Ellesfena – Page 11 – Cannonball Read 17

Still Not Sure How to Feel About This One

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

August 4, 2021 by Ellesfena 4 Comments

Bingo category: Rec’d (by Mobius Walker) The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires isn’t exactly what I thought it was, based on the title. I was picturing a silly piece of fluff, full of ridiculous Southern sayings, mint juleps, genteel, condescending white women in Lilly Pulitzer dabbing their foreheads with handkerchiefs and gossiping in between killing vampires. A sort of vampire cozy. To Grady Hendrix’s credit, he wrote something much more substantial than that. It’s completely bizarre and definitely has some issues, but it […]

In the cold clear light of day down here, everyone’s a monster

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

August 1, 2021 by Ellesfena 2 Comments

Bingo square: Travel (from Jakarta to Amsterdam) A couple years ago I read Stuart Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. I didn’t like it, exactly, but I also couldn’t put it down and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. When I saw a review of The Devil and the Dark Water on CBR, I checked it out from the library almost immediately. I knew, even if I didn’t really like it, it was going to be an exciting, fascinating, un-put-down-able ride. As it […]

Here we go again

Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford

July 26, 2021 by Ellesfena Leave a Comment

Bingo square: Pandemic Series: Greenglass House. This is Book #2, I read and reviewed Book #1 last October. What I remembered about this series prior to reading this book: Smugglers, Christmas, thieves, tabletop roleplaying games, and adoption issues handled with sensitivity. I enjoyed Greenglass House quite a bit. Why I stopped reading the series: I wasn’t sure if I needed to know more about the characters–I felt good with where they were after Book 1. I might have picked up Book 2 even if I weren’t trying […]

Young Women in Impossible Situations

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware

July 11, 2021 by Ellesfena Leave a Comment

Bingo, The Turn of the Key: Free! (borrowed from an in-law) Bingo, The Death of Mrs. Westaway: Fauna (the magpies on the cover play an important role in the book) The Turn of the Key: This mystery is a retelling of The Turn of the Screw (which I’ve never read). The only reason I read it was because I got a free copy, and while I didn’t exactly like it, I also found that I needed to know what had happened and didn’t really want […]

Each Unhappy Family is Unhappy in Its Own Way

Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family by Robert Kolker

July 11, 2021 by Ellesfena Leave a Comment

Bingo category: Rep Don and Mimi Galvin had twelve children, ten boys and two girls. Six of their sons were diagnosed with schizophrenia. In Hidden Valley Road, Robert Kolker tells the Galvins’ story, as well as exploring the history of schizophrenia research and treatment, and its current state. The resulting book is fascinating and incredibly depressing. The story mostly centers on the two daughters, Margaret and Lindsay, who are also the two youngest children in the family. It’s clear that Kolker primarily spoke to these […]

In a Bit of a Rut

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

July 10, 2021 by Ellesfena Leave a Comment

Bingo square: New Series (first book published in 2019) Series: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. This is book #2, I read book #1 in April of this year (and reviewed it). What I remembered about the series prior to reading this book: It’s only been a few months, so you’d think a lot. But I’d already forgotten the plot of the first book although I did remember the main characters, Pip and Ravi (and I certainly remember how something bad happens to Pip’s dog […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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