October 2024
- Katie Peterson
- Oct 5, 2024
- 7 min read
Something old, something new, something steamy, something true-ish
October was the month of the paranormal:
Devils, witches, curses galore.
Haunted houses, blood oaths, and oh-so-much gore.
Ghosts, phantoms, dead or alive?
Enter at your own risk: who will survive?
(Hint: If you click on the image of a book below, it will take you directly to the section about that book!)
Something old: Weyward by Emelia Hart
Something new: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix
Something steamy: Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
Something true-ish: Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian
Book club pick: Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah
The Ratings:
Like plain, black coffee. Strong dislike.
A little cream, a little sugar. Not bad. Not great.
Add some flavor or syrup, it's getting good.
I liked this a latte!
Love! Refill please!
The Steam:
No peppers: Love/romance not a major part of this story
One pepper: Mild! Some love scenes; nothing risque on the page; fade to black
Two peppers: Moderate! Slightly descriptive romantic scenes may occur on page; some implied innuendos
Three peppers: Hot! Blushing while reading may occur; lots of spice
Weyward
Emelia Hart
A multi-generational tale, spanning from the 1600's to modern day. Three Weyward women. All vastly different in upbringing and opportunities...and yet all similarly having to learn how to move forward while being pushed backwards by the cruelties of men.
Altha is a young woman living in the age of witch hunts and accusations of devilish possession. Raised by her mother to use their knowledge of the natural world to heal, she is misunderstood, and feared, by most in her village. When a well-known member of society is tragically killed, all eyes bore towards Altha and her history with his family. Will the evidence that is given against her lead her straight to the gallows?
Violet is a free-spirited woman who can speak with nature. As long as she can remember insects seem to understand her better than any humans she's met. Forbidden by her father to leave the confines of their estate, her only refuge is spending time with her beloved bees and birds. A violent attack forces Violet to seek asylum in an old, abandoned cottage on the property. Whilst there, she discovers letters and artifacts explaining her mother's legacy...a legacy that some will do anything to try and erase.
Kate is a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. While every movement is tracked, Kate is suddenly and surprisingly given a way out. Recently bequeathed an old cottage by her great-aunt, Kate finds herself, for the first-time in years, free to move about independently. During this respite, her explorations lead her to discover the connections between her and the women in her lineage.
The Weyward women each find an unexpected ally in their journey...a journey that shows them that the real magic is their belief in themselves.
My rating:
How to Sell a Haunted House
Grady Hendrix
This book was Creepy (with a capital C)! If inanimate objects coming alive and haunting people (think: horrifying dolls, freaky puppets, and evil imaginary friends) freak you out...beware!
Estranged siblings Mark and Louise are thrust back into each others lives by the tragic and unexpected death of their parents. Although they agree on very little, both can see the importance of getting their parents' house sold quickly. However, their plan hits a snag when after the initial walk-through, the realtor refuses to list it on the grounds that it's haunted. Neither sibling wants to admit that the house they grew up in is haunted...surely the weird noises, moved objects, and missing items can be accounted for with a more logical reason.
Except. Why were their parents in such a hurry to leave the night they died? And why do they keep finding their mother's dolls and puppets in places they shouldn't be? When Louise dreams she's been attacked...why does she wake up with real scratches and injuries? To unravel the mysterious happenings, Louise and Mark have to go back to the very beginning. Reexamining their childhood experiences brings new spine-chilling information to light. Were all the bad things that happened in their home growing up actually caused by one of the items haunting them right now? To get to the bottom of the eerie encounters, they have to finally learn to trust each other and work together....and neither will leave the experience unscathed. They both quickly learn that when diving into your past, be careful what you dig up...because it just may come back to haunt you!
My rating:
Good to know before reading: Can get gory (think: dismemberment and items being jabbed into eye sockets).
Phantasma
Kaylie Smith
When Ophelia and Genevieve Grimm discover their mother's lifeless body, they have a choice to make: complete the spell necessary for the family magic to transfer to Ophelia, or let the magic be buried forever along with their mom. As the eldest daughter, Ophelia had already consigned herself to the fate of carrying on the family legacy of helping the paranormal within their home, Grimm Manor. However, upon her death, the sisters realize that their mother had been keeping secrets from them...leaving them at risk of losing their home unless they can come up with the finances to keep it.
