Tag Archives: literature

Aug19

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 5 “Bound By Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 5 “Bound By Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to discuss the fifth volume in the Nailbiter series called Bound By Blood. Like its predecessors, I devoured volume five in one sitting. There are only three more volumes left in the series and I have been trying to exercise self control to draw it out. However, I just can’t stop reading once I crack open a new one – it’s that good! Before we begin our chat on Bound By Blood, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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We can’t very well dive into Volume Five without recapping a few things. In Volume Three, we learned that Sheriff Crane is actually Alice’s mom and she put her daughter up for adoption. Any guesses on who the father is? If you said Crane’s high school sweetheart, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren, then you are spot on! We also experienced a shocking finale in Volume Four – the murder of Eliot Carrol by a one Agent Barker of the FBI. If you recall, Agent Barker, Finch, and Warren were working a case in Atlanta, Georgia. With Barker detained and the biggest lead on the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers dead, Finch and Warren have no choice but to head back to Oregon and continue the investigation.

Back in Buckaroo, Sheriff Crane is still working the lead that Warren gave her about the town doctor – Doctor Glory who is almost certainly involved in the mystery of the butchers. She is assisted by Buckaroo’s mortician, Reverend Fairgold, and a very unlikely source – a freshly released Butcher whose name is Joy. She is much better known as The Blonde, though, and she offers insight, intel, and the hinting of even more information on Warren. We are also introduced to another Butcher named the Fatal Killer who has never been caught, dead or alive.

As Sheriff Crane is hard at work, Alice is struggling. After the news of who her father really is spread like wildfire, she was kicked out of her foster home and is terrorized by classmates. Dear old serial killer dad is back in Buckaroo and wants to help his daughter avoid a self fulfilling prophecy of becoming a killer too. Rather than take Alice to the tunnels under the serial killer graveyard, he takes her to school instead. The tunnels there don’t lead through underground catacombs but to a lab that is filled with tanks of blood.

In the laboratory, we learn exactly how Doctor Glory was involved and why, but there is no time for that now. The masked killer in black is hot on the tail of Alice and Warren as they have their father/daughter outing. The duo is forced to split up as the situation gets dicey. Warren gets away, but Alice ends up in the grips of the killer yet again. This time, he has other plans than to kill her. He wants to introduce Alice to The Master. Who or what is it? Keep reading Nailbiter to find out!

Bound By Blood was an exciting read because we received tons of missing pieces to solve the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers. We gained a lot of intel, most importantly about the lab in the school that Warren took Alice to. Of course, we were only given as much as Joshua Williamson wanted us to have and it only intensifies the anticipation of Volume Six. There is the potential that these clues don’t mean anything or mean everything, but Bound By Blood really made me feel like we are on the right path for the first time in the series.

Volume Five also treated us to the tying up of several loose ends – primarily in bringing Sheriff Crane and Warren into present day as a mother and father. This is an especially intriguing point in the plot because there is no telling how Alice, their daughter, factors into it. In Bound By Blood we see her struggle between good and evil in real time, begging the question of where she will end up by the end of the series. There are so many possibilities and I have my theories. I can’t wait to see if I was right. 😀

One other point of interest that Bound By Blood brought us was the more formal introduction of two of the Buckaroo Butchers. We got to know The Blonde and the Fatal Killer in a more in depth way than just a few blurbs throughout the series. This is something that I have been hoping for as I work my way through Nailbiter as there are sixteen Buckaroo Butchers and we don’t know a lot about the majority of them. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Volume Six will allow us to better see the rest of the Butchers as our protagonists continue their investigation!

