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Salvage the Bones
Salvage the Bones
Jesmyn Ward | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the story of Esch and her brothers, Skeeta, Randal, and Junior. The story takes place over 12 days before, during and after Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Esch and her family live in "the Pit", their dog China, who is the most important thing to Skeeta, has just had puppies. They are trying to get the puppies healthy and find a safe place for them before the storm hits. Esch has just found out that she is pregnant by the only boy she has been with, Randal is determined to get a basketball scholarship so he can get out of "the Pit". All of this is going on while a Hurricane is on the way. This is an emotional story that takes you on a roller coaster ride. With so many mishaps along the way, will they be able to survive once the storm hits?

I listened to this book over a course of 3 weeks back and forth to work. The story captured my attention immediately, but without listening to in continuously, I lost my place sometimes. This is the first book I have read by Jesmyn Ward, and this book was brought to my attention through her new book [bc:Sing, Unburied, Sing|32920226|Sing, Unburied, Sing|Jesmyn Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1499340866s/32920226.jpg|53537916] which came out earlier this year. I'm not sure if I would have given this book a higher rating if I would have read it directly instead of listening to it. But I did enjoy it and look forward to reading Sing, Unburied, Sing.
  
While You Sleep
While You Sleep
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
If you’re looking for something in the flavor of gothic horror with a little bit of romance and an unreliable narrator to thrown in, While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt is the perfect choice. Reading it during a thunderstorm (which takes place quite often in the book) is even better. While I don’t tend to like romance, this book plays it off in a manner that even I can enjoy.

Set on a small island off the coast of Scotland, Merritt immediately creates an atmospherically gloomy environment. The main character, Zoe Adams, is an introverted artist who’s taking some much needed time away from her family in a lovely Victorian Era house in a town where she knows no one. Unbeknownst to her, the house has a reputation. Soon, things start to get a little rough, and the vacation turns into a nightmare. The question is, is there a phantom lending truth to the house’s status, or is there more than meets the eye?

When it comes to characters, Merritt’s ability to write dynamic and three-dimensional characters is spot on. I found myself becoming attached to a few while loathing others. The small town feel is replicated in the behaviors and actions of several characters, which tends to be something I’m wary of, being from a small town myself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one I’d like to own, and one I’ll definitely recommend to fellow horror fiends. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/10/book-review-while-you-sleep-by-stephanie-merritt/
  
From the Shadows
From the Shadows
10
8.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A stunning, atmospheric police procedural set against the grit of Inverness and the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, this is the first book in the DI Monica Kennedy series.
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case won’t begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.

From the Shadows is the first book in the Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy series by G R Halliday and it is a promising start to what will hopefully be one a successful and long running police procedural series.
The story is set in the Scottish Highlands and uses its' setting well to add atmosphere to the book.
I really enjoyed the story and the twists and turns of the plot.
It's quite a dark story but I liked that and wasn't sure who the killer was until close to the end.
I was thoroughly engrossed whilst reading the book and could not put it down.
Definitely recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage for a copy of this book.
  
Microphones and Murder
Microphones and Murder
Erin Huss | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Don’t Miss This Debut
Liv Olsen has spent a few years working on a popular true crime podcast, but now she’s decided to risk everything to start her own, Missing or Murdered. Working with her stepsister, Camry Lewis, she’s identified her first case. Just over ten years ago, Amelia Clark disappeared from Santa Maria, a town on central California’s coast, a week after an embarrassing video of her was posted on YouTube. The trail has long gone cold, but the retired detective who worked the case reached out to Liv, hoping that publicity would bring forward a new clue. As Liv begins to interview people who knew Amelia, she gets more questions than answers. What happen to Amelia all those years ago?

It’s always fun when a mystery opens with something other than a murder, and that’s what we get here. The missing person case was compelling, and it seemed the further I read, the more confusing the case became. However, everything came together for a satisfying solution before it was all over. The characters are charming, and I fell in love with them immediately. I appreciated the character growth we saw here, and I can’t wait to see how these relationships grow in future books. The suspects are just as real and do a great job of confusing us. I did find out character who speaks with a stutter annoying, and there were a couple of scenes I could have done without, but these are both minor issues. On the other hand, I appreciated the book’s humor and found myself laughing several times. This is a delightful debut, and I will definitely be back when the sequel drops.
  
Grabbers (2012)
Grabbers (2012)
2012 | Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
7
6.6 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Fun Creature Feature
388. Grabbers. Aliens attack Ireland, must be for the women. One night off the coast of Ireland a piece of a meteor comes crashing down into the ocean, and with it, a multi-legged mouth essentially that seems to just eat anything alive that gets in the way, and its making its way to land. Story centers on a small fishing town that's about to be invaded, and the two police taking care of it. As with many stories of small Irish towns, most of the population are drunk, racists, oh wait, it's made by the Irish, so it's ok then. The two officers, O'Shea, an alcoholic, suffering from the past, and Lisa, who is there only temporarily and takes her job seriously... of course. They clash, they flirt, O'Shea gets jealous when investigating the creatures they visit a scientist dude that isn't shy about flirting with Lisa. So after a few attacks, randomly around, they come to the conclusion that they won't attack you if you're intoxicated, tho there is no evidence of this at all, except that the town's biggest drunk has survived, hmm. So the plan is to round up the town folk in the bar, get drunk, and wait for reinforcements. It was an amusing movie, definitely fits into the 'B-Movie' variety. Like I said though, the alcohol thing, only seems to work when the story needed it too, plenty of tipsy people were getting turned into snacks, then again it's not really a movie you have to think all that much about, my bad. Enjoy. Filmbufftim on FB