Mr. McCane
The title and the author’s name alone grabbed my attention. The author describes this book as “the everything bagel of horror” and promises “a twist ending that perfectly explains everything.” It has ghosts, werewolves, vampires, creepy dolls, and haunted Polaroid cameras. Everything you’d expect from the author of the Goosebumps series.
The story follows two siblings who move onto Nightmare Street, where all kinds of strange things start happening. It then shifts to another set of siblings experiencing similar events. The book is told in four parts, with chapters alternating between the two sets of siblings.
My issues: I really disliked the ending, and the pacing bothered me a bit. I just didn’t understand the overall point of the book. However, if you haven’t read a Goosebumps book in a while or you’re a fan of R. L. Stine, you may enjoy it more than I did. I can’t wait to try this out on my future grandchildren.
I’d recommend this more for middle-grade readers or anyone looking for a light, spooky read.
The title and the author’s name alone grabbed my attention. The author describes this book as “the everything bagel of horror” and promises “a twist ending that perfectly explains everything.” It has ghosts, werewolves, vampires, creepy dolls, and haunted Polaroid cameras. Everything you’d expect from the author of the Goosebumps series.
The story follows two siblings who move onto Nightmare Street, where all kinds of strange things start happening. It then shifts to another set of siblings experiencing similar events. The book is told in four parts, with chapters alternating between the two sets of siblings.
My issues: I really disliked the ending, and the pacing bothered me a bit. I just didn’t understand the overall point of the book. However, if you haven’t read a Goosebumps book in a while or you’re a fan of R. L. Stine, you may enjoy it more than I did. I can’t wait to try this out on my future grandchildren.
I’d recommend this more for middle-grade readers or anyone looking for a light, spooky read.
Compton Street Legend
I picked up both the audiobook and the physical copy because I was ready for answers about what happened to my favorite rapper, Tupac.
It started off strong, revisiting the night of the shooting, but that quickly shifted into bragging about himself. I’m talking full-blown arrogance.
He goes into more detail about the murder, then circles right back to comparing himself to the Barack Obama of the streets. Basically, he paints himself as the only real gangster while everyone else is fake.
Oh, and I don’t want to forget, he claims to hate snitches, but admits to doing exactly that for two decades.
And the worst part is that I can’t even tell if he’s lying or not.
Ultimately, his overwhelming ego made this a frustrating read. I did not enjoy this book.
I picked up both the audiobook and the physical copy because I was ready for answers about what happened to my favorite rapper, Tupac.
It started off strong, revisiting the night of the shooting, but that quickly shifted into bragging about himself. I’m talking full-blown arrogance.
He goes into more detail about the murder, then circles right back to comparing himself to the Barack Obama of the streets. Basically, he paints himself as the only real gangster while everyone else is fake.
Oh, and I don’t want to forget, he claims to hate snitches, but admits to doing exactly that for two decades.
And the worst part is that I can’t even tell if he’s lying or not.
Ultimately, his overwhelming ego made this a frustrating read. I did not enjoy this book.
JR Mason did not come to play with this series. What an incredible ending! I rarely binge series back-to-back, but the second I finished book two, I immediately started book three. No hesitation.
This one wastes no time and goes straight for the jugular. The twists, turns, and action were on point. And I don’t care what she says, I need another book immediately.
I immersive read the entire series, and honestly, it should be illegal not to listen to anything she narrates. While the entire series is phenomenal, book three takes the top spot for me. This book pulled me all the way back into the genre.
Do yourself a favor and just read it.
JR Mason did not come to play with this series. What an incredible ending! I rarely binge series back-to-back, but the second I finished book two, I immediately started book three. No hesitation.
This one wastes no time and goes straight for the jugular. The twists, turns, and action were on point. And I don’t care what she says, I need another book immediately.
I immersive read the entire series, and honestly, it should be illegal not to listen to anything she narrates. While the entire series is phenomenal, book three takes the top spot for me. This book pulled me all the way back into the genre.
Do yourself a favor and just read it.
Wow, I was wondering if the author could top book one, and yes, she absolutely did. We’re once again following the Pittsburgh Violent Crime Unit as they try to arrest one of the most heinous serial killers they’ve ever encountered.
In this installment, it appears as if justice has been served, and the citizens are in the middle of recovering. Suddenly, there’s another victim. Law enforcement must now determine whether they suspected the wrong person or if a copycat is responsible.