Overall, I am going to rate Volume Five of Nailbiter with an eight out of ten stars. I loved the different story lines, new characters, and information that we got out of Bound By Blood. I have a feeling that Volume Six is going to be the craziest yet as the series winds down!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug13

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 4 “Blood Lust” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 4 “Blood Lust” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing the fourth volume of Nailbiter called Blood Lust. This horror series has been simply riveting and unputdownable in every sense of the word. I don’t think I have ever read a graphic novel before with jump scares that literally make me say “oh shit” out loud lol! Like its predecessors, I finished Volume Four in one sitting and am so happy to have the entire collection so I can keep greedily reading away. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Three of Nailbiter involved a lot of time traveling into the past. Volume Four involves actual travel because the panic of the Buckaroo Butchers has spread across America. As suspended Sheriff Crane tends to her injured daughter, Alice, Finch and Agent Barker of the FBI are working on a new case. In Atlanta, Georgia a serial killer has been making quite a splash. The “Devil Killer” poses and mutilates his victims so they look like demons and his body count is rising. The local police have who they consider to be the primary suspect, except he won’t talk which is why Barker and Finch are called in. His name is Daniel and he proclaims his innocence. However, his birth place of Buckaroo, Oregon made the local force convinced he was the killer.

Meanwhile in Buckaroo, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren is MIA after encountering the masked killer in the tunnels underneath the serial killer graveyard. Crane has more pressing things on her mind, though. Between caring for Alice, she does some investigating of her own into Doctor Glory who works at the hospital and was warned about from Warren. She also seeks out town records that were supposedly destroyed in a fire. Where else would these records be except under the church of Reverend Fairgold that was built over the ashes of the old town hall. A begrudging alliance is formed between these two enemies – Fairgold will give Crane the records if they work together to stop the murders in Buckaroo and our time in Oregon draws to a close.

Back in Atlanta, Finch and Barker are hard at work tracking down the real Devil Killer as they are sure of Daniel’s innocence. As they investigate, Barker experiences pounding headaches and imagines scenes of graphic violence against anyone who looks at her sideways. This doesn’t sidetrack her too much and we learn that all of the Devil Killer’s victims are people who were formerly from Buckaroo. These people sought a life away from their hometown under new identities so they would have better shots at education, employment, and love. They needed help to make their escape and it came from an unlikely source: The Nailbiter, himself.

At the latest crime scene of the Devil Killer, Finch and Barker are reunited with Warren who has been in Atlanta since his run in with the masked killer. As we all know, Warren loves to play god and would track people from Buckaroo to see if they were being good boys and girls. He killed along the way and helped those who wanted a new life to flee. There are only two of Warren’s escapees left alive in Atlanta and the Devil Killer is still on the loose. Who could it be? And what is the shocking finale to volume four? Give it a read and find out!

Blood Lust strayed from the traditional formula of being confined strictly to Buckaroo like the first three volumes. It was quite a jump to go from the doom and gloom of Oregon to sunny Atlanta. This might seem like a pointless plot to the story line of solving the Buckaroo Butchers mystery, but it is most certainly not. The reasoning why is a huge spoiler, which I am so not about! What I can say, is that it is amazing how far the reach of the powers that be expands.

Volume Four gave us the opportunity to learn more about Agent Barker. She was a pretty minor role up until now so it was interesting to see her and Finch work together because they don’t exactly see eye to eye. We also got to experience very different sides of Finch and Warren as they worked the Devil Killer case, which was cool to see. In terms of intel to the mystery at hand, we gained a great big goose egg. This was similar to Volume Two and it might cause a bit of frustration to inquiring minds. However, Volume Two set the stage for absolute mayhem in the next issues and that is surely the case for what’s to come in Volume Five. I can’t wait to read it!

I am going to rate Volume Four of Nailbiter with a seven out of ten stars. This was probably my least favorite in the series so far but that’s not to say that it wasn’t really good! It was, but I expect Volume Five to be even better!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug11

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 3 “Blood In The Water” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 3 “Blood In The Water” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to discuss the third volume in the Nailbiter graphic novel series called Blood In The Water. After finishing Volume One and Two in one sitting each, I couldn’t wait to pick up volumes three through eight at JC Comics. I had no chill on Volume Three either because I completed it in one go too! The story is so gripping and the artwork is so fantastic that I literally couldn’t stop and I am looking forward to cracking open the fourth one. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for gore, strong violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Blood In The Water begins where Volume Two ends – we are nowhere closer to solving the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers, a masked killer is wreaking havoc, and Finch is preparing to interrogate Edward “Nailbiter” Warren for much needed answers. As a disgraced NSA agent, Finch has very… nontraditional ways of getting people to talk. After a grueling back and forth, Warren is finally ready to spill and they head to Sheriff Crane’s house to debrief and plan their next moves.

