The Waiting Room by F.G. Cottam

F.G. Cottam is my new favorite author of horror, supernatural and paranormal fiction. He's published several works, and I'd previously blogged The House of Lost Souls, which was the first book I read by him and the one that hooked me into his elegant, spare and eerie style of writing. The Waiting Room is a … Continue reading The Waiting Room by F.G. Cottam

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

In honor of this month's Fandom Foodie recipe takeover, of which I am the host and the theme of which is food based on Mexican literature and/or inspired by Day of the Dead - el Dia de los Muertos - as well as my adoration for this marvelous book Like Water for Chocolate, I decided to … Continue reading Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Probably one of the creepiest books I've ever read, and that's saying something, because I love ghost stories. The Haunting of Hill House is effective because it doesn't actually show any ghosts, there are no murderers chasing anyone, no demons possessing souls, no vampires sucking blood, no monsters under the bed. There is just the … Continue reading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I didn't read this book until just a few months ago, and I could kick myself for not having devoured it sooner. Such a marvelous universe, this alternate world of circuses and magic and love. It actually put me in mind of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, in that sense of whimsical magic and a … Continue reading The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Heroines of the Medieval World by Sharon Bennett Connolly

I think I've mentioned my lack of enthusiasm for most non-fiction books before. However, I discovered Sharon Bennett Connolly's amazing blog, History, The Interesting Bits, a few years ago, and her subsequent book, Heroines of the Medieval World, so hooked me into her writing that I immediately ordered the book and was sucked into the … Continue reading Heroines of the Medieval World by Sharon Bennett Connolly

Sexy Sunday! Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

DISCLAIMER! The following post contains explicit sexual language and profanity. You've been warned! Welcome to the second installation of Sexy Sunday, my monthly collaboration with fellow blogger The Bookworm Drinketh, in which we read a book infamous for its sex scene or scenes; she writes a review and does her usual cocktail-to-go-with, and I write … Continue reading Sexy Sunday! Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Very much a fairy tale for adults, Neverwhere tells the story of Richard Mayhew, a London commuter who stops to help a young woman lying bleeding on the sidewalk one night, and finds himself in the alternate universe of London Underground. The parallels with Alice in Wonderland are fairly obvious - falling into an underground … Continue reading Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen

I didn't actually intend to blog this book, not that it wasn't enjoyable but because I had actually forgotten I had it on my bookshelves. As fortune would have it, I found some late-summer squash blossoms at my nearby grower's market yesterday morning, along with many other garden goodies. Anyway, back to the book. Set in … Continue reading The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen

Sexy Sunday! Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth

WARNING! Today's post contains explicit sexual language and profanity. Isn't that awesome? Today marks the first collaboration I've done with a fellow blogger, and I can't tell you how simultaneously excited and amused I am to be doing this. The genesis of Sexy Sunday came from a post that Nicole at The Bookworm Drinketh (and … Continue reading Sexy Sunday! Portnoy’s Complaint by Philip Roth

Beauty by Robin McKinley

As I've shared before, I am a sucker for fairy tales. Whether it's the Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, Angela Carter, Italo Calvino, Neil Gaiman, Gregory Maguire, or Robin McKinley, the tales of kings, queens, princesses, trolls, talking animals, enchanted castles, and beasts have fascinated me since I was a little girl. But … Continue reading Beauty by Robin McKinley