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Books I Read This Month: April 2023

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 16, 2023| Leave a Comment »

April was another wonderful reading month for me. I completed ten books. Of those ten books, I read eight for Old School April. This readathon was part of an epic nostalgiathon. I finally completed Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley which I had been reading since January to kick off my Year of Christie reading project. I buddy read one book off my 23 Books for 2023, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Lastly, I read We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix which was the selection for the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club. I enjoyed a variety of genres, discovered four new authors, and revisited a couple of old school favorites.

Old School April Readathon

The Old School April Nostalgiathon was created by Kelsi @ Slime and Slashers. She invited 7 other booktubers, including me, along with one Instagrammer to cohost this month-long event with her. It was a blast! In addition to reading prompts, there were movie prompts and bonus activity prompts. There were nine reading prompts for inspiration, and I used one book for two prompts.

  • Read a Goosebumps or Book that fits AYAOTD vibes (Night of the Living Dummy 2 by R.L. Stine)
  • Read any 80s Horror Book (The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker)
  • Read an Animal Attack Book (The Werewolf of Fever Swamp by R.L. Stine)
  • Read a Book with Old Technology on Cover or in Story (The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene)
  • Mood Read  (The X-Files: Earth Children Are Weird by Jason Rekulak)
  • Read a Fear Street, Point Horror, or Christopher Pike Book (Double Date by R.L. Stine)
  • Read a Book with Magic or Cursed Objects (The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker)
  • Read any 90s Horror Book (The Unexpected Guest adapted by Charles Osborne)
  • Read a Book by Female Author or with Female Protagonist (We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix)
  • The Night of the Living Dummy 2 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Hellbound Heart ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Werewolf of Fever Swamp ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Secret of the Old Clock ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The X-Files: Earth Children Are Weird ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Double Date ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Unexpected Guest ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • We Sold Our Souls ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed reading the picture book featuring young Mulder and Scully. This book is my first written by Jason Rekulak and illustrated by Kim Smith. The story was fun and the illustrations were well-done. I would love to purchase more picture books in this series featuring other nostalgic characters. The Goosebumps books and my first Fear Street book were entertaining. I loved revisiting The Secret of the Old Clock and The Hellbound Heart. Both stories are terrific! Nancy Drew is extremely nostalgic for me. I loved reading her mysteries in middle school. The Helbound Heart is not for the faint of heart with its body horror and sadistic Cenobites, but a classic for horror fans and fans of Clive Barker. I substituted The Unexpected Guest for the 90s horror prompt. This book is my first Agatha Christie story for the year. It was originally written by Agatha Christie as a play and later adapted as a novel by Charles Osborne. This book is the first I have read by him. I rather enjoyed it and would have loved to have seen the play performed on the stage. Of course, I did not guess the murderer. Christie is so clever!

We Sold Our Souls was the April book club selection for the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club, and it was a rockin’ good time. Kris Pulaski, lead guitarist for a heavy metal band, is close to making the big time with her bandmates when the lead singer, Terry Hunt, sells them out for fame and a solo career. Kris is the only member of the band who is not on board with signing Hunt’s plan for the future of their band. After no options and reluctantly signing a questionable contract, her music career and relationships with her bandmates cease, leaving her alone, broke, and extremely bitter. Years pass, but she is still bitter. While driving home early one morning from her dead-end job, she spots a billboard of Terry Hunt advertising his upcoming epic concert and decides to reclaim her music and her life. I enjoyed this story with its heavy metal references, a well-developed protagonist, and off-putting creatures amid a social commentary about capitalism and conspiracy theories.

Year of Christie

Many thanks to my friend Rita for recommending Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman to me at the end of 2022. I knew next to nothing about Agatha Christie’s personal life or career and have only read a handful of her mystery novels. Lucy Worsley wrote a fantastic biography that included plenty of photos of Agatha Christie and the cast of characters that impacted her life. I liked the way Worsley formatted the book and gave examples of where Christie’s life made its way into her fictional stories. Agatha Christie was a fascinating woman and a wonderful writer who lived an interesting life. I look forward to reading more of her mysteries this year. 5 stars!

Buddy Read

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig was an AMAZING read for me! It is one of the books on my 23 Books for 2023 list which I buddy read with my friend Mary @ Booking Through Life. We had two wonderful discussions about this terrific book.

Nora Seed’s life is less than ideal. She is extremely unhappy with her current job and nonexistent personal life. After the one bright spot in her life is unexpectedly taken from her, despair completely takes her over, and she ends her life. However, she finds herself inside the Midnight Library, between life and death,

where she is greeted by her childhood school librarian, Mrs. Elm. The books inside this library are the lives that Nora could have lived if she would have chosen them. The Midnight Library is a well-written, captivating story about purpose, choices, success, and second chances. Nora struggles with her purpose in life in regard to her relationships as well as what it means to be successful. I loved how Haig connected elements in the story to growth. Nora Seed, Mrs. Elm, a root life, and “then the tree-the tree that is our life-develops branches” all point to growth and the development of the many lives we live. The fact that Haig chose an elm tree, a symbol with the Underworld in Celtic mythology, to name Mrs. Elm was wonderful to me. She is Nora’s guide and someone who connects her between life and death.

This book made me pause and examine my own life, my choices, as well as my regrets. In our first meeting, Mary and I discussed whether or not we would want to see how our different lives played out or keep our current life. At first, I was all for wanting a sneak peek, but as I read on and experienced Nora’s different lives, I agreed with Mary that our “root life” or our current life is exactly where we need to be. Choosing an alternate life has far-reaching consequences not only for ourselves, but also for others. I think once you make peace with your past and your present circumstances are embraced, your current life then opens up to plenty of possibilities. It is no longer about changing the past, but living in the now and paving the way for your future. 5 stars!

If you want to hear more about my thoughts on this book or the other books I read in April, please check out my April wrap up video.

May has gotten off to a great start. I completed two books that I carried over from April and have finished three books already for Zombiethon, a month-long readathon/watchathon event that I am hosting on my channel. The Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club chose a zombie selection for May called Night of the Living Trekkies by Kevin David Anderson and Sam Stall. It also happens to be the group read for Zombiethon. It is a humorous zombie story. I am also joining the Middle Grade March Book Club, and their May selection is The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill. So much fun stuff to read in May.

Lastly, I have two winners for the Middle Grade March giveaway. Congrats to Kathryn and Katie for winning a copy of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. The books are on backorder, so as soon as I receive them, I will contact you. Thanks for participating. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“Man reading should be man intensely alive. The book should be a ball of light in one’s hand.” ~ Ezra Pound

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Books (and Short Stories) I Read This Month: March 2023

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 27, 2023| 7 Comments »

March was a MARVELOUS reading month for me. I read six short stories for The Week of Weird Readathon and completed eight books. Of those eight books, I read five for Middle Grade March. Both readathons were new reading adventures for me. I read quite a few new authors and discovered new middle-grade favorites. In addition, I completed The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson which I had been buddy reading with my sister Rachel since January. I completed Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam which I had been reading since January while also participating in Vanderkam’s Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge. Lastly, I finished Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier which was the January/February selection for the FOMO Book Club.

