Tag: book recommendations

Holiday books that aren’t romance, part three

Holiday books are one of my favorite parts of the season. I love reading next to my electric fire with a cup of tea.

The problem is, I hate romance novels. I hate those meet-cute stories where people hate each other and then fall predictably in love. And I hate that so many holiday books are just these fluffy, vapid meet-cutes with some strategically placed Christmas trees.

Hunting holiday books that aren’t romance has become a festive pastime. I’m sad to say, that if you read the last two installments of this series, I only have one new book that I’ve read. But, I do have three new books that have piqued my interest. So today, I thought I’d share with you my Christmas reading wishlist. These are books that I want to read. If you want to read them with me, I’d love to hear what you think about them.

By the way, here is part one, and part two of this series.

Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davis

This one I actually did read last year. And I was surprised to find out that the book came after the well-loved movies.

Just on the off chance you’ve never seen the movie, either the original from 1947 or the remake in 1994, Miracle on 34th Street is about an overworked single mom named Doris. She’s overseeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade when she realizes that the guy they have playing Santa is drunk. Fortunately, an elderly gentleman named Chris is there to save the day and take over the role. He does such a good job that Doris hires Chris to be Santa in the Macy’s store.

Chris is doing a great job until it comes to light that he thinks he really is Santa.

A soul as cold as frost by Jennifer Kropf

What if St. Nicholas was really a young, mad trickster and you had the one thing he wanted? What if the only person who agreed to protect you from him had a dark past of letting those he’s meant to protect die? What if one day you’re walking in the city and suddenly you can see a whole other world tucked into the cracks of your own?

That’s the description of this book from Amazon. I stumbled upon it while browsing Instagram. I can’t wait to read it. I love that several people have compared it to Chronicles of Narnia.

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

This is literally a book about a bunch of gods getting together to bump off another god, Santa Claus. Oh, and for a while Death has to be Santa because he’s too important to not be around. What’s not to love about this?

Jacob T. Marley by R. William Bennett

I started reading this book already, because it asks a very interesting question. Why did Jacob Marley get to come back and save his friend Ebenezer? And why didn’t he get the chance to be saved by the three spirits himself?

I can’t wait to find the answer. I also apparently can’t get enough of this story, short as it is.

As always, if you have a holiday book I should add to my TBR, please let me know. I’m always looking for new holiday tales. Happy holiday reading, everyone.

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My favorite books of 2022

We find ourselves now at the end of 2022. It’s time to reflect on the year we’ve just survived. To celebrate the wins, to mourn the losses. And, of course, to consider the best of the year. 

Today I’m sharing my top ten favorite books of 2022. These are books that I read for the first time in 2022. I didn’t restrict any genres, this is just purely the ones I enjoyed the most. You’ll find fiction, nonfiction, and speculative fiction. What you won’t find, in my opinion, is a boring book.

10. Savage Bounty by Matt Wallace

The follow-up to Savage Legion, this book was a worthy part two. Normally the second book in a trilogy is kind of meh. Needed for the series as a whole, but rather boring. Not so with this. (Part three is coming out in June, by the way.)

9. Manson by Jeff Gunn

This book was an absolute unit. It was also the most in-depth and detailed depiction of Manson’s life that I have ever read. Not what I’d call comforting reading, but incredibly educational. 

8. How to be a Christian Witch by Valerie Love

Most of you know that I’ve been a practicing witch for several years now. This book was a beautiful explanation of living one’s life as a witch who believes in God and Jesus. And Reverend Love is an incredible person.

7. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

This book wasn’t very much like the iconic movie of the same name. But it was still an amazing book about sisterhood and motherhood. It’s about how we as women share our lives.

6. City Magick by Christopher Penczak

Being a city lover who is also a witch is hard. Most of the witchcraft books and media are centered around the woods and nature and having a garden bigger than your house. It’s nice to have books like this that teach magic designed for the city.

5. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Yes, I know it’s a children’s book. No, I don’t care. The story of Nobody was delightful, whimsical, and dark. If you haven’t read it, you absolutely should no matter how old you are.

4. City Witchery by Lisa Marie Basile

This is a more modern witchcraft book that is designed for the city witch. It also happens to be by a witchcraft author that has written some amazing books in the past. 

3. A Song Flung Up To Heaven by Maya Angelou

All of Maya Angelou’s work is just amazing. This book was about first the death of Dr. King, and then the death of Malcome X. And it was, without a doubt, powerful. 

2. This is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This book was on my list for so long, and I finished it in a day. If you haven’t read it yet, make the time to read it now. It was superb. 

1. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Finally, we have easily the best book I read in 2022. The Haunting of Hill House was creepy and touching. I am so thankful that I was able to experience it. 

That is it for my list this year. I can’t wait to get started on a stack of books for 2023. Are there any I should add to my TBR pile? Let me know in the comments. 

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More holiday books that aren’t romance

Every year I find myself engaged in the same hunt. The hunt for a great holiday book that isn’t about two people in Christmas sweaters falling in love in an unlikely situation. 

And apparently, a lot of you do, too. Because when I gave you a list of six holiday books last year, over 600 of you read it! 

Honestly, I’m so touched. And so I had to get together another collection. Here are five more holiday books that are not romance, that I’ve experienced since last year. I hope you enjoy it.

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Christmas with the Kranks was based on this book. As if we needed more proof that books are almost always better.

Luthor, our main character, gets the brilliant idea to skip Christmas and go on a cruise with his wife instead. He doesn’t decorate his house, doesn’t buy gifts, and doesn’t donate to any charities. His neighbors are baffled by this and proceed to make his life miserable.

It’s cute, it’s fun, and it makes me thankful for my own holiday traditions. 