In the process of Finch questioning Warren and Crane trying to enjoy her one day off, trouble of a non serial killer related kind is brewing. If you recall from Volume Two, our Reverend Fairgold has a lot more than preaching on his mind. His beloved son was murdered and he wants someone, anyone to pay. Knowing that the cops are essentially going about this case blind, he encourages a group of vigilantes to take justice into their own hands with he as their fearless leader. If you also recall from Volume Two, Warren and Crane were high school sweethearts. How convenient that Finch, Warren, and the vigilantes end up on Crane’s doorstep at the exact same time.

Crane, Finch, and Warren make a quick getaway and go to the place where all of Buckaroo’s secrets are buried: The serial killer graveyard. Under the graveyard is a series of tunnels and jail cells and Warren knows them like the back of his hand. As they explore for answers, they stumble upon the lair of the newest killer – and the masked man himself yielding gigantic blades in each hand. With a gravely injured member of their party in tow, Warren insists on playing the hero and tries to fight off the killer… and his partner? As one person clings to life, someone with answers is finally awake. What can Eliot Carroll tell us in Volume Four? I can’t wait to find out!

WOW did Volume Three pack a punch. I actually think this might be my favorite one in the series yet. We gained a lot more intel and can really begin to see how the loose ends of the story will eventually tie together. Not only did we learn more information for the present mystery, but we also got to time travel to the past. Blood In The Water deep dived into Warren and Crane’s high school romance and its downfall. And, to add a cherry on top, we finally found out why Sheriff Crane is protective over Alice, Buckaroo’s resident weird teen. It was exactly what I wanted!

Blood In The Water was so excellent because of the previous two volumes. One and Two truly set the stage for the craziness that occurred on each page. Plots and details that other readers deemed “pointless” from the past two volumes became indispensable and goes to show that patience is a virtue in graphic novels. Like any good book, all can’t be revealed right off the jump. Volume Three was a testament to this and should serve as a healthy reminder to skeptics that the author, Joshua Williamson, will never stray us far from the path unless he has a good reason.

I am going to rate Blood In The Water with the coveted ten out of ten stars. Everything I wanted to know thus far in the series was answered and it doesn’t get better than that. I have a strong feeling that this is the turning point in Nailbiter when things get really good and I am so happy to have the full collection so I can binge read away!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug7

JC Comics Haul Pt. 2

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JC Comics Haul Pt. 2

Hello! During a visit a few weeks ago to the best comic shop in my neck of the woods, JC’s, I was introduced to a horror series called Nailbiter. It is about solving the mystery of why a small town has a double digit amount of serial killers. The owner of the store convinced me to give it a go with the promise that I would love it. So, I went ahead and purchased Volume One and Two. He was so right because I devoured both volumes and couldn’t wait to return to the store to get volumes three through eight that were special ordered for me. I picked them up this past weekend and cannot wait to sink my teeth into them! Check it out:

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I consider myself to be a pretty frugal person. Other than the every few months or so trip to TJMaxx and a meal or two out with Johnny in a month, I really don’t spend much on anything but necessities. This massive haul of the completed set of Nailbiter was a major treat yoself purchase for me and it was a thrill because I don’t do something like this very often. I was SO excited to have the entire collection and I was able to justify buying it all in one fell swoop. I’d much rather have the next volumes in the series readily available as opposed to going back to JC’s every time I need a new one. I have a feeling I’ll be back at the store soon enough once I’m done with the series! 😀

Back in my theater days, I used to love going to bookstores and buying new plays to read. It felt like I was spoiling myself and I remember rushing home to crack open my new purchases. This haul brought me back to that wonderful sense of anticipation when you just know you are about to read something good. These past few months have been trying times for yours truly between the stress of work and life in general and getting back into graphic novels has really given me something to look forward to. I considered my Nailbiter haul as a reward to myself for completing three successful months as Tim Misny’s social media manager and all of the hard work I’ve put in to make this job possible. Nothing says “celebrate” to me like a bagful of books… or new clothes… or shoes. 🙂

Johnny and I are definitely in our treat yoself era. Graphic novels for me and records for him. It is a joy to be able to invest in our hobbies and our time off of work is infinitely more pleasurable because of it!

