Beer, Books and Boos

 It was creepy and uncomfortable and I absolutely loved it. I listened to the audio as I followed along in the physical book. The narrator did great with all the characters especially one of the side characters that was a drunk, he nailed it. Dan Simmons writing kept me hooked and it flowed really nicely without it being info dumpy. I do have to say there are some trigger warnings for animals deaths, you might have to look up other TW before reading the book. It was a good coming of age horror book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves horror and coming of age books. Well I will be recommending this book to all my friends and family. This reads like a stand alone book and you really don't have to read the others in this 'series' but from what others have said I would definitely read the others books. Which that is what I will be doing ASAP. 

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead. Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mountains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over. But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life. When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days. By turns heartwarming and heartbreaking, this absorbing tale of grief and hope is told with TJ Klune's signature warmth, humor, and extraordinary empathy. Review: I don't know how to put into words how much I loved this book and I read it at the perfec...

  Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones Series:  NA Rating: 4.0 Recommend:  Yes Synopsis: He was born an outsider, like the rest of his family. Poor yet resilient, he lives in the shadows with his Aunt Libby and Uncle Darren, folk who stubbornly make their way in a society that does not understand or want them. They are mongrels, mixedblood, neither this nor that. The boy at the center of Mongrels must decide if he belongs on the road with his aunt and uncle, or if he fits with the people on the other side of the tracks.For ten years, he and his family have lived a life of late-night exits and close calls—always on the move across the South to stay one step ahead of the law. But the time is drawing near when Darren and Libby will know if their nephew is like them or not. And the close calls they’ve been running from for so long are catching up fast, now. Everything is about to change.A compelling and fascinating journey, Mongrels alternates between past and present to create a...

  The Scent of Rain by Robyn Locksley Series: The Magnolia #2  Rating:  3.0  Recommend: Yes Review:   I should have read the first book in the series before this because I didn’t feel for any of the characters or the story. That is my own fault and I will be picking up the first book. I did enjoy the writing and will be picking up more from Robyn Locksley soon.  This was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and relax on a Sunday. Thank you Robyn Locksley and Voracious Readers for letting me read and review this book.

  The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant Series: N/A Rating: 4.0 Recommend: Yes Synopsis: Cordelia comes from a long line of magical milliners, who weave alchemy and enchantment into every hat. In Cordelia's world, Making - crafting items such as hats, cloaks, watches, boots and gloves from magical ingredients - is a rare and ancient skill, and only a few special Maker families remain. When Cordelia's father Prospero and his ship, the Jolly Bonnet, are lost at sea during a mission to collect hat ingredients, Cordelia is determined to find him. But Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Ariadne have no time to help the littlest Hatmaker, for an ancient rivalry between the Maker families is threatening to surface. Worse, someone seems to be using Maker magic to start a war. Review: This was the cutest and sweetest book I have read this year, it is perfect story about friendship and family. My niece would love this book and I will be buying this for her. Cordelia is a wonderful character and watchi...

What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo Series: N/A Rating:  4.5 Recommend:   Yes Synopsis: Eleanor has not seen or spoken with her family in years, not since they sent her away to Saint Brigid's boarding school. She knows them only as vague memories: her grandfather's tremendous fanged snout, the barrel full of water her mother always soaked in, and strange hunting trips in a dark wood with her sister and cousins. And she remembers the way they looked at her, like she was the freak. When Eleanor finally finds the courage to confront her family and return to their ancestral home on the rainy coast of Maine, she finds them already gathered in wait, seemingly ready to welcome her back with open arms. "I read this in the cards," her grandmother tells her. However, Grandma Persephone doesn't see all, for just as Eleanor is beginning to readjust to the life she always longed for, a strange and sudden death rocks the family, leaving Eleanor to manage this difficult new dynamic wit...