The Week of Weird Readathon

I have been wanting to read more short stories ever since devouring three collections by Joe Hill back in the spring of 2020. These collections are Strange Weather, Full Throttle, and 20th Century Ghosts. For those of you who do not know, Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son. He is a fantastic writer, and his books and short stories are wonderful! I sprinkle short stories into my reading life sparingly, so when The Week of Weird Readathon was announced by Crystal @ fiberartsy and Jason @ Jason’s Weird Reads, I was excited to add a few of them on my March TBR. There were five reading prompts for inspiration. I read a few of the stories and listened to a couple on the podcast, Levar Burton Reads.

  • Old Weird: Read a weird fiction story or book published between 1910s – 1970s.
  • New Weird: Read a weird fiction story or book published between 1980s to the present.
  • Out of This World: Read a weird fiction story or book featuring science fiction elements.
  • The Dark: Read a weird fiction story or book featuring supernatural or horror elements.
  • Flora and Fauna: Read a weird fiction story featuring nature.

For Old Weird, I listened to Levar Burton read “Childfinder” by Octavia Butler. This story was my introduction to Butler’s work. It is about a rogue telepath that defies the establishment to protect telepathic children who have not yet tapped into their abilities. It was a good story; however, I felt like it was the prologue to something bigger. 3.5 stars

For New Weird, I read “Afterlife” by Stephen King. Anyone who has followed me for some time knows that Stephen King is my absolute favorite author, so it should be no surprise that one of his short stories made this list. Bill, an investment banker, dies and ends up in a purgatorial waiting room of sorts. He meets Mr. Harris and is given the opportunity (again, because he has been there before) to choose between two doors. Bill can choose to relive his past life with no previous memories or choose finality of existence. It is an interesting dilemma, and I was surprised by Bill’s decision. 4 stars

For Out of This World, I listened to Levar Burton read “I Was a Teenage Space Jockey” by Stephen Graham Jones. This story was my introduction to Jones’s work. Two 6th grade Native American boys spend Halloween evening in a video arcade and have a surreal experience while playing Galaga. I loved this nostalgic story centered around these two characters. 5 stars

For The Dark, I listened to Levar Burton read “The Story We Used to Tell” by Shirley Jackson. This story was my introduction to Jackson’s work. Katherine visits her friend Y at her late husband’s family mansion. During the visit, they come upon a creepy painting in one of the bedrooms that disburbs both women. The next day Y goes missing and is later discovered inside the off-putting painting by Katherine. This story was incredibly dark and eerie, and I loved the goosebumps it gave me. 5 stars

For Flora and Fauna, I listened to Levar Burton read “Cricket” by Kenneth Yu. This story was my introduction to Yu’s work. (I thought I had listened to another story of his, but that story, “The Paper Menagerie” was actually written by Ken Lui. HA!) Richard and his family were tasked with caring for his mother until her death. He held a grudge against his siblings for this arrangement, perceiving it more as a burden then a blessing. After the elderly matriarch’s death, a talking cricket mysteriously appears, dispensing wisdom to Richard and his wife Lucy. This unexpected guest intrigues Lucy, entertains the couple’s young son, but angers Richard. Lots of great messages in this short story. 4 stars

I read an additional story that could pretty much fulfill all of the reading prompts except New Weird, and it was “Colour Out of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft. An alien entity comes to earth and lands near a farm where it destroys the family who owns the farm as well as anything living in direct proximity of the farm. This descriptive story is scary, ominous, and exudes dread. If you read this short story, dear reader, make sure to check out the movie with Nick Cage afterwards. It was a terrific film adaptation. 5 stars

Middle Grade March

The Middle Grade March Readathon on BookTube was hosted by four lovely ladies, Krista @ Books and Jams, Amanda @ The Curly Reader, Katie @ Life Between Words, Jenna @ Jenna Reads n Writes (Instagram). As you know, dear reader, I enjoy reading children’s literature, and I read some fabulous middle-grade books throughout the month of March. There were five reading prompts for inspiration plus a group read, A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga.

  • An award winner, but not Newbery (The Voyage of the Frog by Gary Paulsen)
  • A Sci-fi/Dystopian book (A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga)
  • Sky or Sea on the cover (Odder by Katherine Applegate)
  • Book with a neurodiverse character (Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling)
  • Book published in the last year (Odder by Katherine Applegate)
  • The Voyage of the Frog ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • A Rover’s Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Odder ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Vacancy (Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club selection for March) ⭐⭐⭐💫 3.5 stars

Even though I enjoyed everything I read for Middle Grade March, my absolute favorite story was Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. It was heartfelt, humorous, and had wonderfully written characters. I fell in love with the spunky main character Aven Green. Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read during Middle Grade March, please check out my Middle Grade March wrap up video. It also includes my thoughts on Vacancy by K.R. Alexander which was my March book club selection for the Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club. I also hosted my first book giveaway on my channel. Since I loved Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus so much, I gave away 6 copies to readers who expressed interest. I have 3 more copies to give away, so if you are interested, dear reader, please leave me a comment on this blog post, and I will enter you into a drawing. Giveaway ends on Sunday, May 7th at 11:59 PM.

FOMO Book Club

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier was the January/February book club selection for the FOMO Book Club. This online book club is run by three brilliant British booktubers, Alice @ Alice and the Giant Bookshelf, Gemma @ Gem of Books, and Jack @ Spread Book Joy. I must confess that Jaimaca Inn is my first Daphne du Maurier story, and I was not disappointed by this classic tale. Jamaica Inn gives off gothic vibes with its suspenseful atmosphere, gloomy and dark setting, and mysterious characters, including Jamaica Inn.

Despite her naïveté and lack of good judgement on occasion, I really liked the protagonist, Mary Yellin. She is young and inexperienced; however, I admire her sagacity, determination, and courage. After the death of her mother, Mary leaves her home in Helford to live with her Aunt Patience, her mother’s sister, and Uncle Joss at Jamaica Inn. Soon after her arrival, she is disheartened to learn that Aunt Patience has married an unsavory man, and Jamaica Inn has unpleasant secrets. This novel is considered romantic suspense, but it is my kind of romance. While I was not too surprised by Mary’s decision at the end of the novel, I did enjoy all of the twists and turns, the mystery surrounding Jamaica Inn, and Daphne du Maurier’s storytelling. 4 stars for Jamaica Inn!

Buddy Read

Back in January, my sister Rachel and I started the personal development book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (Caring): A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson. Yes, I covered up the expletive so as not to offend anyone; and, yes my sister laughed at me and pointed out it is just a word. Personally, I do not think it was necessary for Manson to use this word to effectively get his information out to his readers. However, he probably would not give a f*ck what I think anyway.

Once I got passed the cuss word in the title and the first chapter, laden with foul language and crude examples, I actually learned some valuable information that I could apply to my own life. There were quite a few takeaways from this book, but a few that really resonated with me included: happiness comes about through problem-solving, there is value in suffering, distinguishing between good and bad values, failure is a way forward, and the “do something” principle. I personally like how instead of looking for motivation to inspire action, you can take action to inspire motivation. Manson states, “If you lack motivation to make an important change in your life, do something – anything, really – and then harness the reaction to that action as a way to begin motivating yourself.” This self-improvement book earned a solid 3.5 stars.