How do you treat yourself? What is your favorite thing to shop for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug3

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 2 “Bloody Hands” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new, spoiler free edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! I was introduced to the Nailbiter series at my favorite local comic shop, JC’s, thanks to an excellent recommendation from the owner. During my last trip there, I purchased volume one and two of the series and completed the first one in one sitting. I thought I was going to have to nurse volume two until the special order for the rest of the volumes got shipped to JC’s. Blessedly, it arrived quickly and I was able to pick up the rest of them on Friday. So I devoured volume two, too! Before we begin our discussion on Bloody Hands, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning for graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Bloody Hands begins where There Will Be Blood left off. Finch and Sheriff Crane have located the man they were searching for, Eliot Carroll, in an underground tunnel beneath what is known as the Serial Killer Graveyard. He is in bad shape and his colleagues are nowhere closer to solving the mystery behind their town of Buckaroo and why it is the birth place to a double digit amount of serial killers. There are several working theories, but none of them are quite right. And, as panic spreads throughout Buckaroo compliments of the murders in volume one, the townsfolk begin to act out in their own uniquely awful ways.

Of course, we are only two volumes into Nailbiter and that is not enough time to make real traction in finding answers. Rather, Bloody Hands helps set the stage for what is to come. We are introduced to The Whistler, another famous serial killer who has a love of “whistling while he works” on his victims. Finch also tracks down a lead that Eliot was working on at a bee farm ran by a deranged grandfather and grandson duo. Buckaroo used to be a blossoming community thanks to its exports of honey. Then, the bees died suddenly and inexplicably. This is the last functional farm in the town and Eliot couldn’t help but wonder if there is a connection between the bees and the Buckaroo Butchers. The jury is still out.

Finally, we get a taste of the zealots of Buckaroo who are trying to turn the town around by any means necessary. Reverend Fairgold begins to fearmonger throughout the streets. He urges the power of prayer and for the townsfolk to share their secrets to shed light on why the devil resides in Buckaroo. Fairgold is extremely insistent on this to our Sheriff Crane as it is revealed that Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was her high school sweetheart in volume one. He, and most of the community, believe that she is helping him in some way. The fact of the matter, though, is that Finch and Crane need Warren’s assistance to get anywhere closer to solving the mystery. Bloody Hands ends with Finch in Warren’s home taking him up on this whether he likes it or not. How will the interrogation go? We’ll find out in volume three!

Although we didn’t learn too much new intel about the Buckaroo Butchers in Bloody Hands, I still thought it was a strong volume. It didn’t pack as much as a punch as There Will Be Blood because the primary focus in this one was the townsfolk themselves. Even if we didn’t get all of the answers we were hoping for, Bloody Hands needed to happen to paint a full picture of Buckaroo because that includes the people that reside there – not just the serial killers. It was extremely interesting to see the measures the residents were taking. Perhaps the most gripping was Issue Nine called School Bus, when the long term bus driver of Buckaroo, Mister Crowe, has his own ideas in mind for how the town should be cleansed.

Bloody Hands was also helpful in relationship development. We really get to see Finch and Crane take their partnership in stride as they work the case. The friendship between Crane and the resident “weird teenager”, Alice, also deepens and she becomes the unofficial tag along throughout the volume. It isn’t revealed how Alice and Crane are connected and I am looking forward to finding that out. I’m not sure if Alice knows Crane because she’s a troubled youth or is, perhaps, her kid sister. Either way, this is A-okay with me because I adore Crane’s begrudging acceptance of Alice’s enthusiasm and huge attitude problem. It provides much needed relief in such an intense series and whatever partnership they have really begins to blossom in Bloody Hands.

