it sold me. I liked the aspect of a person who see’s ghost everyday talking and teaching others about how to deal with seeing ghost. I like how the bad guy was portrayed.

What I Disliked: The beginning of this book is so disjointed and took me so long to get into this book. The characters I only liked to characters and just barely I wanted more backstory, ad the book does a horrible job at making them different personalities at the being. The book also does a lot of telling but not showing at the beginning. It reminded be too much of Event Horizon I would start thinking of scenes from that movie when I was reading this book at some scenes that were close.

Recommendation: If you’ve never watched the movie Event Horizon you will like this book more. Please watch that movie after it s good and you will see similarities. I will barely recommend Dead Silence the ending is a killer if you can get to it. The first 50% was hard but the last leads to it being unputdownable. I wanted to like this book more than I did. I rated Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes 3 out of 5 stars. The ending almost boosted it to 4 stars it was close.

Book Review: Goosebumps – My Hairiest Adventure by R.L. Stine

My Hairiest Adventure by R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 26 in the original series. This book is an obvious reference to puberty and growing hair in strange places which Stine has a lot of fun with. I think the premise of my group of friends suddenly disappearing and leaving with no trace, then resembling something hairy is terrifying but the way the book is set up it doesn’t impact us the way that it should. This book was made into an episode for the Goosebumps TV show that was terrifying, but the book didn’t do the greatest job. The nightmare where hair consumes the main character and starts eating his own hair was the only scary part of the book. The story starts fast and is pretty focused on the hair growing out of control plot. This book is not filled with as many pranks as the usual Goosebumps. The plot is pretty ridiculous, but the twist even though the reader will know where it is going is still a good one.

The Plot Summary: Larry who has shagged hair is already has the unfortunate nickname of Hairy Larry. Larry is chased by a wild dog pack which has been increasing around the neighborhood, he and a friend end up scaring them off and ends up finding an old expired instant tan in the garbage that he and all of his bandmates try. Later that day he grows hair all over his hand, is is ugly black thick hair and Larry is a blonde. He freaks out and is embarrassed and shaves it all off. He brings it up at the next band meeting and they brush it off and say the nickname Hairy Larry until he drops it. One of his band members doesn’t show up and the group goes looking for him to find the find his house completely empty and no sign anyone ever lived there. The hair now starts growing all over as his friends keep disappearing, what is going on?

What I Liked: The plot idea and the twists are really great I think a lot more could have been done with it. Some of the characters are annoying but I believed their friendship. There was some funny bits about hair growing in the wrong places. I liked the writing in the nightmare, the scenes were vivid in there descriptions. I liked the relationship with the cat through out the story which makes a lot more sense with the twist.

What I Disliked: The Battle of the Bands was wasted it could have been a lot more. I think the reveal of the members was too soon and would have been way better towards the end and kept the mystery.

Recommendation: This story falls in the just okay category, it had so much potential but didn’t live up to it in my opinion. I think this would be an interesting story for someone starting puberty, just a warning for stuffs about to get weird but not as weird as this story so it’s okay. I rated My Hairiest Adventure by R. L. Stine 3 out of 5 stars. Here’s my full ranking of the 26 Goosebumps books that I have read in order to my favorite to least favorite: 1) Stay Out of the Basement, 2) Ghost Beach, 3) Piano Lessons Can Be Murder, 4) The Haunted Mask, 5) One Day At Horrorland, 6) Night of the Living Dummy, 7) Welcome to Camp Nightmare, 8) The Phantom of the Auditorium, 9) The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, 10) Say Cheese and Die, 11) Let’s Get Invisible, 12) The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight, 13) Welcome to Dead House, 14) Monster Blood II, 15) The Girl who Cried Monster, 16)Deep Trouble, 17) The Ghost Next Door, 18) My Hairiest Adventure, 19) Be Careful What You Wish For… , 20) Return of the Mummy, 21) Why I’m Afraid of Bees, 22)Attack of the Mutant, 23) Go Eat Worms!, 24) The Werewolf of Fever Swamp, 25) Monster Blood, And 26) You Can’t Scare Me!

Book Review: Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen

Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen is an original take on Harley Quinn’s origin, a rocking feminist revenge plot and a mystery all rolled up into one. Harley Quinn: Reckoning is part of the DC Icons series which tells origin stories for the young adult audience before the hero or villain has became a super hero or super villain. So far the DD Icons series has covered, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Black Canary, and now Harley Quinn. I have only read Batman: Nightcrawler before and I had some mixed feelings I like Harley Quinn: Reckoning a lot better. Harley Quinn is one of my favorite characters and represented pretty well here it was a little shaky at the beginning but at the end I fell she was nailed. The narrative starts with a flash forward then goes back 8 months and catches up to flash forward a little bit after the halfway point. I think it was a good idea to start with the flash forward because the book sets up a lot to get you there then become unputdownable when you get there. This book was paced pretty well. A big part of this book was the mystery, and I was really compelled to find out who done it. There’s a couple of really clever plot twist and there is some twist that lead to the mystery that is Harley Quinn. The book really dives in to the bisexual aspect of Harley and is very LGTBQIA+. I do have small trigger warnings for domestic abuse and unwanted sexual advances. I read this book early thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s. Harley Quinn: Reckoning is published on April 26 2022.

The Plot Summary: Harleen Quinzel is a high school student taking part in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) internship where she gets to work at Gotham University. She discovers a lot of sexism and wants to get even. She finds kinship in other girls and forms a vigilante group called the Reckoning. They take revenge and have fun doing it but they stumble on to something more sinister than sexism when a member ends up in a coma, and the other members are hunted. Harleen goes from victim to aggressor as she takes steps to becoming Harley Quinn.

What I Liked: The twist in the plot and the ones that are about Harley Quinn are really clever and the final one is really great. I liked all the references that were worked in about the hyenas, Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy), the stuffed beaver (that one I was shocked but I loved it), the references to the Joker, and the work in of Harley’s catch phrases. I liked the plot to the story. I like that the author explains in the acknowledgements that these incidents of sexual harassment are from real life interactions. I how the iteration with the Harley and her abusive father was portrayed and the end result of their relationship.

What I Disliked: the added pop culture references, about Tiktok and celebrities in the real world, I rolled my eyes a couple of times. I counted one male character that was decent and not a total pig it would have been nice if their was at least one more. I could not stand the character of Kylie.

Recommendation: If you are a fan of the character of Harley Quinn then this book is a must. Having been a fan of Harley’s I’ve read a lot a not always the best this is one of the better stories about her. This and Harleen by Stjepan Šejić are my favorites which both happen to be origin stories. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I rated Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen 5 out of 5 stars. This book was right on the nose of 4.5 but the cleverness of it put me over the edge. This book is proposed as a trilogy and I’m so there for the next book in the evolution of Harley Quinn.