5 stars - full review to come

Another fun Goosebumps re-read full of so many of the things that make me love these books: sibling rivalry, coming-of-age, non-believer parents, dogs, and things that go bump in the night or when adults are not looking!

I have always loved gnomes and so this was a treat to revisit. I forgot how it ended and the twist of it all, so I was pleasantly surprised on those last couple of chapters! Definitely one I recommend that stands out in the series as a whole - 4 stars!

Book 3 is where things really start to expand in the Harry Potter universe. We see a lot more classes and learn so many more things about the magical world, we get some more action-packed Quidditch matches, and we really get to see more about Harry's past and how it is colliding with his present. Each book we get a glimpse at who Harry's parents were and the mystery surrounding their tragic deaths. I absolutely love this book and how it introduces us to so many new things like more Dark Arts spells (i.e., riddikulus, expecto patronum, etc), Dementors and Azkaban, Hogsmeade, and Animagi! And that owl letter that Harry gets at the end... ugh... always makes me smile and want to cry at the same time... Another 5 stars for this one!

Let's go back to the late 1800s and hang out with H.H. Holmes and his murder castle! For those who do not know, Holmes was an infamous con artist and has been labeled America's first serial killer. There have been documentaries and books about him, the most popular probably being The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. But what we do not get a chance to hear are the voices of his victims. All of those men and women he killed had their light snuffed out too early and they were seemingly gone without a trace. This novella explores some of those victims and we get to see their actions leading up to their untimely demise. The chapters/stories end suddenly - the same way their lives ended. We get a glimpse into their last moments before Holmes takes everything from them.

Sara Tantlinger and Matthew Corely really have something special with this novella as it is part of a Kickstarter campaign that includes an RPG companion book. Their Kickstarter was a success, and you can learn more about the entire operation here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/37222410/the-devils-city-for-5e

Be on the lookout for this! If you enjoy reading about serial killers then you definitely need this one! A huge thanks to Sara Tantlinger and Matthew Corley for sending copies to the Night Worms group for our book party review!

A Collection of Dreamscapes is my first collection of poetry by Christina Sng - and because of this I am absolutely going to snag a copy of a previous collection titled A Collection of Nightmares. The cover is what first drew me in to this book of poems because, well, have you seen that stunning art??

These poems are haunting, stunning, and poignant. A few of them I read more than once just so I could fully grasp all that was being written down. And I found that reading them aloud helped slow my consumption so that I could feel and absorb them in the best way. This practice also helped me because, as the title suggests, some of these poems are quite dreamlike and you don't always see the full picture at first. So going back over it or purposefully slowing down really enriches the reading experience. I decided to take my time with this and only read a few poems in the morning or the evening. Spreading this out over 2-3 weeks was a treat I gave myself, and one I hope to gain with her other published works as well.

I highly recommend this dark and enchanting collection of work from Christina Sng. You will really be moved by the way she puts these poems and stories together. From myths of death and rebirth to monsters and fairy tales, this is a solid collection!

My many thanks to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for this copy and for creating another Sng fan in the world! 4.5 stars and rounding up for Goodreads!

Based on the cover of this book, I had no idea what to expect. And sometimes that is the first thing a reader sees. But I knew that it was written by Jeremy Robert Johnson so it already had that working positively for it. Reading the synopsis it gets compared as Stranger Things meets World War Z... so another great thing going for it! I will say, however, that after reading and loving this book, it has so much more going on than a Stranger Things and World War Z mashup. Using that comparison does not do it justice with how great this book is. I do see the connection: small town, younger teens, conspiracies, and a government that effed up.

The book has so many great things: a strong protagonist, witty dialogue, a creepy mystery to be solved if you don't die, government conspiracies, life and death, tons of action, and a podcaster on the search for truth and justice! Oh, and I basically gasped multiple times and cried. Not only does Johnson serve you a gilded book on a platter, but he uses that book to break your heart (in the best way possible, of course, because that is totally a thing!)

I read this in two sittings - only because I had to stop and go to sleep! Before I knew it I was finished with the book and I just had to stare at the wall and gather my feelings and heart from the bottom of the floor. This book was a JOURNEY and it was one I am so thankful for taking! 5 stars! ALL THE FIVE STARS!

Thank you Saga Press and Jeremy Robert Johnson for this ARC! The Night Worms had a great time with this book party! #NightWormsInTheLoop

Wow...just wow! King just served us a legendary collection with If It Bleeds. Comprised of 4 novellas, this collection blew my mind and each story just left me speechless and with all the feels. I smiled, I laughed, I danced, I was horrified, and I cried. I literally ran the gamut of emotions with this collection. I could have read an entire book on each (and the title story alone was QUITE long - I still could have enjoyed another 150-200 pages!). This is just... again, wow! 5 stars - EASY!

One of the blurbs on the back of the book has this to say about We Wait: "Hill House for the 21st century: haunting, dark, and very, very real." It's a statement that I can support!

Megan Taylor gives us a chilling and modern gothic horror story with We Wait. It is atmospheric, spooky, and the character development is wonderful. The story takes places in 2016 and 1986 with some overlapping characters in each time, and this time hop is a way to slowly unveil some of the history of the house and its former inhabitants as we advance along in the story.

There are some "real" and sadly relevant horrors in this book as well - I do not want to give TOO much away because that plot/sub-plot of the book was a total surprise to me! And I am here for it! But it just adds to the looming darkness of the book.

A fun, yet serious, and great read! Highly recommended for fans of Susan Hill or Shirley Jackson - and Megan Taylor does her own little twist on what makes those aforementioned authors so loved as well. 4 stars from me!

I am really falling in love with this Rewind or Die series presented by Unnerving! The Kelping is just the latest read for me in this series and it stays true to the characteristics and features that make all of these books successful for me!

With The Kelping we get small coastal towns (which I love a small town but I REALLY love a small COASTAL town even more), mermaids, and betrayal! Stinchcomb crafts quite the punchy story in less than 70 pages, and it is one that I could read an entire book about! I would love to get to know these characters and their backgrounds even more... to see their previous struggles and growth and everything that led them to their current state.

This is a quick read and it will grab your attention immediately... check it out! 3 stars from me!

That was QUITE possibly the absolute best *twist* at the end of a Goosebumps book ever! Totally never saw it coming... and it was just so great - even when they point out how I could have almost sensed/guessed something... I never in a million years would have predicted that ending! Great book! 4.5 stars!