Overall, I am going to rate Bloody Hands with a seven out of ten stars. Did we gain traction in solving why Buckaroo is the birth place of serial killers? No. Did this volume need to happen to give you a better understanding of everyone who lives in Buckaroo? Yes. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug1

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 1 “There Will Be Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 1 “There Will Be Blood” By Joshua Williamson Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club… Or should I say Lil Red’s Graphic Novel Club?! I have been crazy busy, crazy stressed and just do not have the mental capacity for reading “book books” right now. Instead, I have been enjoying a deep dive back into graphic novels. Last week, I picked up the first two volumes of a horror series called Nailbiter from a local comic book shop in my neck of the woods. I devoured the first volume “There Will Be Blood” in one sitting and am nursing volume two until I can pick up the rest of the series that the owner ordered just for me this Friday. When he told me I would love this series, he wasn’t lying because I am obsessed!

Before we begin our discussion in a spoiler free setting, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on Nailbiter. It is gory, gruesome, and downright disturbing. Not your bag? It’s all good! Interested? Then let’s get to it:

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Buckaroo, Oregon is a small town where everyone knows everyone. It is also a town that is known to everyone worldwide for being the birth place of sixteen of the most brutal serial killers known to man. In Buckaroo, if you aren’t personally related to a serial killer, then you surely went to school with one or lived next door in one of the tiny neighborhoods. What is it about this town that breeds serial killers? No one knows. Someone is getting awfully close though and his name is Eliot Carroll. In fact, he just phoned his friend – a disgraced NSA agent called Nicholas Finch to haul ass to Buckaroo. He is hot on the tail of the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers and has something that Finch needs to see to believe.

When Finch makes it to Buckaroo, he expects to be greeted by Carroll. However, he is nowhere to be found. As he searches for his friend, Finch finds himself in front of the Murder Store – a specialty shop with serial killer memorabilia for sale. In front of the shop, the quirky teenager Alice is being roughed up by two local losers. Finch assists in putting the situation to an end and Sheriff Crane arrives on scene. She is a total baddie who was working closely with Eliot on the Buckaroo Butchers case. She, too, is fearful for him as he missed their standing coffee date to discuss progress.

With Eliot in certain danger, there is nowhere else to turn. Nowhere good, anyways. Finch and Crane need help and they must look to an unwanted and unlikely source. None other than Edward “Nailbiter” Warren, the most infamous of all serial killers birthed out of Buckaroo. He was acquitted in trial for his sins and still resides in Buckaroo to this day. Edward also has a standing appointment with Eliot that has not been met, but is he helping Finch and Crane out of concern or something more sinister? Read Nailbiter to find out!!

I have read a lot of graphic novels in my day, but none of them are quite like Nailbiter. This series grabs you by the arm and simply doesn’t let go from the very first panel. Between Joshua Williamson’s gritty writing and finely detailed and captivating art by Mike Henderson, a formidable Volume One was created. Each artist worked in tandem so beautifully to create memorable characters. Finch was tough as nails, a sense of foreboding lingered around Alice, and even Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was a character that you absolutely loved to hate. My favorite was Sheriff Crane who carried the story impeccably with her icy, sarcastic demeanor and very… interesting backstory.

Needless to say, I was hooked on this series right from the jump. It had such a sense of urgency that I couldn’t not finish it in one go. The basic story line was just so darn fascinating – a middle of nowhere town that breeds serial killers. It’s every horror and true crime fan’s slam dunk. A complaint that I saw a lot of online was that there were several “plot holes” in Volume One. Don’t let that be a deterrent. Let it be a reason to keep reading the series because there are multiple volumes for a reason. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

I am definitely going to give Nailbiter Volume One the coveted ten out of ten stars. From start to finish, this was unputdownable and I am so eager to sink my teeth into the rest of the series!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul27

JC Comics Haul

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JC Comics Haul

Hello!! There are so many amazing local businesses in my neck of the woods. My favorite one, though, has got to be JC Comics. It has been a staple in Cuyahoga Falls since I was little and I definitely remember going there a lot with my brother, Andrew. To this day, we still love to frequent JC’s and just had a trip there this past week. JC’s isn’t a big shop, by any means. However, it feels like home whenever I walk in and the owner is there behind the counter to greet us warmly and chat it up. He also ended up talking me into a new series during my last visit and gifted me with freebies too! Check it out:

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I consider myself to be an avid reader, but have fallen off the path pretty significantly. I have just been super busy and that can get overwhelming. When I get overly stressed out, I don’t have much mental capacity left for anything else – especially reading. This is why I have gotten back into graphic novels because they are more low key and I take a lot of joy in admiring the artwork. When my brother and I visited JC’s, I wanted to scope out some new series to take note of and one called Nailbiter caught my eye.

