Tag Archives: reading

Feb4

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid Is Watching By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid Is Watching By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! Today, in a spoiler free setting, we are going to discuss the third book in The Housemaid series by Freida McFadden called The Housemaid Is Watching. I have heard mixed reviews about the third installation of the series so I was expecting a lackluster read. I was so wrong because this ended up being my favorite one in the trilogy after devouring The Housemaid and The Housemaid’s Secret! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Housemaid Is Watching for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

We reunite with Millie over a decade later and she has officially made it. She has two children with Enzo named Ada and Nico and they are happily married and moving to their dream home in a quaint col-de-sac. Can they afford it? Barely. Are the kids thrilled about moving in the middle of the school year? Hard no. But all Millie has ever wanted is a quiet, normal life and she finally has it. As the family gets settled into their new digs, Millie can’t help but think how incredibly lucky she is – minus the minor sense of dread after meeting her new neighbors, of course.

In the col-de-sac, there are two homes next to Millie’s. One belongs to a woman named Janice and her son, Spencer. Janice is the neighborhood busy body who is stern and rarely has a kind word for anyone. She spends her days at home and you can almost always catch her looking out of her window. We also have Suzette and Jonathan Lowell. They are youngish, very wealthy, and might be a good fit together. Millie can’t tell, though, because Suzette cannot take her eyes and hands off of Enzo.

The days go by in suburbia and Millie notices a lot of changes. 1) She is constantly hearing scratching sounds in the middle of the night. 2) Enzo seems to be spending a lot of time with Suzette. And 3) Her son, Nico, is showing some alarming shifts in his normal, happy go lucky demeanor. After breaking the Lowell’s window with a baseball, Millie hoped that Nico would learn some responsibility by doing chores at their home to pay for the damage. Nico doesn’t improve but only worsens by getting into fistfights and withdrawing from his family.

Millie has so much on her mind between her son’s deteriorating mental health and her growing confidence that Enzo is cheating on her. He is working in Suzette’s yard almost every day, she saw him talking to her outside at ten at night, Enzo returned home in the early morning hours smelling like her perfume, and Suzette all but undresses him with her eyes every chance she can get. Millie has had enough. She marches across the lawn to confront Suzette and enters the home when she doesn’t get an answer. She doesn’t see Suzette, but a body on the ground and lots of blood. Not again. Who has met their demise? And whodoneit in the most shocking reveal of the series? Read The Housemaid Is Watching to find out!

I understand why The Housemaid Is Watching might have been a miss for some fans of the series. It is very different than the setting and general plot that we have grown used to. However, that is why I liked it so much! In fact, after completing the second book, I found myself hoping that the third one would throw a curveball and it delivered. While I loved plucky young Millie in her vigilante glory days, it was a welcome change of pace to see where she ended up well after the fact. I suppose I would have liked to know a bit more about the in between from then and now, but it was still a fully cohesive read.

What I liked the best about The Housemaid Is Watching was the grand reveal. I did get some parts of it right but not all of it and I literally couldn’t believe my eyes! I wouldn’t say it shocked me as much as the reveal in The Housemaid’s Secret because I had no idea what was going on in that one. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t still really good, though. And, finally, another great part about this book is the reintroduction of a few characters that you will totally not see coming, tying the series together in a perfect little bow.

Overall, I am going to rate The Housemaid Is Watching with a ten out of ten stars. It was my favorite of the series so it deserves the highest recommendation!

What did you think about The Housemaid series? What do you think about the movie casting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb1

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid’s Secret By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid’s Secret By Freida McFadden 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 second book in The Housemaid series by Freida McFadden called The Housemaid’s Secret. Like its predecessor, I devoured this one in a few days. Unlike its predecessor, this one left me absolutely shook because I did not see anything in The Housemaid’s Secret coming! This was an excellent change of pace as I literally predicted the first book in its entirety less than fifty pages in lol. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Housemaid’s Secret for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

We reunite with Millie at her new housekeeping/nanny position for yet another wealthy family. Life is good. She has a new boyfriend, is taking classes at a community college, and has steady work. Until she gets fired, anyways. Back to square one and with a criminal record, Millie begins an endless loop of job interviews and doesn’t hear back from any of them. Then, she gets a phone call from a Douglas Garrick as he and his wife, Wendy, are interested in her services.

