This is a fun YA horror story and I can totally see a series with this! It had all kinds of vibes: spooky, demons, ghosts, 'magical' powers, sibling bonds, etc. And what's even more fun is that this novel has incredible illustrations throughout and even handwritten journal entries. I would consider this 80% novel/20% graphic novel if that makes sense.

I totally flew through this story and I think anyone could do the same! There were some wild action scenes, emotional sisterly bonding scenes, and some intense family secrets and past that come to haunt the present.

I am definitely looking forward to more in this series (fingers crossed!) and recommend this to any YA horror fan! 3.5 stars and rounded up for Goodreads!

Review to come!

I can't even begin to think of a review for this. I mean, on one hand I laughed the entire time... it had some hilarious sexual descriptions and metaphors. But on the other hand, this was so misogynistic and deeply superficial that I literally can't even. Was it worth my time to read this? Absolutely. Is it something I can recommend? Not in a good conscience... LOL

Some fave quotes:

"Despite the devastation the virus was causing across the globe, Alexa felt a rush of excitement every time she picked up the Corona sample, like a pulsating, erect penis, desperate to unleash its devastation on anyone who touched it."

"Alexa’s heart fluttered like it had done the time she’d fucked the farmer’s cross-eyed son and uncrossed his eyes."

"Even the sound of the virus made her ovaries clash together like cymbals."

"...so deprived of the feeling of a hot man-dog inside her lubricated pussy-bun..."

"He filled her with love lotion, which oozed out instantly and spread right across the floor."

It's a tale as old as time. Horny co-ed goes to college for frat parties and illicit affairs but is rebuffed when Covid-19 ruins her social life and she harnesses a personal vendetta and disdain against the virus for making her attend class instead of frat parties. Le sigh. But then she trips in the lab while holding the sample of Covid-19 and it flies through the air and lands in an unknown time machine, transporting the virus back to the 19th century where it re-emerges as Count Covid. She must travel back and stop the virus... or become his lust puppet for the rest of her days.

I can't with this. My "synopsis" is also my review. Just.. no.

House of Sage and Salt is a fast-paced occult read that I definitely recommend! It follows the story of a brother and sister who are being paid thousands of dollars to investigate the house where a woman recently died for a book. She sat dead in the house for some time and things have been rotting. The woman has loads of books and rooms in this house, and the more they look, the more they start realizing who this woman may be. Weird things start happening, the locals are skiddish, and a Reverend intervenes. No one truly knows what this book they are looking for is, but why would someone be paying thousands of dollars to collect it instead of just simply... going to get it?

Chris Cooper has a way of blending cozy mystery with dread, suspense, and fast-paced situations. This is not his first book I've read, but it might actually be my new favorite! 4 stars!

First off this cover is everything. Everything! It was fun revisiting the original tales in graphic novel form and seeing them from that perspective. The illustrations were great and it really just makes me want to watch the movie ASAP.

The 4 new tales, however, were just okay to me. The coloring and illustrations are gorgeous, but the stories lack the shock or suspense and reveals that the original 4 have. They were fun, but they weren't mind blowing.

Still a fun read and will revisit this on Halloween seasons to come. 4 stars!

The Hunting Party is the second book from Lucy Foley that I have read. While this book came out first, I did read The Guest List first. But my interest in that book is what urged me to read more of her work. Similar to The Guest List, this book has an extreme Agatha Christie vibe going on with whodunnit and what happened. A group of friends are all reuniting to go on a hunting trip in the dead of winter storms in the middle of nowhere. What could possibly go wrong?

I enjoyed the pacing of this book as it alternated times as well as narrators, which is probably what kept me turning the pages so quickly, especially in the first 75 or so. Nothing too much seemed to happen within the first 100 pages, but it was alright as we were getting to know some back story of our characters, how they became friends, and just normal "friend" stuff that gets brought up in a reunion... and with alcohol, too. At the end of the day, however, I did not really like any of them. None of them seemed like good people, rational people, or even people I would want to be friends with, let alone get drunk in the middle of nowhere with and go hunt with rifles together.

As the story progresses, we get all of our answers... some of which we did not even know there was a question for in the first place! I did find the big reveal a little eye-rolly and meh as I sighed out loud, "Really...?" Foley did not dwell on it too much, though, so I did not really have to sit and stew about it too long. I credit that to the fast paced, short chapters that change POVs.

I'm still here for Foley and I enjoyed this book, I just thought I might enjoy it a little more. I will say she has me craving some time with snow, though, with the desolate descriptions and eerie setup she had in this one. 3.5 stars!

I added this book to my "Witchtober" TBR this year - I mean with that cover how could I not!? Right? ... uh, right?? *looks around* How come none of y'all told me this has nothing at all to do with witches!? I definitely do not blame myself for never reading the synopsis.

Even though it is the least witchy book I have ever read in my whole life, I still really enjoyed it. The way the story is told is exceptionally unique. It is told from young Jody's perspective and his style is a blend of "Catcher in the Rye" meets a light version of William Faulkner's stream-of-consciousness meets slang. When I started reading I was a little thrown off, but then it all started making sense and it actually enhanced the pace of the book. He uses code instead of certain swear words but after a handful of pages you are able to figure out what everything means, too.

Jody is just so interesting and his thought process is on another level. I laughed so much at some of the things going through his mind! But based on the nature of the story, it definitely takes some humor to not just have your heart break for Jody and the rest of the kids in the story. These kids are essentially orphaned and surrounding themselves with drugs and bad intentions. I flew threw this book because of how intrigued I was with their situation, the attempt to poison apples and stick razors or crack into candy bars, and to see who would and would not get redemption by the end. The ending felt a little abrupt, but that also makes sense based on the the rest of the story and how it was told. But I still would have liked a little more of a "bow on top" or ending that did not feel like more story could be on the next page. 4 stars!

I am not totally sure where to begin with a review for this. And it might be because I have seen the movie a quadrillion times that my stance is extremely biased. The book just lacked... everything. And it added a whole lot of "edgy" misogyny by showing all the things a man can get away with and do that a woman (and God forbid a divorcee) would be "burned at the stake" for even contemplating. It also removed a lot of female empowerment that was so effortlessly portrayed by Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. I saw some links... but whereas the movie seemed to culminate in the women's individual growth and power of friendship and realizing they don't need a man (whether with Daryl Van Horn or their prior love lives) to be happy and successful, this book made me feel the opposite.

One thing the book did justice was validate my disgust for Felicia. She is simply revolting and reprehensible both on paper and on screen. The book, however, did a little number on her husband, Clyde, too. I enjoyed that! But most of the book seemed to ramble on (and ooooooh does Daryl have some boring monologues) about things that might have been more conversation-worthy at the time but have failed to age well. I truly wanted to love this - but this is a case where I will just stick to the much better movie.

It was nice being back in Salem and with Hannah and her friends & family as they are navigating life after the events that occurred in These Witches Don't Burn. We are getting to know Hannah as she explores a healthy relationship with her new girlfriend, which is opposite of how we saw her in the first book as she was healing from a toxic relationship. Since there does not have to be a lot of time explaining the different types of witches and all the characters again, the story picks up pretty quickly and escalates the events from book one to a whole new level. All the Clans and witches are in trouble as the Hunters are developing a drug to end their magic. There are tumultuous relationships, traitors, and more in this installment of the series. I fully expect and anticipate a third book to happen - but who knows?! I want to see even more from Hannah, how she can grow, and how she can succeed in life as a powerful Elemental. I want to see the different types of witches combining their powers more since that was explored here... and see if there are any limits or new threats! 4 stars!