Review: Schoolbus Graveyard - Volume #1 - Red - June 2026 There's a particular kind of tired that makes a proper novel feel like too much. You want to read, your brain just isn't up for heavy lifting. That's when I reach for a graphic novel, and Schoolbus Graveyard turned out to be exactly the itch-scratcher I was after. Ashlyn is a loner, and she's perfectly happy that way. Then a school field trip goes horribly wrong, and suddenly she and a handful of classmates can see a monstrous phantom that nobody else can. The good news is it can't hurt them. The bad news is that at midnight the sky turns red, and everything changes. What I loved most is the pacing. Volume One collects episodes 1 to 32, and it moves along at such a clip that I kept telling myself "just one more chapter" while my tea went cold beside me. The story doesn't waste your time. Each episode nudges you along with a new scare, a new clue about the curse, or a new wobble in the ...

Review: Dead Girls - Girls Just Wanna Get Even - Beck Kubrick - September 2026 I'll be honest, I picked this one up expecting a fun, gory romp through slasher tropes, and while I absolutely got that, I wasn't prepared for how much this graphic novel would sneak up on me emotionally. Dead Girls is exactly what it promises on the tin  a love letter to slasher films but it's the friendship at its center that really got under my skin. Clossdale is the kind of small town that horror fans will recognize instantly: pretty on the surface, rotten underneath, and apparently cursed with an alarming body count of teenage girls. When a fifth victim turns up, suspicion immediately falls on Ash, the daughter of a notorious serial killer. There's something so viscerally unfair about watching Ash carry the weight of her mother's crimes, and I found myself rooting for her from page one  not because she's a perfect heroine, but because she's angry, and she has every right to ...

Review: Faith Still Moves Mountains - Harris Faulkner - November 2022 I’ll admit that I’ve been a little slack this year when it comes to reading non-fiction. One of my reading goals was to mix things up a little and include more non-fiction on my TBR, and while I have managed to read a handful, it definitely hasn’t happened as often as I intended. So when Faith Still Moves Mountains by Harris Faulkner arrived as one of my birthday books through a Birthday Bookstagram group I’m part of, I was intrigued to see what this collection of faith-based stories would have to offer. And honestly, this was a lovely reminder of why sometimes it’s good to step outside our usual reading comfort zones. Faith Still Moves Mountains is a collection of powerful stories and testimonies that explore moments when people have experienced God’s presence, guidance and miracles in their lives. At its heart is the message that even in a world that can sometimes feel incredibly dark, uncertain and overwhelming, t...

Review: Killer Story - The Truth Behind True Crime Television - A Memoir - Claire St. Amant - February 2025 You might already know that alongside running this little corner of the internet, I write a true crime column over at Gothic Bite Magazine ( https://gothicbitemagazine.rip / ) so when Killer Story landed on my radar, it felt less like a happy accident and more like fate. One of my reading goals for 2026 is to tackle at least one non-fiction book a month, and I'm thrilled to say I've been keeping that promise to myself. This memoir? Absolutely the right book at the right time. Claire St. Amant spent nearly a decade working as a journalist and TV producer for heavyweights like 48 Hours and 60 Minutes, chasing the country's most gripping true crime stories. And what I adored about this book is that it pulls back the curtain on a world most of us only ever glimpse through our screens. We see the polished final product,  the dramatic interviews, the tearful families, the ...

Review: Super Pancake and the Terrible Toast - Megan Wagner Lloyd and Illustrated by Abhi Alwar - November 2025 There's something wonderfully absurd about a pancake superhero, and Megan Wagner Lloyd's Super Pancake and The Terrible Toast leans into that absurdity with pure joy. Thanks to RandomHouse Kids Graphics for sending this ARC my way , it was exactly the kind of light-hearted escape I needed. This  installment finds our syrupy hero, Peggy Pancake, juggling the classic superhero dilemma: saving the world while maintaining personal relationships. After her previous adventure babysitting mini muffins and battling a Mini Mega Laser of Doom, Peggy now faces an even more challenging nemesis - The Terrible Toast, who's brewing up a mind control scheme beneath the Syrup Sea. But what really struck me about this graphic novel is how it balances the high-stakes action with genuine emotional weight. Peggy's strained relationship with her brother Patrick feels real, even in...

Review : Witchycakes #2 - Changing Magic - Kara LaReau and Illustrated by Ariane Moreira - August 2025 There's something wonderfully comforting about settling down with a cup of tea and a book that feels like a warm hug, and Witchycakes #2: Changing Magic delivers exactly that cozy feeling. As soon as I opened this charming chapter book, I was transported to the magical little bakery where Blue, our adorable witch-in-training, is learning that change isn't quite as scary as it seems. What I absolutely love about this story is how it captures that bittersweet feeling we all get when seasons shift. Blue doesn't want summer to end, clinging to those long sunny days the way my own kids resist putting away their shorts when autumn arrives. It's such a relatable struggle, and watching Blue work through these feelings while delivering magical baked goods around town felt both gentle and genuine. The beauty of this book lies in its sweetness . As Blue helps their neighbors ad...

| Review: Sugar Shack - Book #3 Peapod Farm Series - Lucy Knisley - August 2025 Okay, I’ll admit it—I’m officially obsessed with Peapod Farm. There’s something so cozy and real about Jen’s journey that makes me want to grab a hot chocolate, wrap myself in a blanket, and move to the countryside immediately. This latest installment brings winter to the farm, and with it, a whole new layer of emotions, snowflakes, and sister drama. Jen is finally starting to feel like she belongs. After months of trying to figure out her place in her new blended family, Reese calls her “sister”—and it’s the sweetest moment ever. I literally teared up. But of course, nothing is ever that simple. Andy, Reese’s actual sister, isn’t exactly thrilled. And honestly? I get it. Jen’s not trying to replace anyone, but feelings are messy, especially when you’re still figuring out who you are and where you fit. What I love most about this book is how real Jen feels. She’s not perfect—she’s awkward, she overthinks...

Review: The Exorcist Legacy - 50 Years of Fear - Nat Segaloff  - July 2023 "The Exorcist Legacy: 50 Years of Fear" is a captivating exploration of the iconic horror movie that has continued to haunt our nightmares and intrigue audiences for half a century. As someone who remembers watching "The Exorcist" as a teenager and being drawn into its dark, eerie world, I couldn't resist delving into the history and impact of this cinematic masterpiece. Nat Segaloff, an original publicist for the film and the acclaimed biographer of its director, William Friedkin, takes readers on a chilling journey through the evolution of "The Exorcist." With a foreword by John Russo, the co-writer of "Night of the Living Dead," this book offers an in-depth look at the making of the scariest movie ever produced and its enduring influence on the world of horror. "The Exorcist Legacy" begins by delving into the real-life exorcism that inspired William Peter ...