Millie makes the trip to the Garrick’s lavish penthouse apartment and expects to be greeted by the lady of the house. Rather, she interviews with Douglas. He says that Wendy has been incredibly unwell and that she spends most of her time in the guest room resting. Normally, Wendy would handle the housework but has requested the extra help as she recovers. The job includes cleaning, cooking, running errands, and the most important rule of all: Do not bother Wendy if her door is shut. Millie accepts her new position and is eager to start. She needs the money, badly.

As Millie settles into her new gig, she notices that there really isn’t much to do at Chez Garrick. The house is essentially already spotless, but she cleans anyways as Wendy spends her day in bed. Next on Millie’s to do list is laundry and it is then that she does spot a spot. Spots of blood on the collar of Wendy’s nightgown. Immediately, Millie is suspicious and her “battered wife” senses fly off the charts. Why was Wendy bleeding from her face or neck? Why has Wendy not even introduced herself yet? What does her husband have to do with it?

Every time Millie cleans at the Garricks, she tries to knock on Wendy’s door and is told to go away. That doesn’t stop her from listening in every time she passes the guest room, though. She has heard crying, screaming, and shattering but has never laid eyes on Wendy. Then, one day, Millie notices a trail of blood on the ground going from Wendy’s room to the bathroom. Like a punch in the gut, she sees a red, bloody hand print on the sink. It’s time for Millie to take action.

Millie pounds on Wendy’s door and threatens to call the police if she cannot get visual confirmation that she is okay. Finally, the door opens and Millie sees the elusive Mrs. Garrick for the first time. It takes her breath away. Wendy is emaciated, her face is badly bruised, and she has a split lip. Now, this is not Millie’s first experience with an abused wife. In fact, since her stint at the Winchester home, she has helped other wives leave their violent husbands. And, now, she knows that she must help Wendy too – by any means necessary. Millie is certain that Douglas is a dangerous man, but is he really? Read The Housemaid’s Secret to find out!

The Housemaid’s Secret was a wild ride and Freida McFadden truly outdid herself. The first Housemaid book was essentially “crazy husband with a secret room” 101. Like many people, I’m sure, I was expecting more of the same in the sequel. This was not the case at all and McFadden flipped the formula on its head. I’m so glad she did because The Housemaid’s Secret was infinitely better than the first. I legit had no idea what was going to happen next in this book and it made for a very exciting read.

In The Housemaid’s Secret, we were really able to see Millie come into her own and she is a formidable heroine. Of course, I liked her in the first book but I LOVED her in the second. Millie is strong in so many different ways and, oh my goodness, is she funny too. The beauty of Millie, though, is that she isn’t just a tough vigilante for hurt wives. She can be soft, gentle, and vulnerable and it makes her character highly dimensional. At the end of the day, Millie is going to do whatever TF she wants to do and I cannot wait to see where this reckless abandon takes her in the third book.

Overall, I am going to rate The Housemaid’s Secret with a nine out of ten stars. Very rarely do I find a sequel to be better than the first book of a series but this was the exception. I just got the third book from the library so stay tuned for another new Book Club installment soon!