I spent a lot of time flipping through the pages of the first volume of Nailbiter and when the owner clocked it, he said I would like it without a doubt. I am a huge horror fan and Nailbiter is all about a small town with a double digit population of serial killers. So, yeah, he was totally right lol. Curiosity got the best of me and I walked away with the first and second volume of it. The owner is even ordering the other five volumes just for me so I can have the whole collection! 🙂

Not only did he hook it up for Nailbiter but he also surprised me with some freebies while I was checking out. The first issue of five other horror series that he thought I would enjoy too. When he put them on the counter, I thought I could only pick one so I was ecstatic when I was given the lot! It was such a kind gesture because after so many shopping trips and conversations, he really does know my style when it comes to comics. These might not be in the traditional format for Lil Red’s Book Club but I can’t wait to dive in and share my thoughts with all of you. 😀

JC Comics is a beloved gem where I live and it has withstood the test of time thanks to the wonderful owner and his employees. They truly foster a love for literature and art to everyone who walks in the door and I am looking forward to my next visit so we can discuss Nailbiter!

What is your favorite local business? What is your favorite graphic novel? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jun30

Lil Red’s Book Club: None Of This Is True By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: None Of This Is True By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to *finally* a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club. Between the craziness of life and my new job, it was difficult to find time to read and I preferred to spend my limited downtime watching Degrassi lol. Then, my sister texted me asking if I wanted to borrow a book that she considered to be unputdownable. It is called None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell. I must say, my sister was spot on because I couldn’t put it down if you paid me and my hunger for reading has come back a thousandfold. Before we begin our discussion in a spoiler free setting, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on None Of This Is True for abuse in all forms, murder, and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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On the day you were born, countless other children were being born on the same day in the same hospital as you. Have you ever met any of those birthday twins before? This is where our story begins. On the day of Josie Fair’s forty-fifth birthday, she decides she would like to do something different to celebrate. She suggests to her way older husband, Walter, a dinner out at a posh bar – a place they would never step foot in before. As they enjoy their meal, another birthday girl is having a large gathering with friends. She is named Alix Summer, a famous podcaster who is also turning forty-five.

Josie is instantly drawn to glamorous Alix and visits the ladies room at the same time as her, sparking the introduction as “birthday twins”. Upon returning home from dinner, Josie can’t stop thinking about Alix and does a deep dive for her online. She listens to all of her podcasts, scours social media, and fantasizes about the wonderful life Alix lives with her handsome husband, beautiful children, and luxurious home. This is in stark contrast to Josie’s life with a geriatric husband, adult children who want nothing to do with her, and a shabby flat. Josie wants to do something different for her forty-fifth birthday and she decides that Alix is the one to help her. Alix is going to make a podcast about Josie’s life.

Thanks to social media, Josie knows just where to track down Alix and make it seem like another chance encounter. She plans their “bump in” for when she takes her dog on a walk, right by the school that Alix’s children attend. From there, Josie and Alix meet the following day. Josie pitches her idea to Alix about a podcast that talks about women who are in the process of breaking free from an unhappy life. The star being none other than Josie herself. Alix is strangely captivated by Josie and her odd disposition and, with her previous podcast series just wrapping up, she figures “why not?”.

The birthday twins begin meeting up regularly to record episodes in Alix’s swanky recording studio. But, to get a sense of where Josie is at now, they must start at the beginning. Josie’s entire life has been riddled with hardship, a sense of not belonging, and situations that would break the coldest of hearts. Alix can’t get enough – so much so that she is blinded to anything off about Josie. Strange comments are brushed off, missing items throughout the home are chalked up to the kids misplacing them, and a general sense of unease gets pushed to the side.

As Josie and Alix delve deeper into the podcast, plot holes develop through the other people in Josie’s life that Alix interviews. They paint Josie as unstable. As someone who lives in her own world and tells her “truth” liberally. Josie officially becomes the “unreliable narrator” to her own life story. Was Josie’s life truly a series of unfortunate events? Were some of these events calculated and crafted by Josie herself? Or maybe, just maybe is she covering up for someone? Read None Of This Is True to find out!

