Welcome back to what I'm reading this week!

Another week is here. We are getting closer and closer to fall which makes me soooo happy!

I'm currently finishing Partially Devoured by Daniel Kraus and am about 10% into The Reddening by Adam L.G. Nevill.

This week I'm reading

Slasher Summer by E.L. Chen

What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne

Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

Welcome back to Goosebumps Bookclub! Today we are wrapping up Return of The Mummy and kicking off Phantom of The Auditorium.

Join us tonight as we watch Return of The Mummy on Roku. Feel free to watch anytime this evening and come chat about it in the discord group chat!

How did everyone like Return of The Mummy? I gotta say the two Mummy books in the Goosebumps series have been really good! Exploring ancient tombs and pyramids is really fun and I can't believe we don't see more of it in horror books!

And Now to kick off Phantom of The Auditorium. We will watch it in two weeks! You can access it here.

Brooke's best friend, Zeke, has just been given the lead role in the school play, The Phantom. Zeke's totally into it. He loves dressing up in the grotesque phantom costume. And scaring the other members of the cast. Brooke thinks Zeke's getting a little too into it.

But then really scary things start happening. A message appears on a piece of scenery: "The Phantom Strikes!" A stage light comes crashing down.

Is someone trying to ruin the play?

Or is there really a phantom living under the stage?

Vampires will forever be relevant, because let's be honest...they do live forever. If you are a huge Vampire fan, you'll VANT to sink your teeth into these five books releasing this year.

What other topics would you like some recs/release info on? Drop some suggestions in the comments!

Milkteeth by Caitlin Starling-- October 20th

The only thing more terrifying than a brood's hunger . . . is its mothers.

Beatrice is a broodmother: a vampire responsible for nursing newly made fledglings through the first years of their unlife. She nests in an abandoned, isolated warren of office space beneath her patron's skyscraper, where she raises her fledglings—two difficult, hungry children of the night.

But when she takes on a third, the balance ruptures. Her hunger swells beyond control. Her body alters, betraying its purpose, transforming her into something even more monstrous.

Desperate to master herself once more, Beatrice courts a mortal OBGYN who might be able to unravel the secrets of her unnatural anatomy. But soon their connection threatens the secrecy of her vampiric coven as well as the safety and development of her dependent nurslings… and in a world governed by secrecy, even the smallest revelation could prove fatal.

The Brides by Charloette Cross-- July 7th

1884. When Mafalda journeys to Budapest to care for her grieving aunt, her secret love, Lucy, hurries from London to comfort her, with chaperone and lady's maid in tow.

But lady's maid Alice, blessed and cursed with the Sight, is tormented by terrifying visions. When chaperone Eliza falls prey to a disturbing wasting illness, the women hope to seek the healing waters of Transylvania. At a nobleman's invitation, they set out for Castle Dracula.

In the depths of the forest, miles from civilization, their host reveals his true intentions; a monstrous ambition which will tear the women apart.

And not all of them will survive.

The Red Sacrament by Sara Hinkley--July 7th

Paris, 1869. The Théâtre Saint-Siméon is the place to be, if you can get in. The black slips of paper that guarantee entry are rare and highly desired, and given only to certain persons. The actors on stage are magnetic and ageless, performing only at midnight and never seen during the day…

Arnault and his clan of vampires have survived for as long as they have by observing a rigid set of rules. At night, they perform on stage at the Théâtre Saint-Siméon, picking off just enough people in the audience to survive. But they understand the city, and how to live in it without being noticed. 

Their peace is shattered first with a visit from Béatrice, a witch who forms a strange connection to Arnault; then with the arrival of Victor de Rouvray and his sister Françoise, vampires from a very different world. And, as Arnault grows closer and closer to the beautiful, enigmatic Victor, he risks becoming distracted from the constant bickering of his immortal friends, from the daily running of the theatre, and worse, from the premonitions of blood, death and starvation that he receives at night. 