23 for 2023 List

Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam is #20 on my 23 for 2023 List. I was not planning to read Vanderkam’s book until the summer; however, she hosted a Tranquility by

Tuesday Challenge in January, and it became the perfect time to dive in and get reaquainted with a few of the rules to see if they could help calm the chaos in my own life. My plan is to write a separate post specifically about my overall thoughts about this book and my experience with participating in the challenge. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I was excited to read Tranquility by Tuesday because I was one of the 150 participants in her time study to gather the data for this book. A couple of the rules had become habits or modified habits during the original time study, but most of them had fallen by the wayside and were forgotten. However, after reading the book (which I thought was fantastic) and completing the challenge (which I thought was eye-opening and fun), I am excited about how most of these rules can become effective habits in my life over time if I intentionally put them into practice. 5 stars for this personal development gem.

As you can see, I had a productive month of reading, dear reader. If you want to hear more about my thoughts on this book or the other books I read in March, please check out my March wrap up video.

My sister and I are taking a break in between now and June. Rachel is an actuary and started her busy season at work at the end of March, and I have commitments in April with Old School April and in May with Zombiethon. I have been reading a bunch in April. I finally got around to reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. The Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club chose a rockin’ selection by Grady Hendrix. And, I finally finished reading Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley. Hopefully (always hopeful), I will be writing a post soon about what I read in April. Lots of terrific reads to share with you!

Lastly, do not forget about my book giveaway. Leave me a comment on this blog post if you are interested in a chance to win a copy of Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. Giveaway ends on Sunday, May 7th at 11:59 PM. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.” ~ Vera Nazarian

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Books I Read This Month: February 2023

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 31, 2023| 2 Comments »

I have been wanting to write this wrap up post about everything I read in February for some time, dear reader. February was a much better reading month than January. I completed 12 books, and I owe a bunch of thanks to the creation of my very first month-long readathon, Folklore February, where I read folktales, fairytales, and fables.

FolkLore February Readathon

I read eight books and watched one movie for this readathon. Reading beautifully illustrated picture books added a layer of whimsy to my folkloric experience. Additionally, I read “Snow-White and Rose-Red” from my Brothers Grimm collection (Flame Tree Publishing) in anticipation of reading Snow & Rose.

I highly recommend watching Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. It is a perfectly blended musical, dark fantasy, and stop-animation film with all the feels. I loved it even though it made me cry like a baby.

In addition to reading and watching a movie, I hosted (for the very first time) reading SPRINTS on my YouTube channel. Sprints are a wonderful way to engage with your community of followers while completing reading goals or productivity tasks. I hosted three times throughout the month and had a blast. Kelsi joined me as a co-host which made it an even more enjoyable experience.

  • Read a Folktale. (Stone Soup by Marcia Brown)
  • Read a Fairy Tale by Hans Christian Andersen. (The Snow Queen adapted and illustrated by Richard Hess)
  • Read a Fairy Tale by the Brothers Grimm. (Rapunzel adapted by Barbara Rogasky and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman)
  • Read a Fable. (The Hare and the Tortoise illustrated by Brian Wildsmith)
  • MOOD READ or WATCH (Snow & Rose by Emily Windfield Martin)
  • Read or Watch a Retelling of a folktale, fairytale, or fable. (The Cajun Little Red Riding Hood by Berthe Amoss)
  • Read a Fractured Fairy Tale. (The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Brian Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith)
  • Read a Folktale from a country other than your own. (The Mitten adapted and illustrated by Jan Brett)
  • Watch a screen adaptation of your favorite folktale, fairy tale, or fable. (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio)
  • Folktale ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tale ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Fable ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Mood Read (Fairy Tale Retelling) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Fractured Fairy Tale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Ukrainian Folktale ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Fairy Tale Retelling ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Even though I enjoyed everything I read for Folklore February, my absolute favorite story was Snow & Rose. It was fantastic, and I actually enjoyed it more than the original fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm. Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read during Folklore February, please check out my Folklore February wrap up video.

Other February Readathons

In addition to Folklore February, I participated in a weekend readathon, GarbAugust 1.5: Wasted Weekend, hosted by Olly at CriminOlly. This readathon was a fun event where you read something trashy. I chose a book I picked up at a recent library sale called Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life & Times by James Finn Garner. They are modern retellings of classic fairy tales. The stories were short, sweet (and not so sweet) as well as entertaining. It was a 3-star read for me.

I participated in a week-long reading event, the Little House Readathon, hosted by Elizabeth at LizziefayeLovesBooks. This readathon was wonderful because I revisited a childhood favorite, The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I loved reading the Little House on the Prairie series as a child. The Long Winter is the 6th book in the series and was the group read for this event. The story is about the horrendous winter the Ingalls family and their neighbors of De Smet had to endure from October-April of 1880-1881. I gave it 5 stars!

Cozy Cottage Book Club

At the beginning of February, I finally finished Stardust by Neil Gaiman. It was the January selection for the Cozy Cottage Book Club. I did not finish the book in time but still attended the online meeting and had a splendid time. Stardust is a beautifully written fairy tale for adults. It has romance, magic, fantastical creatures, and villianous characters set both in the village of Wall and the beautiful and dark world of Faerie. I was captivated by the whimsical world as well as the well-developed and likeable characters. 5 stars for a magical journey!

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay was our February book club selection. It is a psychological horror novel about a family of three vacationing at a cabin in an isolated wooded area. All is well until four strangers unexpectedly show up at the cabin with an ominous message that is not well-received, leading to brutal and heartbreaking consequences. I had high expectations going into this novel which was my introduction to Paul Tremblay’s work. Unfortunately, I finished reading this novel with more questions than answers.

It was an okay but not exceptional read for me, thus earning a 3.5 star rating. I am eager to see the film adaptation, Knock at the Cabin, since I have been told the film is less ambiguous than the novel. I already put the film on my Halloween Movie Marathon list. Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on this book or the other books I read in February, please check out my February wrap up video.

As you can tell, dear reader, I had an marvelous month of reading in February. My book club selection for March was Vacancy by K.R. Alexander. I read several middle-grade books for Middle Grade March, and I finished my first book for the FOMO Book Club. Stay tuned because I will be posting a wrap up of what I read in March. I will also be sharing my epic plans I have for April. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.”  ~ Mary Schmich

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Books I Read This Month: January 2023

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 26, 2023| 3 Comments »

It is my first reading wrap up of 2023, and I am late writing about what I read in January. Back in January, I announced that my goal on Goodreads for this year is 75 books. I completed only one book in the month of January and that was No Exit by Taylor Adams. It was FANTASTIC! This suspenseful psychological thriller was chosen for the Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club that I host with my friend Kelsi. It was the perfect winter read to start off the new year. I found it engrossing, action-packed, and at times, quite brutal.

Darby Thorne is attending college in Colorado. The story begins with her heading home to be with her dying mom in Utah. Due to an intense snowstorm, she is forced to make an unexpected detour to a remote rest stop in the Colorado Rockies. There, she encounters four strangers, who seem to be experiencing a similar fate. Shortly after arriving, she makes a horrifying discovery that will forever change her life. Now, it becomes a race against the clock to not only save herself, but to also attempt to save a total stranger. I loved it! I loved the setting (cold and isolated), Darby (flawed but strong), and the intensity throughout the entire story. What a terrific introduction to Taylor Adams! 5-star read for me.

Although I only completed one book in the month of January, I began the new year reading quite a bit. I started five other books for various projects I am participating in for this year. Except for Stardust (finished in February), I am currently still reading the books on the following list.

