‘Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King

I'm most certainly a broken record when it comes to Stephen King at this point. Many of you probably saw King's name in the review title and thought, "I can sit this one out, since it'll be nothing but praise and adulation for King." I mean…you would not be wrong about that. King's career has … Continue reading ‘Salem’s Lot, by Stephen King →

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire

I try not to hop on bandwagons, but I could not help myself. The Wicked movie, based on the acclaimed Broadway musical, based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, captured my imagination unlike any movie I've seen in forever. If Elphaba and Glinda were icons before this movie, they have been absolutely cemented into pop culture … Continue reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire →

Holes, by Louis Sachar

Welcome to another edition of "Book that Stephanie Liked a Lot as a Kid But Did not Fully Appreciate Until Adulthood." And this time, we're covering the children's classic Holes. Holes appeared in me and my sisters' classroom libraries when the 2003 Disney movie adaptation came out. All three of us read it, and consequently, … Continue reading Holes, by Louis Sachar →

Twelfth Knight, by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Of all Shakespeare's comedies to adapt for a modern audience, Twelfth Night is a terrific one. Playing around with gender and sexual identities plays very well into a comedy about everyone falling in love with the wrong person without it being too weird. And what a genius move it was to use an anonymous MMORPG … Continue reading Twelfth Knight, by Alexene Farol Follmuth →

A Secret Princess, by Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl

I'm not sure when crossovers were invented, but my goodness, are they fun! Whether they happen in movies, TV, or in books, it's a mind-blowing experience to see different stories cross paths to make even more creative and epic adventures. I remember Nickelodeon and Disney Channel building up these huge crossover events between their biggest … Continue reading A Secret Princess, by Melissa de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl →

Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft

I admit that I have not read a short story collection since grad school, but when you're looking for a very particular story, but you don't want to commit to a full-length book, these collections can come in real handy. In this case, being that it's spooky season and naturally I am all about the … Continue reading Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft →

Weyward, by Emilia Hart

The same way I've discovered a fervent enjoyment for stories about crazy entitled or religious people, I've grown a fondness for stories about strong women discovering their own inner power. Or, in the case of Weyward, their own inner magic. In 1619 England, a young village healer named Altha Weyward is charged in court as … Continue reading Weyward, by Emilia Hart →

A Head Full of Ghosts, by Paul Tremblay

You probably wouldn't know from this blog, but I actually consume horror stories quite often. I am subscribed to many a true crime YouTube channel, and I sometimes listen to Reddit stories about close encounters with scary people. I find them very mentally engaging when I'm waiting for the next penny to drop, caught in … Continue reading A Head Full of Ghosts, by Paul Tremblay →

Sun and Moon, Snow and Ice, by Jessica Day George

Some people forget that many familiar fairy tales like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, and so on, have similar retellings or interpretations across the world. Case in point: East of the Sun, West of the Moon, a Norwegian variation of Beauty and the Beast that takes place in the far North and the … Continue reading Sun and Moon, Snow and Ice, by Jessica Day George →