If you’re a fan of Law & Order or Criminal Minds, then this one is for you. I’m having a lot of fun with this series, and the narration is top tier. To avoid spoiling anything, I won’t say more. I will say, though, I’m a little disappointed I had to stop reading book three just to write this review for book two. So I’ll leave you with this: read the damn series, you won’t be disappointed.
Wow, I was wondering if the author could top book one, and yes, she absolutely did. We’re once again following the Pittsburgh Violent Crime Unit as they try to arrest one of the most heinous serial killers they’ve ever encountered.
In this installment, it appears as if justice has been served, and the citizens are in the middle of recovering. Suddenly, there’s another victim. Law enforcement must now determine whether they suspected the wrong person or if a copycat is responsible.
If you’re a fan of Law & Order or Criminal Minds, then this one is for you. I’m having a lot of fun with this series, and the narration is top tier. To avoid spoiling anything, I won’t say more. I will say, though, I’m a little disappointed I had to stop reading book three just to write this review for book two. So I’ll leave you with this: read the damn series, you won’t be disappointed.
The hold this book had on me should be illegal. Judge Stone is a legal thriller and courtroom drama centered on a 13-year-old girl named Nova, who becomes pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Bria Gaines, the town’s doctor performs an illegal abortion on Nova that results in her being arrested and indicted for murder. She’s facing life in prison. While the premise alone is worth reading, it’s the characters, the town, and the courtroom drama that kept my eyes and ears glued to the story. It’s the biggest trial this small town in Alabama (Union Springs) has ever seen, and one of the most controversial in the South.
First, it’s narrated by Viola Davis. If you’ve read her memoir (Finding Me), then you already know what to expect from her performance. With that being said, I highly recommend the audiobook. The characters are incredibly engaging, and I loved the pacing, the short chapters, and the thought-provoking conversations the book brings with it. It’s perfect for a book club.
This story forces you to reflect on where we are as a country, and the politics surrounding it. Also, what’s considered important and more specifically, who’s considered important. Legally, it’s a straightforward case. Ethically and morally, it is not. The book takes place in 2026, but feels like it’s set decades earlier.
I work in a courthouse as a District Attorney Investigator. It was easy for me to see how law enforcement and the DA’s office mishandled the case from the very beginning. Their focus was never on who impregnated a 13-year-old, which is a huge part of the case.
The book shifts between first and third person perspectives. I was initially concerned that this might be distracting, but it wasn’t. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve genuinely enjoyed that style. Overall, it was a great read and it absolutely needs to be turned into a movie ASAP. Also, now I want to own a farm, don’t judge me.
The hold this book had on me should be illegal. Judge Stone is a legal thriller and courtroom drama centered on a 13-year-old girl named Nova, who becomes pregnant after being sexually assaulted. Bria Gaines, the town’s doctor performs an illegal abortion on Nova that results in her being arrested and indicted for murder. She’s facing life in prison. While the premise alone is worth reading, it’s the characters, the town, and the courtroom drama that kept my eyes and ears glued to the story. It’s the biggest trial this small town in Alabama (Union Springs) has ever seen, and one of the most controversial in the South.
First, it’s narrated by Viola Davis. If you’ve read her memoir (Finding Me), then you already know what to expect from her performance. With that being said, I highly recommend the audiobook. The characters are incredibly engaging, and I loved the pacing, the short chapters, and the thought-provoking conversations the book brings with it. It’s perfect for a book club.
This story forces you to reflect on where we are as a country, and the politics surrounding it. Also, what’s considered important and more specifically, who’s considered important. Legally, it’s a straightforward case. Ethically and morally, it is not. The book takes place in 2026, but feels like it’s set decades earlier.
I work in a courthouse as a District Attorney Investigator. It was easy for me to see how law enforcement and the DA’s office mishandled the case from the very beginning. Their focus was never on who impregnated a 13-year-old, which is a huge part of the case.
The book shifts between first and third person perspectives. I was initially concerned that this might be distracting, but it wasn’t. In fact, it’s the first time I’ve genuinely enjoyed that style. Overall, it was a great read and it absolutely needs to be turned into a movie ASAP. Also, now I want to own a farm, don’t judge me.
Brandy really laid it all out in this memoir. I had it preordered because I just knew she was going to reveal things we hadn’t heard before, and she did not disappoint. This book is raw, detailed, and filled with a few shocking, “WTF” moments.
Apparently, I knew nothing about her. I spent most of the book reading with a surprised look on my face. We learn about her childhood, her rise to superstardom, and all the good, and terrible things that followed.
