Cujo, by Stephen King

You all know the drill by now: Stephen King's name pops up on this blog and I generally laud the author and the story he created. And that's what I usually expect to write when I go into each of his books. I was a little wary of Cujo, though, because how could King build … Continue reading Cujo, by Stephen King →

Pen Pal, by J.T. Geissinger

The next time someone suggests a book that has any sort of popularity on TikTok, I should just not bother. Or at least do my own damn research on a book before deciding to consume it. I first heard of Pen Pal in a TBR video from a YouTuber that I typically get horror movie … Continue reading Pen Pal, by J.T. Geissinger →

The Housemaid, by Frieda McFadden

Many domestic thrillers tell the same story: a picture-perfect suburban family (often wealthy, white, and Christian) is hiding a deadly secret that threatens their perfect image. But gosh darn it if that formula does not give so much space to play with everyday domestic anxieties and create powerful emotional responses. The Housemaid is almost as … Continue reading The Housemaid, by Frieda McFadden →

The Writing Retreat, by Julia Bartz

When trying to find something to read, I thought maybe I would need something frothy and fantastical. Given everything going on in the world right now, it seemed like the best solution. It worked during the pandemic, so I thought it would work now too. But nothing seemed interesting. Then, I was going back and … Continue reading The Writing Retreat, by Julia Bartz →