Monday Musings...

The heat is back and it is even more unbearable than before. Ugh. And yet, I drag myself out of bed and make sure to walk in the early morning - hoping for some cool breeze, but getting stifled by the humidity instead. Oh well, needs must, right? I have to get my steps in - LOL!

The neighborhood is getting in the festive mood of Halloween. I see more and more decorations outside of each house - this year it's all about ghosts for some reason. We went the skeleton and spiders route instead. I did see the coolest Frankenstein - very tall (of course) in an autumnal plaid blazer looking like he was ready to dance it out. I loved it! Oh, and the other morning it was still dark outside when I went for my walk I thought I saw some other people walking towards me. I thought to myself who is that, and then laughed when I realized it was one of those giant garage poster decorations of zombies. It looked 3D in the dark and so I thought they were people walking out of the house. LOL! Talk about trippy. 

Oh, and I finished a book - a spooky one for the season, although it really wasn't that scary thankfully:

I'm still dipping in and out Ghost Stories by Siri Hustvedt. It's about loss, grief, and love - so it's taking me awhile to get through. I am loving it though, so I'm glad I'm taking my time with it. 

I'm not sure what I'll start next, but I'm loving that I have gobbled up two books recently - makes me feel like my love of reading is ignited once again. Hurrah!

The West Wing is the show I've decided to rewatch for the nth time. I love it and it makes me smile. Of course I need to watch the new Tracker episode that premiered last night - I can't wait! I love Colter!

Alright, I better get started at my desk. Wishing you all a great Monday. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Just finished reading...

2. Started a fresh journal for October and I am loving it. I'd been feeling stuck in my journaling, but a new month makes me feel like it's time for a fresh start. So, this is working out perfectly at the moment. 

3. I'm still rewatching Aurora Teagarden on Hallmark and enjoying the mysteries she gets herself caught up in. And, I finally finished A Different World (the new one) and loved it. I can't wait for the next season. 

4. The spiders my sister put up on her house for Halloween decor keeping falling - Yikes! We need to figure out how to keep them stuck on the house. 

5. I've decided to give up sugar again - ugh! I already miss it. LOL!

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

The Memory Tree by Heather Davey

(Thank you to Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book:

A sinister Gothic folk horror from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall, in which a family in modern day England find their new home beset by the terrifying ghosts of the past. Ideal for lovers of gothic chillers by Laura Purcell, Susan Hill and Rebecca Netley.

When her husband, Ben, takes on his first parish in the rural community of Hope-Upon-Barrow, Kate Greenway feels like it could be a fresh start for the family. But from the moment they arrive, something just feels… off. It could be the mysterious housekeeper, Mrs Butterworth, so demanding and controlling of the family. It could be the locals, with their strange rituals and rites. Or it could be the yew tree which stands in their garden, whose presence brings headaches, visions and disturbing, unfamiliar memories that do not belong to Kate. 

As she investigates the strange things happening to her, Kate begins to delve into the history and memories of Hope-upon-Barrow, and the more she uncovers, the more she risks losing herself to something deadly and ancient. 

An extraordinary new Gothic chiller from the bestselling author of The Ghosts of Merry Hall.

my thoughts:

Wow! What a spooky story. Perfect for this holiday season. The Memory Tree by Heather Davey is dark, creepy, and chilling. It's got everything that a great horror story needs - dual timelines to tie the story together, because history always repeats itself and is rather dreadful at times. An old yew tree that is center stage. A small town filled with superstitions and secrets. And, of course, a bit of mystery to keep you on your toes. Oh, and did I mention the characters - unlikeable and unreliable - the exact kind you want in a story that is filled with weird and uncanny moments. How fun and frightful!

I would happily recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking for their next great read. You are going to LOVE this one! Make sure to grab a copy and dive right in. Happy reading!

Thank you Titan Books for providing me with a copy of this book!

Monday Musings...

Eggs and potatoes for brekkie is seriously the best. Especially on a chilly morning. Plus, it provides me with the energy I need to tackle my day. And, today looks like it is going to be a long one. 

I finished the Lucy Foley/Agatha Christie book, Murder At The Grand Alpine Hotel. It was such a fun one and I felt great figuring out whodunit. I always like it when I can piece clues together before the big reveal. LOL!

The next book I gobbled up was:

This was such a fun treat. I loved it! I was right about some of culprits, but not the main one. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, which Hallett just mentioned over on her IG account. 

Also, I’m still watching the new A Different World and LOVING it. Such a great show! I hope they are renewed for several more seasons. It’s fun catching up with the original characters. 

And, I’m rewatching all of the Aurora Teagarden films on Hallmark - I love them and they are perfect for fall. I’m just about to start the third one - Three Bedrooms, One Corpse. 

Alright, I’m off to start crossing off items from my to-do list. Wishing you all a lovely Monday. Take care!

Call Off The Dark: A Novel by Hallie Shepherd

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

A haunting, atmospheric debut thriller with a love story at its heart, following a feisty young woman caught between her husband and a mysterious stranger who disturbs their off-grid life in rural Washington.

Helen and Tyler were soulmates, a couple with a storybook beginning and an enduring bond, until Tyler’s sudden murder shattered her world. Numb with grief and desperate for escape, Helen impulsively marries Wade—a near stranger—and goes off-grid with him to a farmhouse in rural Washington, far from her polished Seattle existence.

By day, Helen, who definitely wasn’t built for canning food and sewing dresses, contemplates setting her garden on fire. By night, she faces down insomnia and PTSD with her collection of poems by Plath and Poe—and daydreaming about her past with Tyler. But the routine of her “trad wife” life is broken when an unexpected traveler Isaac, Wade’s broodingly mysterious brother.

Wade is stunned—Isaac died in a horrific farm accident years ago—and he quietly insists to Helen they are in danger. Helen isn’t sure what to believe. Has Isaac truly come back from the dead? Is Wade manipulating her fragile grip on reality? Or is her mind turning against her? As her suspicions close in from every side, Helen must navigate a maze of secrets, grief, and uncertainty—where trusting the wrong person could be fatal.

A stunningly original debut, Call Off the Dark blends a heart-piercing love story, immersive psychological drama, and spine-tingling thriller, resulting in a multilayered, transportive narrative that reminds us of the magic in human connection and that our truest partners in life can keep us tethered to the world, even from the grave.

my thoughts:

Okay, so when I first started reading this book I had an idea of where the story was going and was not sure I wanted to keep reading, but then somewhere along the way I got hooked and could not put it down for anything. I fell in love with Call Off The Dark and wound up enjoying the book so much in the end.

Shepherd's debut novel is about a haunting love story. Helen and Tyler are true love and then something horrifying ends that love. Now, Helen is married to Wade and living off-grid. She's trying out the #tradwife lifestyle and hating every second of it. Plus, Wade is isolating her more and more when he doesn't bring her along on his trips into town for supplies. And, Helen's only friend is a young woman who visits once in a while, but never for long. Oh, and now Isaac has shown up - a man claiming to be Wade's brother, except Wade has revealed to Helen that Isaac is dead. So, yeah, life off-grid isn't turning out to be the escape that Helen was looking for after all. And, that is all I will share, because you MUST read this book to find out what is really going on and what will become of Helen in the end. 

I would happily recommend Call Off The Dark to anyone and everyone looking for their next Fall read - you are going to fall in deep with this one. The writing is terrific, the story is unputdownable, and the characters are unforgettable. This is a definite must-read! Make sure to check it out!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!