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

Jan22

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Housemaid By Freida McFadden Edition

Hello! Every year, I like to spoil myself with a Christmas gift and I knew just what I wanted: The completed set of Preacher! I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth back into one of my favorite graphic novel series and that meant waiting for all of them to ship. In the meantime, I had nothing to read and noticed that my mom had a copy of The Housemaid by Freida McFadden sitting on the table. I decided to crack it open and I was immediately in. Unfortunately, the book was due to be returned the following day but I still wanted to see it through. I didn’t have to wait long for the book at the library and devoured it in days. In a spoiler free setting, as always, let’s discuss. However, before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Housemaid for domestic violence and highly disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Millie is an ex-convict who is living in her car and recently got fired from her job at a bar. As per her parole, she needs a new job and fast. She applies here, there, and everywhere and by some miracle, gets an interview with a Nina Winchester for a live in housekeeping position. The job seems too good to be true: Cleaning, cooking, occasional care for Nina’s daughter, and a roof over her head. Millie felt satisfied with her interview but didn’t hear back from Nina immediately. Then, after another agonizing week of calling her car her home, Millie got the call. She’s in!

The next day, Millie heads to the Winchester mansion as a new employee. As she walks to the door, she expects a warm greeting from the landscaper, Enzo. Rather, she gets a message from him in Italian that she is in danger. Okay… That was weird, but she needs this job and into the home she goes. Nina gives her the lay of the land, including Millie’s new bedroom – a tiny attic with a single cot, dresser, a window that doesn’t open, and a door that can only lock from the outside. Once again, weird but did I mention that Millie needs this job?

Despite her less than luxurious accommodations, Millie is determined to make the most of this opportunity. She likes Nina and her dreamboat husband Andrew, she’s not opposed to hard work, and she doesn’t want to go back to jail. However, after one day of work, she notices oddities in Nina’s behavior and they don’t let up. She accuses Millie of throwing out her PTA meeting notes and destroys the kitchen trying to find it. She tells Millie the wrong location to pick her daughter up from school only for her to learn that she doesn’t need a ride after all. Millie is gifted with Nina’s old clothes and is then threatened with a call to the police when Nina claims she stole them.

Millie isn’t the only one to notice Nina’s strange behavior. Her gossipy friends find pleasure in laughing behind her back about it. Andrew, on the other hand, finds no humor in the situation and as he and Nina grow apart, him and Millie get closer. Millie knows it’s wrong to be pining after a married man, but Andrew just seems so sad and dejected and she doesn’t understand how such a good person could be married to someone like Nina. He should be with Millie, instead. As their forbidden love blossoms, Nina is slowly but surely edged out. With the crazy wife out of the picture, everything should be perfect, right? So wrong! What happens next? Read The Housemaid to find out!

As you all know, I love playing detective. I like to consider myself a decent sleuth and have a pretty high success rate in figuring out grand reveals well before they happen. In the case of The Housemaid, I knocked it out of the park. To the letter, I predicted Every. Single. Twist. that arose and it was a real feather in my cap lol. I tend to not like books that are “too easy” to figure out as I revel in a super shocking grand reveal. However, I still really liked The Housemaid and considered it to be unputdownable.

Regardless of essentially knowing how the plot was going to play out, it was a story that was juicy AF. I was invested in the characters, but also how the book itself was written. It felt like there was some minor twist or clue in every single page and it kept me turning them until there was none left. Freida McFadden expertly crafted this book because she truly gave you everything you needed to know. Whether you used it or not was up to you. I did and it didn’t make The Housemaid any less enjoyable and I never thought I would say that about a book where I saw the ending coming from a mile away.

Overall, I am going to rate The Housemaid with an eight out of ten stars. I wouldn’t call it my favorite book I’ve ever read, but I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read the sequel!

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

Jan10

Merry Christmas To Me!

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Merry Christmas To Me!

Hello!! I absolutely loved completing my Christmas shopping this year and the last person on my list was myself. Every Christmas, I like to treat myself to a gift. Whether that be new tattoos or a spot of online shopping, it’s something I really look forward to each year. For my prezzie this year, I knew exactly what I wanted: The completed set of the Preacher graphic novels. This past week, they finally arrived in the mail and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into them:

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I am an avid fan of graphic novels and the Preacher series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon is one of my all time favorites. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to find Volumes Two through Four while shopping at a discount store with one of my clients. It drove me crazy to not have Volume One, but I held strong until Christmas knowing that I could purchase the remainder of the series with gift cards. I was ecstatic when I placed the order because it felt good to spoil myself with something I coveted and I was eager to start reading again.

