Haiku Reviews...

 

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman

Carl and Princess Donut

level up. Fight new monsters.

Face puzzling quests.

Fantasy .... 351 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(This second Dungeon Crawler Carl book is just as fun and adventurous as the first one.)

Love at First Sighting by Mallory Marlowe

Aliens? Or 

something else? El and Carter

team up to find out.

Romance + Mystery .... 316 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Fun story. She's an influencer; he works for a secret government agency. They're complete opposites, but somehow perfect for each other. I loved their romance....though there were a few steamy scenes I skipped over.)

5 Good Minutes of Mindfulness by Jeffrey Brantley, MD and Wendy Millstone

Focus. Breathe. In, out.

Be in the moment. Reduce 

stress. Find calm and peace.

Self-help .... 183 pages .... 5/5 stars.

(So helpful! And so easy to practice.)

Happy Reading!

October's bookish art...

 

Jacques-Emile Blanche -- Woman Reading, 1890

"I love books. I like that the moment you open one and sink in to it you can escape from the world, into a story that's way more interesting than yours will ever be."

--Elizabeth Scott

Two favorite ghostly series...

 

The Haunted Child by Dawn Merriman

Rylan Flynn nearly drowned when she was a kid, and ever since her near-death experience she's been able to see and talk to ghosts. This time she's hoping the dead can help her solve a murder. I really like this series. Rylan's a fun character, though she was a little stubborn and reckless at times in this one. Still, her interactions with all the different ghosts are always great. It's the living she has to watch out for. I've read four books in this series so far and enjoyed them all. They're fast and fun paranormal mysteries.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fallen Wishes by J.L. Bryan

Ellie Jordan is a ghost hunter, investigating hauntings and trapping troublesome spirits. She's been hired by a young widow to find out the truth behind the entities stalking the ruins and gardens of a large plantation outside Charleston, South Carolina where the long-buried secrets are dark and terrifying. This is another fun one from J.L. Bryan. I love this series and always enjoy Ellie's suspenseful ghost adventures. And this one is a great October read even if it's summertime for Ellie and Stacey, her partner in ghosthunting.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Where He Can't Find You by Darcy Coates

 "For as long as anyone can remember, Doubtful, has been home to a serial killer."

They call him the Stitcher. People vanish when he comes around. When they're found, their bodies have been dismembered and sewn back together in unnatural ways. Some think it's a monster, a supernatural creature that stalks their town. Others are sure it's a man called Charles Vickers. But everyone agrees there are rules you need to follow in order to stay safe when the Stitcher comes hunting. 

1. Lock your doors and windows, and don't go out after dark.
2. Never travel alone.
3. Tell someone where you are going.
4. Stay in areas with lots of people.
5. Don't rely on technology...it breaks.
6. Stay away from Charles Vickers.

Abby, Riya, Rhys, and Connor know the rules. So does Abby's younger sister, Hope. And they always follow them. That's why it's such a shock when Hope is taken. Abby knows the police can't help. It's up to her and her friends to find Hope themselves. 

My thoughts:  I really liked Abby and her friends with their rules and their dreams of one day escaping Doubtful. And the legend of the Stitcher is downright scary. Coates does an excellent job of building tension and suspense as the Stitcher closes in on Abby and her friends. This book reads fast. It's a well-written YA horror novel that's not graphic or gory; it also has a satisfying ending. I thought it was a very fun October read. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Ghosts of Grayhaven by Amy Newbold and Lark Wright

Some of you remember Ghosts of Grayhaven, the Kindle Vella story my sister and I wrote a few years ago. Well, we have revised and expanded it and it's now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and in paperback starting today. So, if you're looking for a haunting novella filled with ghostly suspense this month, please check it out at this link. And tell a friend or two. Maybe even leave a review? My sister and I had a lot of fun writing it, and I hope you have just as much fun reading it.

Happy Reading!

 

Outland by Dennis E. Taylor

 "When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, it's up to six university students and their experimental physics project to prevent the end of civilization."

The plot:  It's Richard's and Kevin's applied physics project, Matt's computer system, and Bill's engineering skills that bring Kevin's theory of an interdimensional portal into existence. What they find on the other side is another earth, one where humans never evolved and mammoths and dire wolves still roam. They bring in geology student, Erin, and zoology major, Monica, to help explore this new world. They have dreams of finding enough gold in this other world to fund their experiment and the rest of their education...and also of winning a Nobel prize. But then the supervolcano underneath Yellowstone erupts, changing all their plans. Now they and several hundred university students are just trying to survive in this other Earth, the one they call Outland.

My thoughts:  Disaster/survival reads have always been favorites of mine, and the premise of this one sounded so fun I couldn't resist checking it out. And it was entertaining, with humorous dialogue, funny movie references, and enough science to believe in the characters without getting bogged down in all the technological details. It's a go-with-the-flow kind of novel. And Taylor keeps the story moving at a good clip. But in juggling so many characters, not all of them are fully fleshed out. There were times I completely forgot Kevin was even in the room; and I felt Matt's martial arts skills should have been used in the story at least once. But the main characters had enough personality and hints of backstory to make them likable and interesting. I did think some of their survival preparations got glossed over, and their stay in Outland felt a little too easily managed, with a lot of the details happening off page. So it's not perfect, but I enjoyed it. A fun popcorn kind of read. And one I gave 4 stars.

Happy Reading!

Randomness

 10 Things I think we need more of in the world:

• Kindness
• Forgiveness
• Faith
• Positivity & Hope
• Dialogue
• Civility
• Integrity
• Understanding & Empathy

Because what we put out into the world is what we get back. Negative words only lead to more negativity. Hate only begets more hate. And that makes the world a very dark and violent place. But the opposite is also true. Kindness, civility, gratitude, and love can fill the world with light and peace. And who doesn't want that?