For a terrible change is on the horizon, revolt and revolution are brewing in the streets and soon, the city, and Arnault will never be the same again.

Blood Rising by Markus Redmond--August 25th

Kwadzo Okoro never believed the bloody legend of Ramanga was real. Now, he stands as the leader of a new Ramanga Tribe, one that sieged the Barrow plantation in a storm of righteous carnage, liberating its formerly enslaved Africans. Reclaimed as the Crimson Plantation, it is now also home to the wronged Natives who fearlessly aligned with the Ramangans.

But Kwadzo knows that freedom is not secure. Bartholomew and Constance Crabtree, the most influential slaveholders in the region since the demise of Big Jim Barrow, are galvanizing the Lakeside community to strike back—violently. The threat they pose, however, pales in comparison to the insidious menace of Penelope Knudsen. Her white-hot hatred, now fueled by Ramangan blood, and an ability to survive the sunlight—a power Kwadzo doesn’t have—threatens to upend Kwadzo’s advancement of Ramangan might throughout the colonies to free his people.

But the gravest threat comes from within: Rafazi. His blood fathered the rebellion, but he will not take orders from his own creation. And when Rafazi makes a deadly deal with the Crabtrees, Kwadzo is forced into a battle with his maker that he may not survive, while the everlasting freedom of every enslaved person in the colonies hangs in the balance.

In Carolina and beyond, a reckoning is coming that will change the colonies forever.

Mothersucker by Kim Bohyun--September 1st

When a man’s body is discovered in a park outside of Seoul, Detective Noh Jin-seon is called to the scene, but she soon discovers this case is unlike anything she's seen before. The man, who had been accused of stalking and harassing his ex-girlfriend, was killed with startling force, set on fire, and drained of blood. There are no footprints, no murder weapon, and no leads. Weeks later, another man is discovered murdered in the same way.

What follows is a chorus of characters grappling with the emergence of a serial killer. Among them are women haunted by past abuse who become collectively plagued by visceral dreams of vengeance; a female-led police force tasked with solving the perplexing murders; men who fear their own judgement day will come; and, at the center, Geum-hong, a mother reeling from the loss of her only daughter, brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend. Her daughter is gone and the trial has passed, but her rage remains, simmering and threatening to consume her...

A brisk, lacerating exploration of power, privilege, and the pursuit of justice—and a foray into the dark underbelly of gender-based violence in Korea—Mothersucker reveals just how far a woman will go to avenge the ones she loves.

Another week, another update. Let's see what I'm diving into this week!

I just started Partially Devoured by Daniel Kraus which is a deep dive into the movie Night of the Living Dead and Kraus' love for it. So far I am loving it and learning so much about the movie! This was kindly sent to me by Counterpoint Press.

I'm also diving into The Exorcist's House by Nick Roberts. This book comes HIGHLY recommended by my followers and several accounts I follow. I'm eager for it to scare the pants off of me.

I also plan to start The Reddening by Adam L. G. Nevill which is my Bookclub's Cave Horror pick this month. You can join the book club anytime here.

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Welcome back to Goosebumps Bookclub. Today we are diving into some readalikes to Return Of The Mummy. The books below all feature some kind of ancient evil awakening--just like a mummy ;D

The Reddening by Adam L.G. Nevill--A journalist and lone parent investigate strange happenings in a coastal town, uncovering ancient horrors and facing their own personal demons.

The Hollows by Daniel Church--Folk horror meets ancient gods in a remote snowbound Peak District town where several murders take place…

The Ruins by Scott Smith--Trapped in the Mexican jungle, a group of friends stumble upon a creeping horror unlike anything they could ever imagine...

Ararat by Christopher Golden--When an earthquake reveals a secret cave hidden inside Mount Ararat in Turkey, a daring, newly engaged couple are determined to be the first ones inside...and what they discover will change everything.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger--Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways.

How is everyone enjoying the book?

Are you feeling the heat? I know that where I live, Summer is here in full swing. I'm melting and wishing that fall weather was here already.