I don’t have much mental capacity for books anymore and graphic novels are my compromise to that. It has been a while since I read Preacher in its entirety and it’s nice to know that I have each volume at my disposal to work away at. The plot is so exciting, the artwork is insane, and Johnny even told me we could start watching the Preacher TV series again once I am all done reading my completed omnibus. We watched some of it when we first starting dating then fell off the wagon so it’s like a bonus gift! 😀

A surprise for myself was the perfect way to wrap up this holiday season and I can’t wait to share the amazingness that is Preacher with all of you on the next edition of Lil Red’s Book Club!

Did you buy any holiday gifts for yourself? What are you currently reading? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct24

Lil Red’s Book Club: The Boyfriend By Freida McFadden Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: The Boyfriend By Freida McFadden 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 a thriller by Freida McFadden called The Boyfriend. Even though I figured out the grand reveal well ahead of time, it was a pretty good and fast paced read. I finished it in three sittings! Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on The Boyfriend for assault, violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Sydney lives in New York City and is in her mid thirties. Saying she is unlucky in love is an understatement and she is well aware of the ticking of her biological clock. One of her best friends, Gretchen, has found a great new boyfriend. Her other bestie, Bonnie, who has a date almost every night has even found a dreamy guy to cozy up with regularly. So why can’t Sydney? As she scrolls aimlessly through dating apps, she solidifies plans for a dinner out with a match and is actually excited. Until her date arrives, that is.

What should have been Sydney’s handsome suitor turns out to be a catfish named Kevin. Sydney decides to see the date through because they did have some semblance of a connection over text. This nicety proved to be a bad idea and after their dinner, Kevin attempts to assault her on the way home. What was an already terrible situation could have been so much worse had in not been for a Mystery Man who came to Sydney’s rescue. When he looked at her, she felt sparks flying but she never even got his name.

Sydney is officially back to the drawing board and continues to go about her normal routine. Work, dating apps, and outings with her girls. Everything is almost back to status quo, until one of her best friends is brutally murdered in her own apartment. Of course, Sydney swears off the dating apps – for a while anyways. After what she considers an appropriate amount of time off for grieving, she has a coffee date with a new match. They are having a wonderful time during their meet up, but then Sydney suffers a nosebleed that sends him running out the door. Sydney is left with the bill and in a state of shock – Mystery Man is in the coffee shop and he is approaching her!

Finally, the man she has been pining over since their first encounter is talking to her and his name is Tom. He is a total babe, respectful, and a doctor too. Could things be any more perfect? As they pursue a relationship, Sydney has a hard time thinking otherwise – other than some glaring red flags, that is. Maybe, Tom is just a full fledged commitmentphobe. Or perhaps he’s harboring his own dark secrets that Sydney is none the wiser to. All she knows is that Tom might not be who she thinks he is. So who is her Mystery Man, really? Read The Boyfriend to find out!

I wouldn’t go as far as to say that The Boyfriend was the best book I have ever read. There was, however, a lot that I liked about it. As you all know, I love a book with alternating narrators and this one went back and forth between present day Sydney and Tom in the past. This really added to the sense of urgency revolving around Sydney because every time we circled back to Tom’s childhood, we learned a new disturbing fact. While we could see things for what they were, she had no idea and it made her situation that much more dire. The grand reveal was also quite the shocking one despite my super sleuthing.

Where this book fell short for me was in terms of characters. When I consider a “good” book, I think about ones where I felt really connected with the characters. The Boyfriend lacked this significantly. Sydney was a very milquetoast leading lady and read as completely desperate more often that not. Tom, on the other hand, was your typical “love interest with a dark past” and it was rather stereotypical as opposed to something fresh and new. This was too bad because the plot was definitely one I was interested in but the characters lacked that special something to really drive it home.