I absolutely LOVED this book, devoured it in three days, and have not stopped thinking about it since. There was so much that I enjoyed about it, especially how it shifted between the narration of the book to the text of the eventual Netflix documentary made from the podcast. The tale went back and forth with Josie, Alix, and other people being interviewed and it really kept you on your toes. With each new interview came new information that you had to analyze and decide for yourself who was really telling the truth with each situation being discussed. None Of This Is True was a true psychological thriller from start to finish.

I have never read about a character quite like Josie Fair before. Even though I absolutely hated her, I couldn’t get enough of reading about her. Her brusque, irrational behavior was beautifully complimented by Alix. Alix was kind, soft, empathetic and the perfect person to craft the podcast. Through their interactions, Alix was still able to paint Josie as a sympathetic character despite everything that happened in the course of recording the podcast. This made the book even more thought provoking. Yes, you were trying to come to your own conclusion but it also made you question who in the cast of characters is deserving of sympathy.

None Of This Is True covered really heavy subjects and was quite difficult to read at times. However, if you choose to read it, prepare for your mind to be absolutely blown. Mine sure was. I am going to rate None Of This Is True with an eight out of ten stars and kind of want to read it again knowing what I know now. Highly recommend!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar16

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Mystery Guest By Nita Prose Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Mystery Guest By Nita Prose Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club. Without giving any spoilers away, as always, we will be discussing The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose. This is the sequel to a book that I love so very much called The Maid and I simply devoured it. It was so nice to be reunited with our delightfully quirky heroine, Molly, and I honestly miss her already. She is one of my absolute favorite literary characters and The Mystery Guest puts her smack dab in the middle of another murder in the Regency Grand Hotel. Before we begin the review, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Mystery Guest for murder and sexual assault. Now, let’s get to it:

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We begin The Mystery Guest in the Regency Grand Hotel where Head Maid Molly is prepping for a very important day. In the newly renovated tearoom, the hotel will be hosting an esteemed guest for a lecture. His name is J.D. Grimthorpe and he is a world famous mystery author who skyrocketed to fame thanks to his novel, The Maid in The Mansion. Not only will J.D. be giving a speech, but he will also be making a surprise announcement and everyone is on pins and needles for it – especially his diehard fan group of middle aged mystery novel aficionados.

As J.D. takes the stage, Molly is in awe of the beauty that was created in the hotel’s new tearoom. She is also beaming with pride as her Maid In Training, Lily, delivers J.D.’s tea cart to him. Before he begins his announcement, he takes a cup of tea with a heaping spoonful of honey, sips, and drops dead. Yet again, another man of power has expired in the Regency Grand. Unlike last time, however, Molly is more closely related to the deceased than she originally leads on.

Once the celebrated author hits the floor, all chaos ensues and before she knows it, Molly is face to face with her arch nemesis, Detective Stark. She is a brusque woman who never quite understood Molly’s quirks or her eye for details. She’s more focused on how Molly always seems to miss the obvious. Oh, and how Molly and Lily both had handled the tea cart that J.D. died after drinking from. Whoever committed the deed is still at large at the Regency Grand and it is up to Molly to protect herself and Lily. Will the murderer be found? Or will the repeated phrase throughout the book “the maid is to blame” ring true? Read The Mystery Guest to find out!

Cracking open The Mystery Guest was like being reunited with old friends. I was elated to be back in Molly’s world with the people and places that bring her joy. The Maid series features characters that are just impossible not to fall in love with. Kindly Mr. Preston, Molly’s beloved Juan Manuel, and the other maids on her staff were welcomed back into my heart with open arms and it was like a warm hug. Even the Regency Grand felt like a familiar place to me and it was so easy to imagine myself there with Molly through her vivid descriptions.