  • Stardust by Neil Gaiman (Cozy Cottage Book Club – January)
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F%#k by Mark Manson (Buddy Read with sister Rachel)
  • Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam (#20 on 23 for 2023 List; participating in the Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge)
  • Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley (Year of Christie project)
  • Choose Joy: 3-Minute Devotions for Women by Barbour Books (on my 23 Books to Read in 2023 List)

Overall, dear reader, I am pleased with where I am at with my reading in 2023. February has been a terrific reading month because of Folklore February, my very first readathon I hosted on my channel. I look forward, sometime in the next couple of weeks, to share everything I read for Folklore February as well as what I read for other reading events throughout February. My book club selection for February is The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” ~ Mortimer J. Adler

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Books I Read This Month: December 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2023| 4 Comments »

I know I am a tad bit late, dear reader, with sharing all of the books I read in December; however, I want to complete my year in books for 2022. December was another outstanding reading month for me! I completed 8 books and 3 short stories in the month of December, finished Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge, fulfilled one prompt for Cloak and Dagger Christmas, and completed the Christmas Evil Readathon. I completed a total of 75 books in 2022!

Since I quadruple dipped with one book for the different challenges, I will wrap up the month by Readathons instead of my normal categories. Needless to say, I successfully read a nonfiction book, several children’s literature books (#Read21in2021 Challenge), and a book written by Stephen King for Year of King. We did not have a selection in December for my Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club.

#Book Challenge & Cloak and Dagger Christmas

I read two terrific books to fulfill the last three prompts to complete Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge.

  • Read a Book Suggested by Mrs. Morrison (Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige )
  • Read a Book That Has a Mystery to Solve (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)
  • Read a Book a Classmate Suggested to You (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)

Dorothy Must Die is a YA novel and a retelling of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It is also the first book in the Dorothy Must Die trilogy. It was a 4-star read for me. Crooked House is an adult mystery and one of Agatha Christie’s standalone novels. This book was suggested to me by my friend Amy to read for this challenge, and it did not disappoint. Definitely a 5-star read! I also used it to fulfill one prompt for Cloak and Dagger Christmas, which was 3 French Hens: Read a Translated Work or from a Different Country from Your Own. Crooked House begins in Egypt and takes place in England.

  • Suggestion by Mrs. Morrison (#Read21in21; young adult)
  • Suggestion by Classmate & Mystery

Christmas Evil Readathon

Kelsi co-hosted the Christmas Evil Readathon on her channel alongside four other co-hosts (Crystal, Katrina, Michelle, and Kelly) on their channels. I completed the entire board! Woo-Hoo! This readathon was super fun and had so many additional activities happening throughout the entire month of December (movie nights on Discord, picture prompts, a virtual Christmas party).

  • Black Xmas (Witches Copse by Math Bird)
  • Krampus (The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour)
  • A Christmas Carol (The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand)
  • A Gifted Book (It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies! A Book of Christmas Carols by Michael P. Spradlin)
  • Mood Read (“Little Monsters” and “Dinner is served!” from Christmas Evil by Mark L’Estrange)
  • Slay Bells (Crooked House by Agatha Christie)
  • Winter Wonderland (The Shining by Stephen King)
  • Santa’s Little Helper (Dead Voices by Katherine Arden)
  • Reindeer Ride (“The Adventures of the Blue Carbuncle” by Arthur Conan Doyle)
  • Black Xmas
  • Krampus & December nonfiction
  • A Christmas Carol and #Read21in21 (young adult)
  • Gifted Book from Kelsi
  • Mood Read: “Little Monsters” & “Dinner is served!”
  • Slay Bells
  • Winter Wonderland & Year of King (December)
  • Santa’s Little Helper and #Read21in21 (middle grade)
  • Set in Another Country (from Murder for Christmas short story collection)

Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read in the Christmas Evil Readathon, please check out my YouTube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures. In addition to my December Reading Wrap Up, I have two more videos where I share my thoughts on the other books I read in December along with more bookish content.

Year of King

Kelsi and I chose The Shining for December. This wonderful novel was a reread for me, and I enjoyed revisiting it so much. The Shining was also the last book for our Year of King project.

After losing his teaching job, Jack Torrance, a recovering alcoholic, secures the winter caretaker position at the Overlook Hotel. His wife and young son will join him. It seems like a fresh start the aspiring writer and his family need; however, the hotel has an unsavory past and a penchant for preying on the vunerable.

The Shining is one of my favorite Stephen King novels. It has its ghosts and suspenseful moments, but it is also a story about fear, addiction, loss, love, and redemption. It will always be a 5-star read for me.

Kelsi and I had a marvelous time discussing The Shining (novel, film adaptation, three-part television series, and documentary called Room 237) on January 15th. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel.

January is almost over which is hard to believe since it feels like the new year just started. I took a break from readathons in January, so I could catch my breath after three back-to-back months of intense reading and to prepare for a special project I am hosting in February. I finished No Exit by Taylor Adams for my book club. I am currently reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman for the Cozy Cottage Book Club and really enjoying it. I am also reading Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam and participating in her Tranquility by Tuesday Challenge. My sister and I are buddy reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life. We are currently on Chapter 3: “You are Not Special” which we will be discussing this Sunday evening, 29 January.

Speaking of this Sunday, Kelsi and I are having a live chat on Sunday, 29 January at 2PM CT to wrap up our Year of King. This project was a super fun collaboration between Kelsi and me. I loved revisiting King’s classics and discovering new stories along the way.

Thanks, dear reader, for stopping by and reading another long bookish post. I am hoping to share my February reading project with you very soon. February will be a whimsical month of reading. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.” ~ Jeanette Winterson

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Books I Read This Month: November 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 20, 2022| 2 Comments »

November was an outstanding reading month for me! I completed 10 books in the month of November, finished the #moremontgomerychallenge, fulfilled four prompts on Kelsi’s Nostalgic November Readathon, and made progress on Melissa’s 7th Grade Book Challenge. November is also the month I completed the most books of the year. As of today, I have read 70 books throughout 2022. I have surpassed my Goodreads goal of 50 books, and I still have two more weeks left of the year with plenty of superb stories to finish the year off splendidly. How I would love to end the year with at least 75 books under my belt in 2022!

Since several of my books/stories overlapped for the different challenges, I will wrap up the month by Readathons instead of my normal categories. With that being said, I still managed to read a nonfiction book, several children’s literature books (#Read21in2021 Challenge), a Chills, Thrills, and Kills Book Club selection, and a book written by Stephen King for Year of King.

#MoreMontgomeryChallenge

Of all of my bookish adventures in November, I am the most proud of completing every prompt on the bingo board for the #MoreMontgomeryChallenge that was hosted by booktubers, Mitzi (Mitzi Reads and Writes) and Elizabeth (LizzyfayeLovesBooks). This was a three-month long reading challenge (September-November) which ended on November 30th, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthday. However, I read only one book in September (Anne of Avonlea) for the “Read An Anne Book” prompt and did nothing in October because of the spooky season.