Overall, I am going to rate The Boyfriend with a six out of ten stars. If you are looking for a decent quick read, I recommend it. If you are on the hunt for a book with a bit more oomph, then it is one you can certainly skip on!

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

Sep29

Random Book Haul

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Random Book Haul

Hello!! This past week, I visited Barnes & Noble on an outing with one of my clients. She was completely striking out and asked if I could take her to Ollie’s instead. I’m not sure if this store is just an Ohio thing, but Ollie’s is basically a catch all discount shop. This is only the second time I have been in there but they literally have everything but the kitchen sink – clothing, books, toys, cupboard grocery items, furniture, etc. Actually, they just might have the kitchen sink too lol. She was hoping to find some new books on the cheap and I was so happy that she did. Surprisingly, I ended up with several too and a little something for my sweet nieces. Check it out:

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I have always been an avid fan of graphic novels and recently got heavily back into them. I have honestly been too exhausted to commit to cracking open a new book and graphic novels give me the opportunity to still be able to read AND appreciate amazing artwork. It really is a win win. After finishing the Nailbiter series, I have an idea of what I’d like to start reading next. I do, however, have a handful of different series that I have already read but would like to add to my collection at some point. One of them being one of my all time favorite horror series called Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. Little did I know, that some point was going to be earlier this week!

While at Ollie’s, I clutched my pearls when I saw that they had Books Two through Four of Preacher. And, yes, I did scour the shelves to see if Book One was there too but it was nowhere to be found. While that was a bit disappointing, I still could not believe my good fortune. I paid eighteen dollars for two paperbacks and one hardback cover. In total, I spent less for three volumes than what I would have paid for just one at another store or online. As this series is one that I coveted for a long time, I was incredibly happy to get a jump on obtaining part of the collection for a song. 😀

And, of course, I had to pick up a little something something for both of my nieces too. My two tiny besties are most fond of coloring books and I couldn’t say no after seeing Gabby’s Dollhouse and Disney princesses – their two favorites. ❤ This impromptu shopping trip as per my client’s suggestion opened my eyes to an essentially new to me discount store. I absolutely plan on returning again to see what else I can add to my graphic novel library. GREAT SUCCESS!!

What is your favorite discount store? Have you scored any awesome deals recently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep20

What To Read Next?!

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What To Read Next?!

Howdy!! I have always been a huge fan of graphic novels and have gotten deeply back into them as of late. I recently finished a crazy adventure that was the Nailbiter series and am ready to sink my teeth into something new. During one of my hauls at JC Comics, the owner gifted me with five free first issues of other horror series that he thought I might like. It was so kind of him and with nothing else to read, I read all five of them in one day to determine what I should start next. I was pretty surprised by the conclusion I came to so let’s discuss each option a bit more (with a trigger warning for violent content):

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Kill or be Killed: The first issue of Kill or be Killed was just okay. Long story short, the main character named Dylan tries to kill himself. Somehow, he survives and is visited that night by a demon with a message. Dylan’s life was spared, so a life for a life every month is the deal. If he can’t commit to it, Dylan will die instead… My main qualm with Kill or be Killed wasn’t exactly the story line and a majority of the artwork was cool. I just thought that the demon looked lame AF and I won’t stand for it lol. I also felt like the plot wasn’t capable of developing beyond the deal with the demon so it was a next for me.

Ice Cream Man: Speaking of lame, that brings us to Ice Cream Man. Yes, you guessed it – it is all about the neighborhood ice cream man who is actually a werewolf. This one was far too goofy for my liking and I am also not interested in werewolf stories either so this was a big fat NO.

Monstress: I hated Monstress almost immediately because I had literally no idea what was going on. However, I kept on reading and I am so glad as it was my favorite one from the batch. Maika Halfwolf was orphaned after her mother was killed in an ongoing war between powerful witches and the Arcanics (or monster kind). The Arcanics are now being rounded up and killed and it is up to Maika to avenge her mother’s death and save her tribe… Holy WOW did this first issue pack a punch. The story line is quite dense, but I liked that because it read like an actual story. The artwork was also magnificent and I was blown away by every panel. I was so sad after reading the last page because I wanted to know more!

Criminal: I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like Criminal and I was right because the first issue did nothing for me. Basically, a career criminal who is the best in the business is contacted to go on a major diamond heist by people who are just as seedy as him. Not my bag whatsoever so into the next pile it went.

w0rldtr33: After Monstress, w0rldtr33 came in second place. The plot goes like this – there is a corner of the dark web that can get people to commit horrible monstrosities merely by glancing at it. The original creators have kept it under wraps, but it has resurfaced once again and left terror in its wake. There are those that want to stop it and others who want to harness it to create a new and not improved world… I am a sucker for a dark web story so I was pretty interested in w0rldtr33. It didn’t catch my attention as much as Monstress but I still would like to see how this battle of good and evil plays out.

My plan is to get Volume One of both Monstress and W0rldtr33 and see what happens. Each of them had their merits but it’s too hard to tell which one to go with after only reading one issue. Either way, I’m excited about it!

What are you currently reading? Is there a local bookstore or comic shop in your neck of the woods that you love? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Sep10

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 8 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 8 “Nailbiter Returns” 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 final volume in the horror series, Nailbiter. From start to finish, Nailbiter was a wild ride and Nailbiter Returns did a good job of wrapping things up. Minus ending on a massive cliffhanger!! As of now, there are no new Nailbiters in the works and it is a shame because I’d love to see what happens next. But, I digress. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Nailbiter Returns for graphic violence, gore, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Eight of Nailbiter picked up right where Volume Seven left off: A high school game called the Buckaroo Brawl was made up by a young Crane and Warren. The game should have ended a long time ago but it has started back up again with look alike Buckaroo Butchers slaying citizens and harvesting their eyeballs for a new Master. Warren, Finch, Crane, and Alice return to Buckaroo at the end of Volume Seven to put an end to the new game where it all began. And Volume Eight begins.

Upon our ragtag team’s arrival in Buckaroo, they are almost immediately separated and Alice finds herself deep in the woods. As she tries to make her way back to the others, it begins to rain. Not regular old rain, but blood. Alice hallucinates nightmares before her very eyes until Warren tracks her down and leads her to where he knows they need to go. It isn’t an underground tunnel or a laboratory, rather it’s the home of Warren’s former high school fling whose ties to the Butchers go far deeper than just an appreciation.

In the house, one of the look alike Butchers hurls Warren and Alice into a dark room where Crane, Finch, and FBI Agent Danny are found in chains. A grand reunion is promised and it is there that they meet the new Master. This is a highly inconvenient time to be dealing with a bunch of cosplay serial killers as the Master has a plan: To rain blood all over Portland and let people experience horror as they never have before. With the Master and game in full force in Buckaroo and a catastrophe underway in Portland, decisions must be made for the safety of all. Can both be stopped? Read Nailbiter to find out!

If you recall, Volume Seven was my least favorite of the Nailbiter series. In my opinion, Nailbiter could have ended with Volume Six and that would have been fine. I’m not sure how I feel about Nailbiter Returns because I wasn’t privy to the plot of the Buckaroo Brawl to begin with. It felt like grasping at straws and that was disappointing as the series has always felt so confident in what it was. I did like the outcome of Volume Eight as well as the introduction of the Master. However, it seemed too little too late and I would have much preferred for this story line to have come forward earlier in the series. Then, these final two volumes wouldn’t have felt like such an afterthought.