The Maid series is your classic whodoneit and The Mystery Guest was no exception to the formula. It lacks in the true suspense of my usual “LifeTime movie thrillers”, but is there in a different way. Molly is finally finding her footing in the world at the start of this book and it was painful to know that it might be taken away from her. She is such an unlikely heroine and that just adds to her charm. Sometimes, it’s the most unlikely people who surprise us all, though, and Molly’s transformation throughout this book is a testament to that. So much so, that she might even be considering a change of career?! Fingers crossed for a third Maid book ASAP!!

I am going to award The Mystery Guest with the coveted ten out of ten stars. If you enjoyed The Maid as much as I did, you will be head over heels for its sequel. And, if you haven’t read the series, I can’t recommend it enough!

What is your favorite series of books? What book are you reading right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb23

Lil Red’s Book Club: No One Can Know By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: No One Can Know By Kate Alice Marshall Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today we are going to discuss a thriller by Kate Alice Marshall called No One Can Know in a spoiler free setting. It has been a minute since I had the chance to read one of my beloved “LifeTime Movie” books, as Johnny likes to call them lol. Hey, he’s not wrong – the books I tend to like do read exactly like a LifeTime flick! No One Can Know was a recommendation from my big sis as we tend to both read the same things. She gave this book rave reviews, but it wasn’t my fave. Before we begin our review, I will be placing a trigger warning on No One Can Know for murder, child abuse, animal cruelty, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Emma Palmer and her husband, Nathan, are officially down on their luck. Nathan lost his job, meaning they can no longer afford the house they planned on purchasing. They have to vacate their current housing and to top it off, Emma is pregnant. With no family to turn to and no other options available, they end up in Emma’s childhood home which hasn’t been occupied in a long time. The only thing remaining there is the horrible memories that Emma endured throughout her life.

Emma and her two sisters, Juliette and Daphne, lived in a gorgeous mansion with their parents in their youth. They had everything and wanted for nothing. Well, except for normal, loving parents that is. Emma and her siblings were subjected to physical and verbal abuse from their mom and dad. Juliette, as the eldest, did what she could to appease her parents to avoid their beatings. Daphne, the baby, was her father’s favorite and didn’t get the worst of it. That was all left to the middle child, Emma, who refused to obey the rules. Rather, she laughed at them.

All of the girls had had enough of their parents. But, enough to kill them – who’s to say? One night, when the girls were “sleeping” in their tree house, Irene and Randolph Palmer were shot to death. Although she was never arrested, Emma was the prime candidate for the murders in the name of protecting her siblings. Unsurprisingly, Emma isn’t popular in her original neck of the woods and, although it is expected, it is a harsh reality to return to after all of these years with her husband.

As Nathan and Emma set up their new digs, they are treated to vandalism and a near obsession with the cop who tried to arrest Emma as a teenager. Instead of constantly running from her past, Emma decides to face it head on to try and find out what really happened the night of her parents’ murder. Her sisters have to know something but, then again, Emma wouldn’t know because they have been estranged for fourteen years. Until now. If Emma didn’t kill her parents and she believes her sisters didn’t either, then there is still a killer at large. Can Emma, Daphne, and Juliette solve the case? Or will Emma finally be behind bars for her parents’ murder? Read No One Can Know to find out!

Based on the synopsis, No One Can Know sounds exactly like a book that I would like. I thought it was well written and the ending was pretty good even though I figured it out almost immediately. My major qualm with this book was the characters because they were, truly, nothing to sneeze at. To me, a book just isn’t great if I can’t get behind the main character and that’s how I felt about Emma. During the entirety of reading this book, I wanted Emma to get that bite back that she had in her youth. Rather, she was vague, distant, and read as weak. There was nothing exciting about her and nothing particularly likeable about her either.

I think I would have liked this book more if any of the characters had any redeeming characteristics, but that wasn’t the case. Juliette came off as insanely arrogant and sneaky and Daphne was just all together off putting. And, don’t even get me started on Nathan because he actively sucked. Perhaps the only person likeable was Gabriel, Emma’s old high school crush, but he was so rarely in the book that it didn’t even matter. With this combination of one of the worst casts in a book I have read recently, it certainly dragged on and I was SO ready for it to be over.

I am going to rate No One Can Know with a three out of ten stars. I thought it to be lackluster, at best, and wouldn’t recommend it. Whomp, whomp.

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah