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FANCIFUL REVIEW | The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry

The House That Horror Built was such a joy to read. As a fan of horror film (who is trying to catch up on some of the classics), gothic mansions, compelling characters, and ghost stories, I feel like I was the target audience for this novel!

The House that Horror Built by Christina HenryMy rating: 4 of 5 starsHarry has had a difficult life and the last thing she wants is for her son, Gabe, to have to experience such hardships. When she loses her job as a waitress during the Covid lockdown, she takes a job as a cleaner to reclusive director Javier Castillo. As she cleans his movie props and memorabilia, she never tells him that she is…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum

I really enjoyed this novella. Helpmeet was reminiscent of the gothic horror of the 19th century, with a strong dose of body horror mixed in for good measure.

Helpmeet by Naben RuthnumMy rating: 4 of 5 starsDr. Edward Wilk is dying. Wasting away from the inside out by a relentless disease. All Louise wants for her husband is some peaceful final days, and to that end, they decide to move out of the city and to the abandoned orchard where Edward was born and grew up. But it soon becomes apparent that Edward’s illness may not be natural, and those…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Devolution by Max Brooks

I really enjoyed Devolution by Max Brooks. I love mixed media novels, and here we have another. The setting of Greenloop was an resting one, and the disaster that falls upon them fascinating.

Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre by Max BrooksMy rating: 4 of 5 starsKate Holland has just moved to Greenloop, a small community dedicated to reducing their impact on the environment, with her husband. This is a chance for a refresh. A quieter life, away from the hustle and bustle. An opportunity to rebuild their relationship and help Kate deal with her anxiety.…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

Fanciful Sister and I read this as a buddy read this month. The story is told in a mixed media format, which I think worked especially well for telling this tale, and the characters sell it even more.

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouieMy rating: 4 of 5 starsFade to Black. A ghost hunting show that is mixing up the format and taking the reality television world by storm. Matt, Claire, Kevin, Jessica, and Jake make up the onsite crew, and they fall on all sides of the belief spectrum- some believe completely, some aren’t sure, and some disbelieve. And all get to present their opinions and ideas…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | The Omen by David Seltzer

I am assuming at this point that most people are familiar with this story, given that it has been around since 1976, and has been spoofed a million times, but I'm still going to avoid spoilers as much as possible. #horror #bookreview #amreading

The Omen by David SeltzerMy rating: 5 of 5 starsJeremy Thorne and wife Katherine have just had their son, after years of trying and losing pregnancies. Damien seems like a gift from the heavens, fulfilling the dreams of his parents and completing their little family. But in only a few short years, it becomes clear that Damien may not be as angelic as he once appeared. CW miscarriage, animal…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Grady Hendrix has done it again folks. I'm sure you don't need to hear me say that. I'm sure you've heard plenty of other people say it already, but I feel like it bears repeating. Grady Hendrix has done it again.

How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady HendrixMy rating: 5 of 5 starsNote: I would like to apologise if this review isn’t very good. I’ve been quite ill, and dealing with some mental health issues. But I really wanted to try to get back on track here.Mark and Louise haven’t gotten along since they were children. In fact, they barely interact with each other. When both their parents die in an…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | Book Bracket Sep-OCT 2022

We return for the next part of my book bracket for 2022! Today, we will be deciding on my favourite book from September and October. Let's go!

We return for the next part of my book bracket for 2022! Today, we will be deciding on my favourite book from September and October. Let’s go! In each month, I read two books, so let’s pit them all against each other and see which ended up being my favourite! In September, I read two Darcy Coates books (I like Darcy Coates, if you didn’t know). From Below, and then Gallows Hill. I really…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | Book Bracket Jul-Aug 2022

We are back for my 2022 Book Bracket, today for the months of July and August, 2022. Here we go!

We are back for my 2022 Book Bracket, today for the months of July and August, 2022. Here we go! In July, I read two books that I loved! So this was hard… the first one was Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero. This appealed to me as it is extremely Scooby Doo inspired (with a dog and everything), which was something I was obsessed with when I was a kid. It is also cosmic horror, which is fast…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | Book Bracket May-June 2022

Welcome back to my 2022 Book Bracket! Today, we are deciding on my favourite book from the months of May and June! Yay!