Unbeknownst to Ophelia, Genevieve decides to enter Phantasma in a desperate attempt to save their house. Phantasma is a competition run by Devils, in which each of the nine levels is based on a circle of Hell. Entering the contest costs your deepest fear, which the game can use against you at any time. Once you enter a level, you must pass it...or die. Competing against the other players, it's everyone for themselves, as only the final contestant left standing will win the grand prize: one granted wish. Striving to save her sister, Ophelia also enters Phantasma. A phantom offers his assistance to get Ophelia through the first few levels...but nothing in this contest is offered free. Is his help worth what it will cost? As Ophelia gets deeper and deeper into the game, she finds connections linking her family to the competition. Will she unravel the mystery before it's too late? And with only one winner leaving alive, what happens if Genevieve and Ophelia both reach the final level?
If you're looking for an inferno-hot (super steamy!), spooky, gore-filled fall read, this would be a phantasmic choice. Adventure, mystery, fantasy, and romance all bottled up in a hell-themed haunted house with a life-or-death competition.
My rating:
Steam rating:
Hour of the Witch
Chris Bohjalian
After the most recent violent act inflicted on her by her husband, Mary decides she must divorce him in order to stay alive. However, as a woman living in Boston in 1662, she has little more rights than the farm animals in her yard. A divorce, even from a man who drives a piece of cutlery into their spouse during a drunken rage, requires the permission of a quorum of the town's magistrates. The court of magistrates is made up entirely of men, most of whom have made up their minds on her case long before a single word is spoken in court. Knowing she is likely to make her life more difficult by going through with the proceedings, Mary remains steadfast in her resolve to see the process through.
Although Mary knew there was a chance that her appeal for divorce would be denied, she did not anticipate her time in court would lead to a larger trial in her life. One which involves accusations of possession and devilish desires. The American witch hunt is in full force up and down the harbor, with several hangings of convicted witches having already occurred. If Mary thought she was at risk before, she now finds herself in a life-or-death scenario. The same men in charge of determining the fate of her marriage are now tasked with deciding whether she lives or dies. And while they may be stingy with granting divorces, they're more than willing to prescribe the noose.
At the witching hour, what could be the last of her life, someone unexpected comes to Mary's aid. Mary has to decide, is this a ruse, planted by a foe? Or should she trust the hand that's offered? The Hour of the Witch is a historical fiction courtroom drama, with heavy doses of masochistic views on women and their role...which is why you can't help but root for Mary, and the women like her, whose minds know they're meant for more.
Good to know before reading: Domestic violence
My rating:
Where the Forest Meets the Stars
Glendy Vanderah
Constellation Ursa Major
AKA: The Great Bear/Big Dipper
Returning to her graduate work of studying birds after battling cancer, Jo finds herself relentlessly trying to prove (to herself and others) that her capability and competency haven't been hindered by her health. She throws herself into an exhausting routine of working every waking hour, leaving little time or energy for anything else. All of this is disrupted when a young girl shows up on Jo's property, dirty and bruised. The girl claims her name is Ursa, and that she's been sent from her home in the stars until she witnesses five Earthly miracles. Although Jo doesn't believe her outlandish story, concerns for her well-being are at the forefront of deciding to allow Ursa to stay with her until she can come up with a better plan.
Together with her neighbor, Gabriel, Jo tries to unravel the mystery behind Ursa's sudden appearance. Ursa spends time at Gabriel's farm, helping with chores and learning about life in the country. She rides along with Jo as she checks on her nesting research, digesting as much information about birds as she can process. As they both spend more time with Ursa, they realize that she's teaching them as much as they're teaching her. She's funny, and inquisitive, and incredibly bright. Before she came along, Jo and Gabriel spent very little time with other people. Now, the three of them have created an extremely strong bond. But...both adults know that she belongs somewhere else. She's someone's child. What they don't know is why no one has reported her as missing.
Although Jo and Gabe would love to keep Ursa for themselves in the forest forever, they know they're playing with a ticking time bomb. As the pieces begin to come together and Ursa's true identity reveals itself, the trio finds themselves in the middle of a violent crescendo...and no one could have predicted the devastating repercussions left behind.
My rating:
(Book club ratings ranged from 3-5 and was one of our highest ranked books so far!)
Read along with me in November
Something old | The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali |
Something new | The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand |
Something steamy | The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa |
Something true-ish | The Silence in Between by Josie Ferguson |
Book club pick | All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker |
Send any book recommendations, questions, or comments to me at sosnssst@gmail.com
(something old something new something steamy something true-ish @ gmail.com).
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