While I didn’t much care for Volume Seven and Eight, I really did enjoy everything in the series leading up to it and I’m glad to have read it. Nailbiter is the first graphic novel series I have read that truly felt like horror. The plot of a small town with a double digit amount of serial killers is an instantly gripping one and I just had to know more. There were an abundance of jump scares, serial killers, and crazy twists and turns that any horror fan would appreciate. It was also very easy to get attached to the characters and that made every situation even more shocking. I wish there was more because the final panel of the series leaves A LOT more questions than answers!

Overall, I am going to rate Nailbiter Returns with a five out of ten stars. It was good, but not great. Don’t let this be a deterrent to not read the series, though! I still highly, highly recommend it.

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

Aug29

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 7 “Nailbiter Returns” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 7 “Nailbiter Returns” 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 seventh volume of Nailbiter called “Nailbiter Returns”. I am so sad because I only have one more volume to go in the series and have no idea what to read next! Volume Six of Nailbiter left off on a massive cliffhanger and, honestly, the series could have ended there. Nailbiter Returns was such a “but wait – there’s more!” move and I am glad to have read it. However, it definitely wasn’t as strong as its predecessors. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a big fat trigger warning on Volume Seven for gore, graphic violence, and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

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Volume Six of Nailbiter left us in a total bloodbath – both literally and metaphorically. It was bloody and in a bathroom lol. It was a fight to the death between former high school sweethearts and parents to Alice, Sheriff Crane and Edward “Nailbiter” Warren. There was no telling who lived or who died and that brings us right into Volume Seven. We meet Alice at the Butcher Bar in Portland, Oregon as Buckaroo got completely obliterated mere days ago. She returns home from her night out to find her mom missing and knows there’s only one person to go to in a situation like this – Nicholas Finch.

As it just so happens, Finch has to leave his cozy set up with his partner and child in Texas to head to Portland himself. There was a massive car accident which normally wouldn’t be cause to call Finch in. However, what was found in the trunk of one of the vehicles certainly requires his expertise – the body of a Buckaroo Butcher called Lucha Eliminador who has been dead for years. In fact, none of the Butchers except for the Nailbiter is currently alive. His whereabouts are unknown to everyone. Everyone except Finch anyways.

After reuniting with Alice, Finch brings her to daddy dearest who is residing in a glass box in a basement – exactly where Finch left him. Their reunion is short lived because Finch receives a call for a double murder and, as she does, Alice tags along. The scene they arrive upon is gruesome and it appears that the victims in the situation killed two Buckaroo Butchers – both of which should be dead. Before Finch can even question them, Alice is in the car with the victims – except they don’t look like the victims anymore. They look like the Clown Car Killer and The Blonde and promise to bring Alice to her mom if she takes them to where her dad is.

Alice guns it back to the basement where the Nailbiter is kept and Finch trails in pursuit. During their drive, we are introduced to more Butchers like the Silent Movie Killer and Terrible Two. They seem to be in on a game and want to have their sick idea of fun. The game? A bunch of look alike Butchers committing murders, stealing eyeballs for points, and gifting them to a new Master. The inventors of the Buckaroo Brawl? None other than Crane and the Nailbiter. In an intense final shootout, Alice is reunited with her mom and learns that the Warren who attacked her wasn’t Warren at all. Just someone who bears a striking resemblance. There are still several Butchers who are left in the game and there is only one place left to find them. In the final volume, the gang is heading back to Buckaroo: Where it all began.

I am not sure how I feel about Nailbiter Returns. In a way, I liked it. However, the bigger part of me wishes that the series ended with Volume Six and the ultimate cliffhanger – did Crane and Warren live or die? The “reincarnation” so to speak of the Butchers in Volume Seven seemed like grasping at straws to keep the story going. It was a good story and the Buckaroo Brawl is certainly an interesting idea. I also enjoyed getting to learn about more of the Butchers, even if they were just look alikes. But was it necessary? Not really, no.