While we're all withering under the sun's rays, I've put together a list of five different horror subgenres with some book recs in each that are perfect to read this time of year.

So stay inside, pour yourself an ice-cold drink, and gulp down these books!

Folk Horror

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Folk horror is perfect for almost any time of the year! With rituals and folklore a plenty, these books will suck you into their pages.

Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss-- A family reenacts the Iron Age deep in the wilderness where the past begins to bleed into the present.

Monumental by Adam L.G. Nevill-- A group of kayakers enter forbidden land and stumble upon an ancient sacrificial ritual.

Withered Hill by David Barnett-- A woman wakes up in s small village with no memory of how she got there and finds out quickly that she can't leave.

Double Walker by Michael W. Conrad--A couple vacationing in Scotland experience a tragedy while on a hike in this chilling graphic novel.

The Residents Of Honeysuckle Cottage by Elizabeth Davidson--A couples fresh start to a remote cottage just outside a small village slowly turns into a nightmare.

Slasher

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Is it truly summer if there isn't a slasher movie playing? Did you know that slasher horror books are so IN right now?

My Heart Is A Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones--A teenage girl obsessed with slashers believes one is starting up in her small town.

Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley--A wellness retreat turns into a deadly slasher.

Under The Blade by Matt Serafini--A woman who survived a summer camp massacre finally returns home after two decades on the anniversary of the slaying, awakening true evil once more.

Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning-- A canceled sitcom star goes to an adult summer camp and gets trapped in the middle of a slasher.

You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron--A scare camp where guests pay to be scared turns into a real life horror movie.

Ocean

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The ocean will cool you down as the summer sun beats on. Just don't let it devour you like these novels...

Into The Drowning Deep by Mira Grant--A research crew investigating the last location of a ship discovers deadly sirens.

The Deep by Nick Cutter--A man travels to the bottom of the Marianas Trench to a research facility to check on the scientists investigating the possible cure of a worldwide disease.

Whalefall by Daniel Kraus--A man dives into the ocean to search for his father's bones and gets swallowed by a whale.

The Sea Hides It's Dead by Megan Bontrager-- A group of academics in an ancient sea cult get trapped in an underwater cave.

Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield-- A woman comes back changed after being trapped deep underwater in a submarine for months.

Theme Park

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Take a trip to an amusement park this summer and have a chilling time.

Hide by Kiersten White--A completion for a sum of money playing the game of hide and seek turns deadly if found.

FantasticLand by Mike Bockoven--A theme park gets hit by a hurricane and the employees trapped in the park quickly turn on one another.

Shock Waves by Matt Kurtz--An explosion near a theme park releases monsters upon the park.

Ride or Die by Delilah S. Dawson--A girl trying to impress a popular group of girls winds up in the abandoned part of an amusement park where she might ride to her death.

A Cold Night For Alligators by Viggy Parr Hampton--A determined CDC epidemiologist goes rogue to tackle a mysterious outbreak in Savannah, only to find himself entangled with a pair of urban explorers.

Survival

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Fight for your life on your trip/vacation.

The Ruins by Scott Smith--A group of friends get trapped on ancient ruins and must fight for their lives.

This Wretched Valley by Jenny Kiefer-- A woman and her team discover an untouched cliff face and make it their mission to be the first to climb it.

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger-- A tv show that focuses on hidden mysteries try to find a hidden cavern only to find it and get trapped within it.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu-- A retelling of the fateful Donner Party.

The Shuddering by Ania Ahlborn--A group of friends get trapped in a cabin by both a snow storm and deadly creatures.

It's Monday which means its time for another glimpse of what I'm reading this week!

I'm listening to the audiobook of Tiny Threads by Lilliam Rivera, which is a cutthroat novella about the dark side of the fashion industry.

I've read 3/5 of my Summerween books with the two below being the two I lack.

A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young which is a translated, Korean apocalyptic novel with sea monsters and other lovecraftian creatures.