Welcome back to my 2022 Book Bracket! Today, we are deciding on my favourite book from the months of May and June! Yay! As you can see above, I read two books in May, and seven in June, so the graph has been altered a little bit to make the winner stand out a bit more (it was kinda hard to fit it- I wanted to keep the image the same size, but also still wanted the books to be visible). Anyway,…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | Book Bracket MAR-APR 2022

Welcome back Fanciful Friends, to part two of my Favourite Book of the Year Book Bracket! Today we are looking at the books that I read in March and April, and determining which was my favourite of those two months, and why. So, let's get going!

Welcome back Fanciful Friends, to part two of my Favourite Book of the Year Book Bracket! Today we are looking at the books that I read in March and April, and determining which was my favourite of those two months, and why. So, let’s get going! So, the graph for this one is a little messier, but here we go. As you can see, I read four books in March, and only one in April. So, by default,…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | Book Bracket Jan-Feb 2022

We are going to spend the next week or so figuring out, through a good old fashioned bracket system, what my favourite book of the year was! Today we pit January against February!

Well Fanciful Friends, we are coming up on the end of the year, and boy it was a wild one. Personally, not the best year I’ve ever had, with my back, ending up in the ER, physio, and strong pain meds, but reading wise? Not bad! We are going to spend the next week or so figuring out, through a good old fashioned bracket system, what my favourite book of the year was! I shall be going through two…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Deep Water (Shadows of Camelot Crossing) ARC by Lisa Courtaway

Having read and really enjoyed Red Water, the first book in the Shadows of Camelot Crossing series, I jumped at the chance to read and review the second entry, Deep Water. While I didn't enjoy it as much as Red Water, it was still a good read.

Deep Water – Shadows of Camelot Crossing: A Haunting in Stillwater, Book 2 by Lisa CourtawayMy rating: 3 of 5 starsBirdie has lived her whole life cleaning up after her younger sister, Wren, taking the brunt of the consequences of her actions, and trying to keep her parents blissfully unaware of just how much trouble Wren can find herself in. When Wren leaves home one day, without her young…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates

Gallows Hill was a fun read, though, as someone who has read most of Darcy Coates's novels, I will say that I didn't think this was her strongest story. Her writing was excellent as always, there was some good atmosphere, I enjoyed the characters.

Gallows Hill by Darcy CoatesMy rating: 4 of 5 starsMargot’s parents have just died. She doesn’t quite know how to feel about that, as they sent her away when she was a little girl, and she doesn’t remember much of them. Nevertheless, she attends their joint funeral, and hesitantly inherits their home and business, the Gallows Hill Winery. When she returns to this home she cannot remember, she…

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FANCIFUL REVIEW | Ashthorne by April Yates

Check out my review of Ashthorne by April Yates!

Ashthorne by April YatesMy rating: 3 of 5 starsAdelaide comes to Ashthorne, a manor home converted into a convalescence ward in the aftermath of WWI, in order to work as a nurse, find a place for herself, and make a difference. It soon becomes clear to her that the Ashthorne family, patients, doctors, and nurses are not the only beings inhabiting the house. A sinister presence lurks amongst them,…

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FANCIFUL FEATURE | August 2022 Wrap-Up

Welcome to the end of August Fanciful Friends! It has been a bit of a tough one for me, if I’m being completely honest. I ended up in the ER for some intense back, rib, and abdominal pain, and have some tests coming up to see if we can figure out what is going on. And I’ve had two more backttacks (forgive me my whimsy, it makes me feel better) since then… which have sucked. So, I’m not entirely…

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FANCIFUL NEWS | My Best Friend's Exorcism Gets a Trailer

Let's watch the trailer for My Best Friend's Exorcism! AKA this is late because hospital and health.

Hello Fanciful Friends, and welcome back! I know this news is a little late, but I have been having some health issues that have really been affecting basically everything in my life. I’ve been to the ER, and have some tests coming up that will hopefully provide answers. One thing that has kept my spirits up is thinking about the upcoming film adaptation of My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady…

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Fanciful Review | Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

I absolutely adored Small Town Monsters. The setting was interesting, the characters were endearing, the demon appropriately terrible, and of course, the concept in and of itself is one that I couldn't help but be drawn to.

Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez WallachMy rating: 5 of 5 starsRoaring Creek is a small town that seems to be cursed. Explosions, car accidents, hurricanes, all sorts of tragedies happen with an uncanny frequency. But home is home, so what can you do? Two such people who call Roaring Creek home are soon to be seniors Vera Martinez and Maxwell Oliver. One, the daughter of renowned…