Of course, I’m looking forward to the grand finale of Volume Eight. But, in my opinion, nothing trumps what I feel should be the original grand finale of Volume Six. All good things must come to an end – even your favorite series. Nailbiter Returns was highly entertaining and there’s no doubt about that. It’s never good to read something that feels like a last ditch effort to keep something going, though, and that’s what it felt like as I read Volume Seven. Maybe I’ll think differently with the series finale, but this was easily the most disappointing volume so far.

Overall, I am going to rate Nailbiter Returns with a five and a half out of ten stars. Was it good? Yes. Was it great? No. I have come to expect excellence from the Nailbiter series and this one fell totally flat.

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

Aug23

Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 6 “The Bloody Truth” By Joshua Williamson Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Nailbiter Vol. 6 “The Bloody Truth” 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 sixth volume of the Nailbiter series called The Bloody Truth. As per ushe, I finished it in one sitting and spent a majority of my time audibly saying “oh shit” while reading. Lol, this was easily the most insane volume of the series and might just be my favorite one yet. 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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The Bloody Truth begins with a whole lot of… blood. As a Christmas miracle, Edward “Nailbiter” Warren was shot, Finch is currently being tortured by a serial killer named the Book Burner, and Sheriff Crane was stabbed in her home by a rogue Agent Barker. As Alice rushes to the hospital to tend to her mother and avoid her serial killer dad, big things are happening in Buckaroo. It is the grand reopening of the Murder Store that is being operated by a Buckaroo Butcher named The Blonde. Sadly for the eager customers, they will never set foot in the store because in an instant, Buckaroo goes up in smoke.

Unsurprisingly, the Book Burner has a thing for fire and lots of it. He has placed explosives throughout the course of the underground tunnels that run through Buckaroo and it’s time for the big show. To keep the mystery of the Butchers forever a mystery, the explosives detonate and the city must be evacuated. It’s awfully hard for Crane and Warren to escape as they are unconscious in the hospital. While Alice struggles to get both her mother and father out, she gets a helping hand in the worst way possible. The Book Burner is there to take the happy family in its entirety and leads them straight into hell.

Crane, Warren, Alice, Finch, and Agent Barker all find themselves in the underground tunnels and meet The Master (And no, I can’t tell you who it is! What I can say is that he is no stranger.). We also finally learn the secrets of the Buckaroo Butchers, the experiments that turned people into killers, and what The Master was trying so desperately to protect. It doesn’t mean anything, however, if no one makes it out of the tunnels alive. As the explosives continue to detonate, there is a rumbling in the tunnels and our ragtag team must flee. Will anyone survive? Or will the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers be forever buried underground? Read Nailbiter to find out!

Wow. Wow. WOW. After reading the fifth volume of Nailbiter, I knew that they were setting the stage for all hell to break loose in the remaining volumes. What I didn’t expect was for this to fully happen in The Bloody Truth, but it did and it was nuts. From the very first page to the last, there were twists, turns, reveals, and jump scares that left me completely shook. Each volume built tension that you could cut with a knife and it was simply thrilling to read of its release. There was a lot that I liked in every volume until now, but The Bloody Truth took the cake in a major way.

I consider myself an amateur detective when I read and have a fairly high success rate of solving grand reveals well before it happens. This was not the case for this volume of Nailbiter whatsoever. I had no clue who The Master was and the mystery of the Buckaroo Butchers had me stumped. There were so many red herrings that threw me off the scent and that’s okay! If anything, it was more motivation to keep reading because I hated not knowing. Joshua Williamson did a masterful job of using smoke and mirrors to cover up any inklings that I originally had and it turned flipping through a graphic novel into a full fledged experience. The Nailbiter series could have ended with The Bloody Truth but there are two more volumes left and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I am going to rate The Bloody Truth with the coveted ten out of ten stars. This was, hands down, the best volume of the bunch and is sure to satisfy the readers who have been craving answers as soon as they started the Nailbiter series. Bravo!

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