Therefore, I had to complete the remaining eight prompts in November. In addition to reading stories/books, two of the prompts were to watch something related to the works of L.M. Montgomery. For “Watch Any Anne Adaptation,” I watched the 2016 version of Anne of Green Gables which I really enjoyed. There are two other versions that I would love to watch in the future. For “Watch Any Non-Anne Adaptation,” I chose an episode (Season 1, Episode 4) from the television series, Road to Avonlea. Although Anne Shirley is not a character in the episode, it does include other characters from Anne of Green Gables. I really enjoyed the episode and plan to make some time in the future to watch the entire series.

As for the reading prompts, my favorite book was Among the Shadows: Tales from the Darker Side. This young adult selection fulfilled the “Short Story Collection” prompt. This collection includes 19 tales, some with supernatural elements and some with darker societal subject matter. Since I have not read much L.M. Montgomery, I chose “The Deacon’s Painkiller” from this collection to satisfy the “Reread or Rewatch A Favorite” prompt. It was one of the more humorous stories in the collection and provides a good lesson for Andrew, the protagonist in the story. While I enjoyed all of the stories in the collection which I read throughout the entire month, the following stories were my absolute favorites:

  • “Davenport’s Story”
  • “The Deacon’s Painkiller”
  • “Detected by the Camera”
  • “The House Party at Smoky Island”
  • “The Man on the Train”
  • “Miss Calista’s Peppermint Bottle”
  • “Some Fools and a Saint”
  • “White Magic”

Another young adult selection that I read was Kilmeny of the Orchard. What a pleasant surprise! This short novel, counted for the “Standalone Novel” prompt. It is a sweet love story about a recent college graduate, who takes a temporary teaching position in the small town of Lindsay where he meets a beautiful mute girl named Kilmeny. Mitzi recommended both this book and the short story collection to me which turned out to be wonderful recommendations.

Two middle-grade selections for this challenge were Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Harry Bruce for the “Nonfiction or Biographical” prompt and Emily of New Moon adapted by Pricilla Galloway for the “Book From Duology or Trilogy” prompt. While both books were well-written and entertaining, I want to read more biographies about L.M. Montgomery and an unabridged version of Emily of New Moon, especially if I continue the Emily trilogy.

The final prompt, “A Retelling or Anything Related” and a huge disappointment was Anne of Manhattan, an adult fictional retelling by Brina Starler. While I think Starler writes well and is a good storyteller, I was not thrilled with how the characters of Anne of Green Gables were portrayed overall in this retelling. Personally, it could have been fantastic minus the excessive drinking, the graphic sex scenes, and the situation with Anne’s thesis professor. It was hard imagining Anne Shirley, who is one of my favorite literary characters, and her friends behaving the way they did in this novel.

  • Among the Shadows: Tales from the Darker Side (5 stars)
  • Kilmeny of the Orchard (4 stars)
  • Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery (3 stars)
  • Emily of New Moon (5 stars)
  • Anne of Manhattan (3 stars)

I loved participating in this reading challenge. L.M. Montgomery has become a new author favorite of mine. I look forward to reading more of her work as well as reading more about her life. Additionally, since I got blackout on the bingo board, my name was put into a drawing, and I won a prize. I will be receiving two books from the Pat series by L.M. Montgomery. Elizabeth will be mailing them to me. Exciting!

Nostalgic November

Kelsi hosted Nostalgic November on her channel. I completed four squares on the board.

  • Old Technology on Cover/In Story (Only The Brave by Paul Evan Lehman)
  • Female Author/Woman Protagonist (Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw)
  • Witches or Magical Elements (Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman)
  • Retro/Vintage Mood Read (The Dead Zone by Stephen King)

#Book Challenge

My friend Melissa, who I worked with at HGCS, teaches 7th Grade Language Arts and created a challenge for her students as a way to make reading for Accelerated Reader more fun. So, I decided to participate in this challenge as well. This challenge runs from mid October until December 12th. I had already reached my AR goal, so I fulfilled the Free Space. Otherwise, I did not complete any prompts in October. I did a combination of books and short stories for the prompts I read in November.

  • Read a Book Outside for 15 minutes (“White Magic” from Among the Shadows by L.M. Montgomery)
  • Read a Genre that You have Never Read (Only the Brave by Paul Evan Lehman)
  • Read a Book from a Series (Emily of New Moon adapted by Priscilla Galloway)
  • Read at an Appointment (Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Harry Bruce)
  • Read a Book Just Because It Has an Amazing Cover (Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw)
  • Western: Only the Brave (4 stars)
  • Amazing Cover: Nothing But Blackened Teeth (4 stars)

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman was our November book club selection. It has witchy vibes, magical elements, and romance. A bit more romance than any of us was expecting.

It follows three generations of sisters who are gifted with magic of varying degrees. There is plenty of heartwarming moments blended with heartbreak and dangerous situations. Even though some of the romance was over the top, and I am not a fan of insta-love, I enjoyed the relationships between the women and the overall plot. 4 stars!

Dear reader, if you want to hear more about my thoughts on any of the books I read in November, please check out my wrap up on my YouTube channel, Kat’s Novel Adventures.

Year of King

Kelsi and I chose The Dead Zone for November. This slow burn was a reread for me, and I was excited to revisit it.

After having a second serious accident, Johnny Smith falls into a five-year coma. When he awakens, he discovers his life has dramatically changed and he has developed second sight. Because of his new gift, he finds himself involved in a murder case and faces an adversary with political connections. It has a good balance of heartbreak, turbulence, and rawness that make for an enjoyable read. 4 stars!

Kelsi and I had a grand ole time discussing The Dead Zone (novel, film adaptation, and first episode of the television show) on December 11th. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel (see below).

My sister Rachel and I finally finished the 5-star read, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. I recently published a blog post, “Book Nook: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” where I shared my thoughts on this AWESOME book. We are planning to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good Life, starting in January 2023.

December is in full force, and I am participating in three readathons. What is wrong with me, dear reader? LOL. I am currently reading The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand for #Read21in21. NO book club selection for December. My book club is on hiatus until January. Our first selection for 2023 will be No Exit by Taylor Adams. Kelsi and I are reading The Shining for our Year of King project. This will be our last book for this reading project. Our live discussion about the novel, movies, and documentary will be in January. Date and time TBD. Last but not least, my nonfiction selection this month is The Krampus and the Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil by Al Ridenour. 

Thanks, dear reader, for reading this very long blog post. I appreciate YOU. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“There is no friend as loyal as a book.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

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Books I Read This Month: October 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 8, 2022| 2 Comments »

The spooky season was a bootiful reading month for me! I completed six books in the month of October. As of today, I have read 57 books throughout 2022. I have surpassed my Goodreads goal of 50 books, and I still have two more months left of the year with plenty of terrific titles to tackle. What an awesome reading year for me!

Nonfiction Selection

Fear Itself: The Early Works of Stephen King, edited by Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller, is a fascinating collection of literary criticism focused on Stephen King’s earlier works (short stories and novels) prior to the publication of Christine. There are 9 essays, an introduction by Peter Straub, a forward by Stephen King, and an afterword by George Romero. Anyone who is a fan of King’s writing and has enjoyed reading Salem’s Lot (my personal favorite), The Shining, Carrie, The Stand, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, and Cujo will enjoy going

back in time and discovering why Stephen King became a popular writer and a household name for horror fans.

I especially enjoyed the introduction by Peter Straub and the afterword by George Romero. Stephen King’s forward is also wonderful because it gives insight into his struggles of becoming a writer and how he achieved brand name status as a horror writer. Stephen King is my absolute favorite author, so I enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane to learn more about the start of his writing career and his early works from the perspectives of other writers as well as the impact his work has had on both literature and film. This was a four-star read for me.

#Read21in21 Challenge

I read three children’s literature selections this month, two middle-grade selections about witches and a young adult novel centered on clowns in a small town. All three books were fantastic in their own way.

The Witches by Roald Dahl is a wicked good time. An 8-year old boy, who lives with his Norweigian grandmother after the death of his parents, narrates this delightfully dark tale. The fantasy novel is set partly in England and partly in Norway and follows the young boy and his grandmother as they encounter witches on their summer holiday. The vile and disgusting witches despise children and hatch a plan to get rid of them everywhere. This middle-grade selection is entertaining, terrifying at times, but excudes a great deal of heart. I adored it and gave it 5 stars.

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare is a young adult novel with spooky season feels. Quinn Maybrook, a high school senier, is uprooted from Philadelphia when her father takes a job as a family doctor in the small, seemingly quiet, town of Kettle Springs. Quinn and her father embark on a fresh start and begin adapting to rural life. Quinn has even made a few friends at school. Unfortunately, her new friends have objectionable reputations and a turbulent history with the town’s elders. Small town secrets, deep-rooted grudges, and death-dealing clowns make for a terrifying tale. 4 stars!

The Power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha Lowe is a magical middle-grade adventure. Poppy happens to be an amazing witch, who loves to bake and is quite awesome at it. Her desserts delight everyone except her parents, who only want Poppy to concentrate on witchcraft and carry on the legacy of her great-grandmother Mabel. The only problem is Poppy hates magic. Since her parents refuse to let her bake along with studying magic, she makes a dastardly decision that could cost her everything and everyone she loves. This story is warm-hearted, at times heartbreaking and dark, but full of charm. The book includes baking tips from Poppy and recipes which I would love to try in the future. 5 stars for Poppy Pendle!

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

Kill Creek by Scott Thomas is an AWESOME selection for the spooky season. It has all the ingredients to keep a horror fan engaged from beginning to end, Gothic vibes, a haunted house, and a pervasive evil that hungrily awaits those who dare to cross Kill Creek’s threshold.

Four esteemed horror writers receive an invitation to spend Halloween night in an abandoned house that is purported to be haunted. All four writers, reluctantly accept the invitation, hoping the publicity will bolster their careers.

Unfortunately, they are not prepared for what will greet them and the aftermath of that one meeting. Kill Creek is a slow burn that builds tension in the most satisfying way, leading the reader to a gratifying conclusion that stays with you long after you have finished the book. I gave this brilliant horror novel 5 stars.

Year of King

Kelsi and I chose Needful Things for October. This delightful story was a reread for me, and I was thrilled to revisit it. Leland Gaunt, the mysterious but charming proprietor of Needful Things, sets up shop in Castle Rock. His store offers the most curious items for sale. Sadly for the residents of Castle Rock, the treasures they purchase cost them more than money. Their quiet little town will never be the same when Leland Gaunt is finished doing business with them.

Needful Things is one of my favorite novels written by Stephen King. I love the well-developed characters, especially Sheriff Alan Pangborn and his cunning adversary, Leland Gaunt. There is more to the story than residents playing pranks on one another. It is a story deep-seated in greed, hypocrisy, and the harmful effects of selling one’s soul to fulfill one’s deepest desires. Needful Things is a definite 5-star read for me.

Kesli and I had a devilish good time discussing both the novel and the film adaptation of Needful Things on November 6th. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel (see below).

November is well underway, and I am participating in three readathons. I am currently reading Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Mongomery for #Read21in21. My book club selection for November is Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman. Kelsi and I will be reading The Dead Zone for our Year of King project. We will have a live discussion about the novel and movie on Sunday, 11 December at 12:00 PM CT. Last but not least, my nonfiction selection this month is Maud: The Life of L.M. Montgomery by Harry Bruce. 

My sister Rachel and I are reading the last chapter of A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This Wednesday evening we will be discussing Chapter 10, “A New Earth.” Rachel and I have had such a blast buddy reading A New Earth that we are planning to read another book together which we will start in January.

As usual, I am looking forward to everything I have planned to read in November. To see my complete November TBR, follow me on YouTube at Kat’s Novel Adventures (see below). To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination and the journey. They are home.” ~ Anna Quindlen

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Books I Read This Month: September 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 4, 2022| 3 Comments »

I DID it, dear reader! I reached my Goodreads goal of 50 books for the year when I finished reading Harvest Home. I am ecstatic! This is the first time I have ever reached my reading goal before 31 December. In addition, I was able to complete five books and three short stories in the month of September.

Nonfiction Selection

My nonfiction read for September was by Mel Robbins called The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage. The 5 second rule is a simple strategy that yields huge results. Robbins uses her own personal stories and testimonials through emails and social media posts she received from people from all walks of life to demonstate the effectiveness of this strategy. Personally, I am reaping the benefits from using the strategy in my everyday life, especially with taking risks in improv and stopping my EGO from managing me. Additionally, it has motivated me to exercise, to step out my comfort zone, and to complete tasks that have lingered a bit too long on my to-do list.

Basically, you count backwards from 5 and take action. According to Robbins, “When you start to count 5-4-3-2-1, it is the beginning of a chain reaction that not only awakens the prefrontal cortex, but also gets you ready to make that physical “initial huge push” that’s required to change” (106). This was an enjoyable 4-star read for me.

#Read21in21 Challenge

I read three middle-grade books in September. Ghost Beach was actually on my August TBR, but I ran out of time, so I carried it over. Juniper Berry has been on my bookcase for quite sometime and has autumn vibes, so I thought September was a marvelous month to finally read it. Since I am participating this fall in the #moremontgomerychallenge, I chose Anne of Avonlea for the “read an Anne book” spot on the bingo card. I had bought it right after reading Anne of Green Gables, so it worked out wonderfully to read it in September for the start of this challenge.

Ghost Beach by R.L. Stine is creepy, and I must admit, the scariest of the Goosebumps books I have read to date. Siblings, Jerry and Terri, are visiting a distant cousin and his wife in New England for the last month of the summer. The children’s excitement is short-lived when they discover a cave by the beach is haunted by a ghost. It is suspenseful with a twist I did not see coming. A haunting 4 stars for this spooky selection!

Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky is a terrific middle-grade tale of terror and temptation. Despite living in a beautiful mansion with her famous parents and her trusty sidekick Kitty, Juniper Berry is lonely as heck. She misses the life she once had with her parents, who were loving, kind, and always there for her. Now, they are miserable in spite of their fame and fortune and act as if Juniper does not exist. One stormy night, Juniper follows them into the woods and discovers the cause of their unhappy transformation. 4 stars for this entertaining and suspenseful story.

Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery is the next charming chapter in Anne Shirley’s life. Anne postpones attending Redmond College, so she can remain with Marilla on the farm and help her raise orphaned twins. Anne also takes a teaching position at the local school. We are introduced to new and interesting characters in the Avonlea community and amused by more of Anne’s adventures. This second installment was a delightful read and worthy of all 5 stars.

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon is the perfect autumn read. It has all the fall feels with full fields of corn and festive autumn traditions set in a quaint New England town that harbors a sinister secret.

This beautifully written psychological horror novel takes its sweet time telling the story of Ned Constantine and his family’s move to the village of Cornwall Coombe. On the surface, the small farming town seem idyllic with its simple lifestyle, friendly faces, and a matriarch that welcomes the family wholeheartedly.

Once the family gets settled, Ned stumbles upon a mystery that had been buried, and no one in the town seems too interested in talking to him about it. Unfortunately, Ned’s curiousity is persistent, and he continues digging up the past. Unsettling moments are sprinkled throughout this slow burn, building up to an off-putting conclusion that has stuck with me since I completed it. I gave this horror gem 5 stars.

Year of King

Kelsi and I switched gears for this month and read three short stories from Stephen King’s Night Shift collection. All three stories have something to do with manual labor which was perfect for September with the celebration of Labor Day.

“Graveyard Shift” takes place at a textile factory in the small town of Gate Falls, Maine. John Hall, an aloof drifter, works the graveyard shift at the mill, running the picker machine. Warwick, his cruel foreman, decides that after 12 years, the rat-infested basement needs to be cleaned out.

So, he recruits a few of his workers, including John Hall, to complete the terrible task that leads to a disturbing discovery. This horror story was a 3-star read for me. Even though I enjoyed the creepy atmosphere, the rapacious rodents, and the men’s scary situation, I wanted more.

“The Mangler” takes place at an industrial laundry in a small American town. John Hunton, a local police officer, receives the call to investigate a gruesome accident involving a Hadley-Watson Model-6 Speed Ironer and Folder, also known as the mangler, at the Blue Ribbon Laundry. Unfortunately for Hunton and the employees of the laundry, more grisly deaths unfold surrounding the menacing machine. I gave this horror story 4 stars for being chilling, suspenseful, and macabre.

“The Lawnmower Man” takes place at the home of Harold Parkette. Harold takes pride in his manicured lawn until an unfortunate accident occurs while his neighbor’s son is cutting it. After almost a year of not cutting his grass, receiving lame lawn jokes from his neighbor, and spotting a woodchuck sitting happily in his backyard, he finally decides to hire someone to take care of his overgrown yard. That someone is the unusual lawnmower man from Pastoral Greenery and Outdoor Services. This horror story has mythological elements, humor, gore, and a bizarre twist which I loved, so I gave it 4 stars.

I wish I could tell you, dear reader, that the screen adaptations were as good as the short stories. I knew at some point our luck would run out because not all of Stephen King’s work translates well on the big screen. Although, Kelsi’s opinion of the films differs greatly from mine. She and I had a lively conversation about all three stories on September 25th, discussing the stories and their film adaptations. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel (see below).

It’s October, which happens to be my favorite month of the year. I have chosen some spine-tingling selections to read in celebration of this spooky month. I am currently reading The Witches by Roald Dahl for #Read21in21. My book club selection for October is Kill Creek by Scott Thomas. Kelsi and I will be reading Needful Things for our Year of King project. We will have a live discussion about the novel and movie on Sunday, 06 November at 2:00 PM CT. Last but not least, my nonfiction selection this month is Fear Itself: The Early Works of Stephen King edited by Tim Underwood & Chuck Miller. 

My sister Rachel and I are still buddy reading A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This Wednesday evening we will be discussing Chapter 7, “Finding Who You Truly Are.” What an important and impactful chapter!

As usual, I am looking forward to everything I have planned to read in October. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin

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Books I Read This Month: August 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

That’s a wrap, August! I was able to complete six books in the month of August. As of today, I am 13 books ahead of schedule. I will definitely reach my Goodreads goal of 50 books by the end of September because I am only FOUR books away from reaching it. Thrilling!

Nonfiction Selection

My August nonfiction selection was Clean & Lean: 30 Days, 30 Foods, a New You! by Ian K. Smith, M.D. This is the fourth book I have read by Smith. It takes The Clean 20 nutritional and fitness plan to the next level by incorporating intermittent fasting and 10 additional clean foods to the menu. Since June, I have been working on my health and fitness goals, so I reread The Clean 20 and reintroduced myself to clean eating. Reading Clean & Lean and implementing the guidelines was the next step. It is a simple plan that anyone at any level in their health and wellness journey can follow, and it includes daily menus, inspiration, nutritional facts, and workout plans. I love the format of the book and the simplicity of the program. I am happy with my results, and may consider completing another month of Clean & Lean before the end of this year. I am giving the book and myself 5 stars!

#Read21in21 Challenge

I read three terrific children’s books this month, one classic and two that are considered horror/mystery. I have a soft spot for haunted houses, animals, and gnomes. All three stories touched my soft spot and were enjoyable to read. I recommend them all to middle schoolers and fans of middle-grade fiction.

The Haunting of the Old Yellow House on Millard Road by D.A.L. is a short, supernatural mystery tale about a 12-year-old boy named James, who wants to spend the night inside an old house that is supposedly haunted. He barely convinces his friend, his cousin, and his two siblings to join him on his adventure which also includes retrieving an artifact as proof of their overnight stay. It is a satisfying read for middle schoolers with charming characters, humor, and spooky moments. The author kindly sent me a complimentary copy of this book which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I look forward to reading more of his stories in the future. It was a 4-star read for me.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame is a classic fantasy novel with captivating characters who have the most amusing adventures in the English countryside. The story centers around four main congenial critters, Mr. Badger, Mole, Rat, and Mr. Toad. These four friends enjoy life and each other’s company until the debonair Mr. Toad discovers motor cars. His outrageous obsession with them lands him in a puddle of trouble, and only his faithful friends can save him and set him on the right path. This beautifuly written tale focuses on friendship, adventure, and the importance of home. This 5-star adventure has become one of my favorite classics.

The Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes by R.L. Stine is an entertaining anecdote that involves tacky lawn ornaments, prize-winning vegetables, and midnight mischief. Joe Burton is looking forward to the lazy days of summer until his father adds two hideous garden gnomes to the lawn collection. Let’s just say, once they arrive on the Burton lawn, Joe’s life gets weird and a bit messy. I give my gnomies 4 stars.

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher is an atmospheric gothic horror novel with supernatural vibes. It is an imaginative retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher” which I recommend reading before diving into Kingfisher’s beautifully written tale. I must admit I was drawn to this book because of its hauntingly beautiful cover.

Madeline Usher summons her childhood friend, Alex Easton, to her family home in the countryside of Ruritania where she lives with her twin brother Roderick.

In her letter to Alex, she tells him that she is dying. He immediately leaves his home in Gallacia with his horse Hob. He is stunned upon arrival at the Usher estate where he finds Madeline and her brother are both visibly unwell and their home has fallen into a miserable state of disrepair. What has befallen the Usher siblings, and is Alex too late to save them? This 4-star read is creepy and delightfully off-putting.

Year of King

Kelsi and I decided on Cujo for August. We found ourselves in the fictional, small town of Castle Rock, Maine. I dreaded reading this novel simply because I had seen the movie back in the 80s, and all I could recall was a rabid St. Bernard terrorizing Dee Wallace’s character. I have dogs, and I could not imagine reading an entire book about someone’s beloved dog getting rabies and transforming into a murderous monster. While the director, Lewis Teague directed a terrific film adaptation of Cujo, it does not compare to the amazing novel written by Stephen King.

Kelsi was also not looking forward to reading Cujo for her own reasons. However, we were both blown away by it. This story is so much more than a rabid dog. It is about fear, loss, and the power of love. Stephen King wrecked me with Cujo, especially the second to last paragraph of the book. This novel will stick with me for quite awhile and earned all 5 gut-wrenching stars.

After reading the novel, I watched the movie in a totally different way. I now had backstory, and my feelings towards Cujo the dog was totally different. I had compassion for the gentle giant, especially since as the reader, I got glimpses from his point of view. Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro acted phenomenally in their roles as mother and son (Donna and Tad Trenton). I highly recommend reading Cujo before watching the movie.

Kesli and I had an engrossing conversation about Cujo on August 28th, discussing the novel and the film adaptation. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel (see below).

September! Hard to believe the 9th month of the year is already underway. I have chosen some exciting selections to read during this month. I am currently reading Ghost Beach by R.L. Stine for #Read21in21. My book club selection for September is Harvest Home by Thomas Tryon. Kelsi and I will be reading three short stories (“Lawnmower Man”, “The Mangler”, and “Graveyard Shift”) for our Year of King project. We will have a live discussion about the short stories and their movies on Sunday, 25 September at 2:00 PM CT. Last but not least, my nonfiction selection this month is The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins. 

My sister Rachel and I are buddy reading A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. In August, we decided to read a chapter a week for 10 weeks and meet every Wednesday on ZOOM for 10 weeks to discuss it. Our first discussion took place on the evening of 17 August. The experience has been both enlightening and enjoyable. We should complete the book and weekly discussions sometime in October.

Of course, I am looking forward to everything I have planned to read in September. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” ~ Edmund Burke

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Books I Read This Month: July 2022

Posted in Books/Reading, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 8, 2022| 2 Comments »

July has come and gone while my reading life continues to thrive month after month. I was able to complete six books in the month of July which is AMAZING, considering one of them is a behemoth. IT by Stephen King is 1,138 pages long! Rereading it after so many years has been nostalgic and super satisfying. As of today, I am ten books ahead of schedule. At the rate I am going, I will reach my Goodreads goal of 50 books by the end of September. Awesomesauce!

Nonfiction Selection

My July nonfiction selection was The High 5 Habit: Take Control of Your Life with One Simple Habit by Mel Robbins. I had been wanting to read a book by Mel Robbins for ages, so when the opportunity to read The High 5 Habit presented itself with my friend Kathryn and the members of her Live Healthy Team, I took it. Anyone struggling with self (self-worth, self-doubt, self-esteem, etc.) can benefit from reading this book. Giving a high 5 to someone else is easy, but when it comes time to high 5 ourselves, it becomes much harder. Why?

We deserve to encourage ourselves just as easily as we encourage others.Through personal stories, science-based research, and examples of real-life results, Robbins shows readers how to incorporate this simple but effective tool in their everyday lives. This book will definitely be a resource I will refer back to again and again. I high 5 this book with 5 stars.

#Read21in21 Challenge

I went a different route this month and read an entire middle school series about the Gaither Sisters written by Rita Williams-Garcia. Marvelous series! All three historical fiction books are narrated by the spirited 11-year-old Delphine Gaither and are incredibly refreshing. I truly hope Rita Williams-Garcia will write more adventures about this delightful trio in the future.

One Crazy Summer is the first book in the Gaither Sisters series. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern live in Brooklyn with their father and grandmother. Pa decides it is finally time for his daughters to spend a month during the summer in Oakland, California with their estranged mother Cecile, who abandoned them shortly after Fern was born. Set in the middle of the Black Panther Movement in 1968, the girls learn a thing or two about their mother, the Black Panther Movement, and themselves. This well-written middle school historical novel is heartfelt, honest, humorous, and so deserving of being a Newbery Honor Book. I fell in love with the characters, especially the sisters and their mother. It was easily a 5-star read for me.

P.S. Be Eleven is the second book in the Gaither Sisters series, and it did not disappoint. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are back in Brooklyn after spending an eventful month during the summer with their mother Cecile. This novel follows the girls through their school year, Pa’s girlfriend news, the unexpected return of their Uncle Darnell from the Vietnam War, and the Jackson 5. Delphine, now in 6th grade, deals with fitting in, friendship turmoil, and her feelings about Ellis Carter. I continue to enjoy reading about Delphine and her experiences during this pivotal time in history. Another 5-star read!

Gone Crazy in Alabama is the third and final book in the Gaither Sisters series. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent to Alabama to visit Big Ma, their great grandmother, and Uncle Darnell for the summer. The girls quickly learn that the ways of the south are much different from their home back in Brooklyn or where their mother Cecile lives in Oakland. The girls discover a family feud, learn more about their family and cultural history, experience the power of forgiveness, and embrace the importance of family. 5 stars, ya’ll!

Chills, Thrills, & Kills Book Club

The atmospheric Wylding Hall by Elizabeth Hand is a wonderfully written novella with gothic horror vibes. The tale of the missing lead singer of Windhollow Faire, the summer he and his fellow band mates lived at Wylding Hall, is told in an interview style format with multiple viewpoints. The question on everyone’s mind is, what happened to shy, handsome Julian Blake? English folklore, musical elements, unreliable narrators, and the setting of an ancient country home and its mysterious surroundings create a delicious amalgamation of subtle horror. A bewitching 5-star read for me!

Year of King

For July, Kelsi and I tackled our most ambitious Stephen King selection to date. IT is one of my favorite King novels. It embodies horror elements that will frighten any reader because we are all afraid of something. Derry, Maine is the setting of this chilling tale about an evil entity that awakens every 27 years to wreak havoc on the residents of this small New England town. Seven children, who are viewed as losers among their peers, are drawn together and form an impenetrable bond which fuels their quest to seek out the murderous Pennywise and destroy it once and for all.

It should not come as a surprise that I gave this beautifully written coming-of-age story 5 stars. Well-developed characters, a terrifying clown, and a battle between good and evil make this a must-read for any Stephen King fan.

Additionally, IT translated remarkably well for both television and the big screen which is not always the case with King’s stories. Watching the screen adaptations of IT was a huge undertaking for Kelsi and me. We watched the 1990 television miniseries, the 2017 film, and the 2019 film. That calculates to roughly 500 minutes of screen time which I personally think was time well-spent. I thoroughly enjoyed all three adaptations.

Kesli and I had a stirring conversation about IT on August 7th, discussing the novel and all three movie adaptations. Dear reader, you can check out the recording on Kelsi’s YouTube channel (see below).

August is already in full swing, and I have some terrific selections picked out to read throughout this month. I am currently reading The Haunting of the Old Yellow House on Millard Road by D.A.L. for #Read21in21. My book club selection for August is What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher. Cujo is the novel Kelsi and I will be reading for Year of King. I think it is going to be a tough read because of content. We will have a live discussion about the novel and movie on Sunday, 28 August at 2:00 PM CT. I have chosen two nonfiction selections this month, Clean & Lean by Ian K. Smith, M.D. and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. My sister Rachel and I are both planning to read it which makes it our first buddy read together. It should be a fun experience, and I am looking forward to discussing it with her. Of course, I am looking forward to everything I have planned to read in August. To see my current book reviews or books I have read in the past, follow me on Goodreads at Katherine Loyacano. Happiness!

“You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~ Paul Sweeney

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