We Had To Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets which follows a woman recounting her time at a content monitoring company, detailing the dark content she's seen.

Beyond my Summerween reading list, I hope to finish uo The United States of Cryptids by J.W. Ocker which is a dive into Cryptids around the USA.

I also have a few physical arcs I want to dive into as well, so help me choose which one to start by voting in the poll down below!

An Immaculate Deception by Isabela Livino

Nightjars Michael by Michael Wehunt

The Calamaties by Chuck Wendig

Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latine Horror

July is here and with it comes some new Horror books. Below you can find the books I am most excited for this month.

Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle--Fashion influencer by day and grave robber by night, Poppy Stringer is on call when Eddie Michaels—a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon—unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up. Now, Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs.

Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist--A troubled woman seeking a fresh start in the Scottish countryside believes her neighbour may be behind the strange disturbances in her home in this psychological horror debut. (I've read this one and loved it!)

The Sea Hides It's Dead by Megan Bontrager--Trapped in an underwater cave, a group of academics must face a series of deadly, supernatural trials–each one demanding they confront their darkest sins–in this chilling aquatic cult horror debut

We Sent Them Down Singing by Libby Edwardson--In the small coal camp of Jubilee, West Virginia, Phinnie “Skinny” Caldwell has been plagued with nightmares of the last time she ever saw her mama alive and the man responsible for stealing her away: Zell Dorsey. When Zell Dorsey returns thirteen years later, alone, Skinny is determined to find out what really happened. As she uncovers disturbing truths about her mama’s fate and Zell’s sinister plan, she turns to Happy Walker, her school bus driver and the closest thing she has to a father. However, nothing can prepare them for what they find: Behind Zell Dorsey’s charming veneer, is a creature both older and far more evil than any devil, and he’s hellbent on turning everyone Skinny loves into oil-slicked monsters.

The Winter Folk by Jen Julian--A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian.

Ripped Up The Middle In Two by Viggy Parr Hampton--New mom Sadie is struggling with the reality of caring for her three-month-old daughter-the loss of identity, autonomy, and selfhood are grinding her down. When a casual stroll with the baby leads to the discovery of a secret trail leading to a miniature door hidden deep in the woods, Sadie’s world unravels even further. Who put the door there? Why does the trail only appear when Sadie is alone? Why is the door surrounded by a clearing full of tiny bones? And, most terrifying of all: What lives behind that door, and what will it do to her baby.

Corpse De Ballet by Megan Kearny-- Arriving at Saint Anselmus in the middle of the year, Rosamund Hammond is ready to practice hard and prove she deserves to be there. But something at this boarding school doesn’t feel right.

It turns out that just before Rosamund enrolled, a student disappeared without telling anyone. Was it really a leave of absence—or something more sinister? Together with her new roommate, Rosamund spirals deeper and deeper into an obsession with the truth. As the school prepares for its showcase performance of Coppélia, can she commit to her hard-earned ballet dreams while solving the mystery that’s haunting her—or will she lose herself in the process? (LOVED this graphic novel!)

A Penance For Crows by Shannon Morgan--An unnerving, hypnotic, modern gothic thriller set on a remote Irish island, where an artist is caught between deadly secrets, ancient superstition, and echoing madness.

Happy Summerween all you BEA-utiful people. If you are unfamiliar with what Summerween is, it's a week long reading challenge hosted on Instagram. I've linked the insta account HERE.

Below I've provided this year's prompts and the books I've chosen for them!

1. Read a book in the dark or at night--We Had to Remove This Post by Hanna Bervoets

2. Read A Thriller/Horror Book--You Should Have Left by Daniel Kehlmann

3. Read A New to You Author-- A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-Young (Author), Sophie Bowman (Translator)

4. Read a Book With Pink On The Cover--Delusion by HongJacga

5. Read A Book With Less Than 250 Pages-- A Short Stay In Hell by Steven L. Peck