The Stupidest Angel by Christopher Moore

I’m not going to lie, this book wasn’t my cup of peppermint mocha tea. And that was a disappointment. I thought I was going to like this book. The story is about a little boy who sees Santa get brutally murdered. He makes a wish, and the wrong angel hears him. The stupidest angel. An angel stupid enough to bring a zombie into a little coastal town.

The comedy in this book just didn’t grab me. It was a lot of sex jokes and off-color humor. Not that I have any problem with blue comedy when it’s funny. This just wasn’t. But of course, comedy is subjective. If you like a funny tale, maybe give this one a try. 

The Christmas Killer by Alex Pine

Some holiday murder mysteries are just regular murder mysteries with a wreath on the door. But this is a cute-as-hell killing spree with Christmas cards left at each murder. Add to that the fact that it’s set in a quaint little British town, and I was hooked. It’s exactly what I want in a Christmas murder mystery. Cute, cozy, and bloody as hell.

The Joy of A Christmas Peanuts 

This is a Hallmark gift book, and I do not care at all. It’s a collection of Christmas Peanuts strips, with some cute character information between them. I have purchased this book second-hand three times. And I always love cozying up with it and a good cup of coffee for some quiet holiday fun.

Letters from Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien

This might be my favorite addition this year. In addition to being an astounding writer who birthed the fantasy genre, Tolkien was a great father. He wrote his children letters for Christmas, from ‘Father Christmas’ himself. These letters are warm, fuzzy goodness on a page. And I look forward to reading these over again every year. 

What holiday books have you discovered this year? Let us know in the comments. 

Smashwords/Amazon

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My top ten favorite horror novels

Last week I talked about the best horror novels I read this year. It’s been a pretty good year for horror novels, all things told. 

The horror genre is now and has always been my favorite. My heart lies there. It’s my emotional support genre. It started early, with an obsession with R. L. Stine. And it’s never gone away. 

The books we’re going to be talking about today have played a large part in keeping my love of the horror genre alive. Some of them are classics. Some are more modern. Some I only just learned about this year, knocking some others off my list. All are creative, unique and a scary good time. 

It being the Halloween/Samhain weekend, I hope that these books give you some inspiration for your own horrifying holiday reading. 

The Stand by Stephen King

Alright, you knew this was coming. The Stand is one of my favorite horror novels of all time. It’s creepy, the characters are delightful. And after living through Covid 19 which is still very much going on and you should all get your updated booster shots the story is even more relevant. 

Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

I am embarrassed to say that I only read this book this year. And I think I’ve said quite enough about how much I love Shirley Jackson. And how poetic this book is. And how I’ve been haunted by the phrases. 

The House Next Door by Ann Rivers Siddons

I’m actually in the middle of rereading this book right now. And it’s still just as horrifying as the first time. The house, brand new and built with passion, creeps into the minds of its inhabitants and destroys them. 

American Gods by Neil Gaiman 

The show was good, the book was better. The author’s preferred text was even better than that. 

Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

Still a creepy read, every time. It’s one of the best-known haunted house stories in America for a reason. 

From a Buick 8 by Stephen King

I just re-read this one earlier this month. It’s a very soothing read. I think I have a soft spot for this one because it’s based near where I live.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

I’ve gone over and over how much I love this story and this author. Mexican Gothic continues to be the perfect blend of haunted house and dark romance. 

World War Z by Max Brooks

The movie based on this book was horrible. It was just awful. Which is a shame because the book was great. Each chapter is the story of another survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Some are funny, some are scary, and some made me cry. All were great. 

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

I think I’ve reviewed this one as well. Coraline is a dark fairy tale that feels like it’s just scratching the surface of a dark, never-ending world. 

Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

I didn’t see the show, but I devoured this book. The stories were all beautiful, fit together well, and were eerie. If you haven’t read this yet, read it now. 

That’s it for our list today. But I do want to hear from you. What’s your favorite horror novel of all time? Let us know in the comments. 

Amazon/Smashwords

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My top five horror books of 2022

It’s October, and time for some ghoulishly good reading. It’s also clearly time for some bad puns. Sorry, I was raised on Tales From The Crypt and I just can’t help myself. 

In what has become a bit of a tradition around here, I’m sharing the top five best horror books I’ve read this year. I’m only including books that I read for the first time this year. So while I might have reread a few like the classic House Next Door, it won’t be included on the list. 

If you want to follow along with what I’m reading all the time, you can check me out on Goodreads and Bookbub. 

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

I think I’ve made it clear that I fell in love with Shirley Jackson this year. A huge part of this love affair was reading The Lottery or The tales of Mr. Harrington.

I was kind of expecting to slough through this, getting to the title story. But each story was honestly so entrancing that I was lost in all of them. 

End Of Watch by Stephen King

This is the final in the Mr. Mercedes trilogy. It’s the fantastic and gruesome story of a retired detective chasing a psychopath. Of course, this is a psychopath that’s physically a vegetable. For sure the whole trilogy is worth a read. 

Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

I just did a whole review of this book on Haunted MTL. So I don’t want to say much here. I’ll just say that the stories found here are incredibly disturbing. 

Terrifying Tales to Tell At Night collected by Stephen Jones

I didn’t realize this was for kids when I started reading it. But that didn’t stop how much I enjoyed it. There were stories from Neil Gaiman and Stephen King in here, and they weren’t even the best ones. 

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Easily the best horror novel I read this year, The Haunting of Hill House was a pure treat. The haunting in the book was subtle until it reaches up and takes you. Even better, the language of the book is amazing. Some of the best, most haunting lines can be found in this book. And I’m still obsessed with them. 

So that’s it. Those are the five best horror books I read this year. Now I want to hear what you think. What was the best horror book you read in 2022? 

Amazon/Smashwords

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