I admired her resilience and the way she tried to remain respectful to people who didn’t extend that same grace to her. Some of my favorite moments included hearing about her close bond with her brother, Ray J, her disclosure about being taken advantage of as a teenager by an adult superstar, her interactions with Aaliyah and Monica, plus a few other things I won’t spoil. I was completely immersed, and experiencing it alongside her narration made it even better.
That said, I didn’t like that she only portrayed her brother in a positive light. Over the years, we’ve seen him embarrass both himself and her, and I wanted more honesty about that. He felt too protected. She also came across as a bit too “Miss Goody Two-Shoes.” There have been plenty of stories circulating about her being conniving or difficult with others. Names like Foxy Brown, Adina Howard, and Shyne come to mind. I expected more transparency. Hopefully, Ray J will tell his story one day.
Brandy really laid it all out in this memoir. I had it preordered because I just knew she was going to reveal things we hadn’t heard before, and she did not disappoint. This book is raw, detailed, and filled with a few shocking, “WTF” moments.
Apparently, I knew nothing about her. I spent most of the book reading with a surprised look on my face. We learn about her childhood, her rise to superstardom, and all the good, and terrible things that followed.
I admired her resilience and the way she tried to remain respectful to people who didn’t extend that same grace to her. Some of my favorite moments included hearing about her close bond with her brother, Ray J, her disclosure about being taken advantage of as a teenager by an adult superstar, her interactions with Aaliyah and Monica, plus a few other things I won’t spoil. I was completely immersed, and experiencing it alongside her narration made it even better.
That said, I didn’t like that she only portrayed her brother in a positive light. Over the years, we’ve seen him embarrass both himself and her, and I wanted more honesty about that. He felt too protected. She also came across as a bit too “Miss Goody Two-Shoes.” There have been plenty of stories circulating about her being conniving or difficult with others. Names like Foxy Brown, Adina Howard, and Shyne come to mind. I expected more transparency. Hopefully, Ray J will tell his story one day.
This is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. The Mountains Sing is a Vietnamese historical fiction novel that I absolutely needed. I try my best to read diversely, and this one left me thoroughly impressed.
We follow four generations of the Tran family, told from two perspectives: Dieu Lan and her granddaughter, Huong. What the grandmother goes through is heartbreaking. The writing is so well done that you feel as if you’re there.
During the post World War II era, Japan was wreaking havoc in North Vietnam. The grandmother had to flee with her five children. While being responsible for their safety, she’s forced to make terrible but understandable decisions.
Years later, she again has to survive a war, but this time it’s the Resistance War against America (the Vietnam War), with her granddaughter, Huong. Huong also endures a lot, leading me to become emotionally attached to her character and reflect on the violence the Vietnamese people suffered throughout the 20th century.
The story goes back and forth between the two POVs. I initially thought I would hate that, but I didn’t. I actually enjoyed it.
This book not only shows how terrible war is but also what it looks like from the receiving end of American and Japanese weapons.
This book contains extremely triggering content, so if you decide to read it, bring out the Kleenex. It’s a page-turning, beautiful, heartbreaking tearjerker, and I loved it. I learned a lot from this history lesson, and I’m thirsty for more. I just picked up Dust Child by this author, and I’m jumping right in.
This is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. The Mountains Sing is a Vietnamese historical fiction novel that I absolutely needed. I try my best to read diversely, and this one left me thoroughly impressed.
We follow four generations of the Tran family, told from two perspectives: Dieu Lan and her granddaughter, Huong. What the grandmother goes through is heartbreaking. The writing is so well done that you feel as if you’re there.
During the post World War II era, Japan was wreaking havoc in North Vietnam. The grandmother had to flee with her five children. While being responsible for their safety, she’s forced to make terrible but understandable decisions.
Years later, she again has to survive a war, but this time it’s the Resistance War against America (the Vietnam War), with her granddaughter, Huong. Huong also endures a lot, leading me to become emotionally attached to her character and reflect on the violence the Vietnamese people suffered throughout the 20th century.
The story goes back and forth between the two POVs. I initially thought I would hate that, but I didn’t. I actually enjoyed it.
This book not only shows how terrible war is but also what it looks like from the receiving end of American and Japanese weapons.
This book contains extremely triggering content, so if you decide to read it, bring out the Kleenex. It’s a page-turning, beautiful, heartbreaking tearjerker, and I loved it. I learned a lot from this history lesson, and I’m thirsty for more. I just picked up Dust Child by this author, and I’m jumping right in.