The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice

Being the horror aficionado that I am, and having read so much horror literature in my life (good and bad), I feel pretty comfortable in my own literary criticism and analysis of the horror genre. Any horror writer worth his or her salt is going to prove their worth when they take on the typical … Continue reading The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned by Anne Rice

Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

If you've followed my blog long enough, you'll be familiar with my great disdain for "chick lit," not because I think literature by women for women is bad but because so much of it is terribly written, horribly edited, dumbed down, and the topic of true love is often written about in such a sappy-ass … Continue reading Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado

The connection between food and sex is one I looked at in one of my very first blog posts, which you can read here if you're so inclined. That connection is one of the major threads in this book, as well. In 1925 South America, Gabriela is a young woman from a terribly poor background … Continue reading Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon by Jorge Amado

Talking To The Dead by Helen Dunmore

Helen Dunmore has such a lush style of writing that you often don't notice she's sucking you into a maelstrom of subtle discord until it's too late. Talking to the Dead is the first book by her I'd ever read and her literary style is absolutely amazing, combining the understated unease of family dynamics with … Continue reading Talking To The Dead by Helen Dunmore

Food in Films – Beetlejuice

Well, it's that time of year again, the high holy season of horror, darkness and goth - October! My personal favorite time of year, when I can indulge my love of all things dark and deathly. I can wear black from head to toe and no one bats an eye. I can watch all the … Continue reading Food in Films – Beetlejuice

Cuentos: Tales from the Hispanic Southwest by José Griego y Maestas and Rudolfo Anaya

I'd consider this book of short stories, Cuentos: Tales from the Hispanic Southwest, one of the pivotal books of my childhood. I've mentioned my father and his love of reading, and there were always books around him. In his car, in his house, you name it. As well, being a very strong proponent of civil … Continue reading Cuentos: Tales from the Hispanic Southwest by José Griego y Maestas and Rudolfo Anaya

The Face by Dean Koontz

I've been reading Dean Koontz's books since I was in 7th grade and came across one in the school library at St. Michael's Catholic School, and devoured it in three hours. I was hooked from then on, though his books are definitely hit-or-miss. His style has evolved  over the years, from the straightforward horror of … Continue reading The Face by Dean Koontz

The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp

I'm a sucker for a good, creepy, scary novel, and this one scared the hell out of me, which was awesome. I hadn't read anything genuinely terrifying in ages, but The Last Days of Jack Sparks fit the bill. In spades. It's kind of like The Exorcist meets Black Mirror, except way scarier and more … Continue reading The Last Days of Jack Sparks by Jason Arnopp

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Thanks to ET for the photography. Anymore, reading about the experiences of immigrants who come to this country seems to be the norm. It makes sense, after all. We are a country built almost entirely upon waves of immigrants from around the globe. My own family were immigrants from Spain and the Netherlands via Mexico … Continue reading The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Photography by me. It’s a simple premise. Imagine that all the gods of ancient mythology and all the characters of folklore – we’re talking Anubis, Odin, Kali, Johnny Appleseed, John Bunyan, the Easter Bunny……well, maybe not quite a rabbit  -from every background and corner of the globe, actually existed and are still alive today, waging … Continue reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman