Even better than I remember, with excellent portrayal of Middle School theatre drama. We encounter a jealous understudy, ghostly lore, destroyed set bEven better than I remember, with excellent portrayal of Middle School theatre drama. We encounter a jealous understudy, ghostly lore, destroyed set backdrops, secret passages connected to the stage trap door and, of course, a mystery phantom. There's many obvious allusions to The Phantom of the Opera, but also MacBeth and even familiarity with one of Stine's best Fear Street novels, Trapped.
Unlike most Goosebumps books where characters are largely Generic Child and the setting is Anywhere, USA, we see fleshed out thespians motivated by complex goals. Setting is important to the story, including historical influence and an auditorium that breathes with life itself. While the phantom "monster" isn't particularly scary, the adventure of solving his identify is thrilling.
While revisiting Goosebumps as an adult, I've been surprised how well most hold up 30+ years later. This one has improved with age even more than most. Fun fact, the book was adapted into an actual stage musical in 2016 that's still frequently performed all across the country today....more
An Icelandic novella with a really cool premise. A constantly-tired woman starts wearing a step-counter and discovers she's traveling a lot in her sleAn Icelandic novella with a really cool premise. A constantly-tired woman starts wearing a step-counter and discovers she's traveling a lot in her sleep. Is she a sleepwalker? Maybe...but what about the blood on her hands in the morning?
The story starts super strong, with lots of intrigue and engaging social commentary on how women are treated by medical professionals. The plot gets messy after that though. There's a lot of side characters whose purpose never became clear to me.
I also started getting confused when it seems the plot veers into the mystical rather than a more straight-forward thriller. When I reached the end, I still didn't understand the solution to the mystery. But that could have been a reading comprehension issue and no fault of the story.
Being such a slim volume, no one should be too disappointed even if, like me, they're left feeling confused.
Side note, the title reminded me of the Australian novel also called The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane which came out over a decade ago and has stuck with me. It's not a competition, but McFarlane's Night Guest was really wonderful and has a similar atmosphere. Fans of this book will definitely enjoy that one too!...more
I don't know much about landscape photography, but I do know Mitchell Burns is so smokin' hot he should be considered a natural wonder of the world. EI don't know much about landscape photography, but I do know Mitchell Burns is so smokin' hot he should be considered a natural wonder of the world. Every time he posts a new Instagram video I transform into a Victorian woman, bosom heaving, fan waving, soon to faint.
Of course it's not just his heartstopping smile, textbook Aussie accent and teasing man-cleavage which makes him such a hunk. There are plenty of attractive dudes on Instagram. A significant portion of Mitchell's sexiness comes from his talent as a photographer and, more importantly, an infectious passion for his craft. Joy oozes from his videos as we see him in his element, wading through Outback rivers or on a beach at sunrise. He educates his audience on the hard work that goes into capturing the perfect shot in a gleeful way that can't be faked. It's abundantly clear: nature and photography are his passions — and, I must say, passion looks good on him.
He also has a cool personal story which many tortured artists will relate to. In the book, we learn how he spent a decade working in the soul-crushing field of mining. Burns saw his colleagues wither away at a young age and grew increasingly fearful his life would end up the same. Sure, the money was good, but was this how he wanted to spend his life? Since a very young boy, photography has been his true desire. He can't imagine it being just a part-time hobby.
Without much of a plan, he takes the courageous step of quitting the reliable mining job and pursuing photography. Though he never regrets the decision, many years go by before he will be able to survive with more than a few dollars in the bank account. Even now, with massive online followers and agents knocking down his door, most potential sources of income don't pan out. We close the book feeling inspired by his determination and ever aware that the road to happiness is often scary. Still, he is proof that the reward can make it all worthwhile.
Fans will enjoy many chapters detailing Mitchell's family and upbringing. We get to follow along for the meet-cute he had with his girlfriend. I kinda hate her for stealing him, but am very appreciative that she is a significant source of his joy. I also think her female gaze is what makes his videos so titillating. Mitchell, bless him, seems very shy and aloof about how hot he is. But she understands the assignment. We love his photography, yes, but we also love keeping those top buttons unfastened. For that, we thank you Jessie. Keep doing the Lord's work.
Overall, I must say I'm impressed by the book. I didn't expect a miner/photographer/model to also be a proficient writer, but this is a good story of overcoming obstacles and reaching for the stars. I felt genuinely inspired by it, and it wasn't just because Burns narrates the audiobook and the sound of his voice gave me all sorts of filthy fantasies.
The newest Goosebumps entry is low on scares but high on mummy possession. Somehow, a mummified child ruler of Egypt from thousands of years ago crossThe newest Goosebumps entry is low on scares but high on mummy possession. Somehow, a mummified child ruler of Egypt from thousands of years ago crosses time and space to inhabit the mind of a modern pre-teen. The aim of the possession is to locate an all-powerful amulet which was stolen by a wizard, who also time-traveled from ancient Egypt. There's even a few chapters written from historical perspective.
A lot of bloat up front kills the pacing, but once it gets going it stays going. Not a must-read, but fans keeping up with the latest book series House of Shivers will have a good time....more
Since discovering "confession" stories from the 1950s I've become obsessed with magazines like True Story and True Confessions. Much to my delight, thSince discovering "confession" stories from the 1950s I've become obsessed with magazines like True Story and True Confessions. Much to my delight, this anthology collects various Halloween-themed tales from the magazines. Unfortunately, the stories are mundane representations of a gloriously daring legacy that dates all the way back to 1919.
"Dracula is My Baby's Daddy" is the only real zinger. It includes drunken costume sex in a coat closet, scaling a neighbor's fence to retrieve panties before they go up for auction, and a twist that, while so obvious it's not really a twist at all, is still cute.
"She's Obsessed with Halloween" tries to solve the mystery of why a mother spends so much money on Halloween candy and decorations. The sappy solution is that she grew up poor "in the projects" and free candy on Halloween brought rare joy to her life. She wishes to pass on this joy to other struggling kids. It's an "awe" morality tale that does represent a minor reason why millions of readers devoured confessions. But let's be honest, what we really love are the scandals.
"Phantom Prophecy" is a straight-up plagiarism of "Long Distance Call" by Richard Matheson, where a wife receives mysterious phone calls from a voice that sounds like her dead husband.
"Halloween Horror" also has a dead husband and opens with the wife exhuming his body. We eventually learn the backstory and how it relates to a nasty mother-in-law. Such domestic squabbles are signature confession tropes, but this story never quite goes as far or as shocking as I know these magazines were capable of.
I fear the intellectual property has been acquired by very conservative editors who wish to scrub the magazines of their more illicit reputation. Religious themes appear frequently, and most of the time the drama is of the Hallmark variety. To be fair, this was true of my beloved 1950s stories too. But that felt more expected in a highly repressed era, and those stories were still super juicy. These ladies have cell phones. They should be allowed to get into real trouble.
Characters are generally thirty-something divorcees and widows, though their juvenile adventures are written at a level seemingly intended for sixth grade girls. They break into houses to perform seances, make friends with the "witch" next door, win back an ex-husband with a sexy cat costume, not receive child support but attract a handy man who'll fix up the house in exchange for love, and sleuth out resolution for frustrated ghosts. They all come across as very Nancy Drew.
Where's "Grandma Is the Town Slut!" or "I Paid a Hit Man $10,000 To Murder My Lover's Wife"? (True Story, December 2000) What about "My Husband Gave Our Baby AIDS"? (True Story, March 1993). These magazines have so much exciting content to offer! Why avoid re-publishing the good stuff?
Confessions are known for tackling tough topics in creative, thrilling ways. They faced constant threat of censorship but prevailed by talking up to their audience, not down. I'm less familiar with modern-era confessions, but my impression so far is that I'd prefer stories from the golden years.
The historian in me is further frustrated with the editors for not mentioning which magazine, issue and year they pulled the stories from. Reference to cell phones is a key indicator for the era, but some stories have more subtle time stamps. How can you anthologize such pop culture artifacts without being clear about the social context?
Rest assured, I attempted to reach out to the editors and personally express my frustrations. But it seems they're no longer in operation, with an invalid email and website that doesn't exist anymore. Somebody must receive the checks, though, since the books are currently still available for purchase online.
I do hope we will see more True Confession anthologies in the future. There's a century-long literary legacy to work with that shouldn't be forgotten. Hopefully future editors will be less afraid to embrace history and scandal so new generations will better understand what the buzz was about.
All negativity aside, the anthology is still a short, sweet read that put me in the Halloween mood. Can't complain too much about that!...more
Surely I read this in the '90s, but the revisit felt brand new either way. We're dealing with amusement park horror when two kids get exclusive accessSurely I read this in the '90s, but the revisit felt brand new either way. We're dealing with amusement park horror when two kids get exclusive access to a new Universal Studios-esque tram ride which recreates the terrors depicted in the Shock Street film franchise. The scientist/mechanic/set builder dad sends kids off by themselves so they can provide honest feedback before the attraction goes live to paying customers.
Being "Shock Street" superfans, the kids are at first impressed by the ride's onslaught of terrifying surprises pulled straight from the movies. Soon, however, the scares come across as too real and too dangerous. They start to suspect something mysterious is afoot, or at least terribly wrong mechanically speaking.
As expected, there is a twist -- though possibly not the twist you expect! It surprised me, at least.
With memorable cover art and companionship to other amusement park titles such as The Beast and One Day at Horrorland, there is something inherently cool about it even if the storyline is very basic. Possibly this Goosebumps work is among the reasons Stephen King personally lamented that R.L. Stine had "used up all the good amusement park ideas."
A Shocker on Shock Street might've also been source material for Jeff Strand and James A. Moore's delightful novel The Haunted Forest Tour.
Shock Street's strength and weakness can both be attributed to its non-stop parade of monsters. The cover mantis sequence is by far the most riveting, while the others flash across the page too fast and too furious. There's no time to focus on any one scare before another takes its place.
In the end, we face a different kind of internal scare which you'll have to read to find out. I will say the final chapter briefly shifts to an adult, third person point of view which I imagine would be effectively unnerving to kid readers. It even creeped me out.
Like all Goosebumps books, it's a marvelous way to spend an hour or two. The strong premise, relatively few "fake out" cliff hangers, and visionary--if not excessive--monsters make it a rollicking ride....more
Rachel Maddow is perhaps the only cable news talking head who steeps her commentary in history and academia. She understands the significance of conteRachel Maddow is perhaps the only cable news talking head who steeps her commentary in history and academia. She understands the significance of context and often spends considerable time unfurling background information before diving into the latest story of the day. Sometimes this can lead to disappointment, where the build-up is by far more dramatic than the outcome. Often, however, context effectively reveals the high stakes of whatever horror is happening in politics at the time. Lately this has included Trump-Republicans operating in willful misinformation, suppressing the vote, stripping away freedoms, and systematically plotting to manipulate the electoral system—when not outright trying to overthrow the government.
We live in unprecedented times—or so it seems. The premise behind Prequel is that our inconceivable current affairs are actually more of a sequel to a bad movie we've seen before. Turning primarily to WWII-era America, Maddow points to a large number of forgotten political operatives who will remind readers of present-day villains.
It's a great premise for a book, and I was thrilled to learn what Maddow's research would unearth. I was even more excited when the first pages were devoted to George Sylvester Viereck, who I have written about myself at some length. Viereck is a unfortunate example of an American sympathetic to the Nazi cause, who also happened to be a writer with significant contributions to vampire fiction and gay erotica.
Soon after Viereck is introduced, however, the book takes on a more dizzying view of American history. The central thread is lost among a sea of names and situations which do not always feel significant on their own. I understand that fascism is the linking connection between each situation, but the plots are disconnected enough that I struggled to formulate a bigger picture in my mind.
Maddow is a scholar, and scholarly writing should be the reader's expectation. This book is different from her show, which makes history easy to digest. There is no guiding hand here, and the reader is largely responsible for making connections on their own. I personally appreciate this approach, but I also realize it makes for a more challenging read. I consider myself historically-savvy and a lover of research, and I still found myself exhausted by the complexity of it all.
Also, there are no attempts to help the reader compare and contrast the events of the past with the present day. Some are pretty self-evident, but most of the time I didn't understand how the prequel related to the sequel (today's seemingly never-ending bad movie). Of course page count is something to consider—I don't think anyone would want this to be 1,000 pages. Still, she could've cut some of the less intriguing examples from the past in favor of connecting the most-relevant past to the present.
There is a clear lesson to take from this history, however, and that's American democracy is more fragile than many of us ever thought. We saw it on January 6th, where a madman president gleefully watched television while his supporters stormed the capital and sought to hang the sitting vice president, among others, who would certify the will of the people. If they had succeeded, there is no doubt he would have emerged with an emphatic "Welp, I guess I'm still president!" And the Supreme Court, terrifyingly, probably would have agreed.
Maddow found horrific moments like this in America's no-so-distant past. While these earlier examples didn't come across quite as dramatic, they do illustrate how fragile democracy can be and how close America has come to losing it. This subtext is where the book really shines, even as I would have preferred for more overtness in the delivery. History repeats itself, but without the aid of gifted historians who can articulate exactly how the events of the past relate to the events of the present, it's easy to miss the connections. On that front, I wish the book articulated that more clearly.
Still, great information that historically-minded readers will find both fascinating and terrifying. ...more
Oh, Internet. Despite all your toxic ways, sometimes you bring me joy.
Less than a week after "childless cat ladies" and "couch" memes went viral involOh, Internet. Despite all your toxic ways, sometimes you bring me joy.
Less than a week after "childless cat ladies" and "couch" memes went viral involving a certain candidate for Vice President, the glorious Fanny Pegwell published this short story of erotic political satire.
Daringly told through the repulsive point of view of "J.V. Chance", we learn he's a crypto bro just returning from the RNC. To celebrate his wealth and success, he brings home a brand-new couch. He's just about to spend alone time with it when there's a knock at the door.
Behind the door is a woman seeking donations for a cat shelter. Obviously J.V. Chance is not interested, and he grows increasingly annoyed that his private time is being disrupted by a "low value female."
The woman overtakes him, however, and it turns out she's not alone. A whole "army" of cat ladies, and their cats, enter his home. The women reveal they know his secret online identity, Couchhumper69, and they're here to teach him a lesson.
And boy, what a lesson it is.
Obviously this short story was put together abruptly and probably in a fit of justifiable rage. Somehow the typos on every page only make it more authentic to the slimy point of view, however, and the unhinged rawness of it all is quite the laugh-out-loud treat.
But my favorite part: every historical analysis of the year 2024 will include a section on the candidacy of J.D. Vance, and how a viral joke about his sofa sex life permeated the global consciousness. It's a terrible thing, really, and it couldn't happen to a better person....more
I remember 10-year-old me raved about this one back in the day. It was probably my third Goosebumps book to read and sealed my obsession with the seriI remember 10-year-old me raved about this one back in the day. It was probably my third Goosebumps book to read and sealed my obsession with the series. Revisiting it now, I find that it still holds up. The premise is full of plot holes and the concept of "Jungle Magic" is laugh out loud--but I think these flaws are actually strengths. The unbelievable aspects balance the scares with humor, which is the secret sauce of Goosebumps.
Unlike many books in the series, where real scares are diminished by dozens of fake-out cliff hangers, the frights here are largely real. Mark thinks he's going on an adventure to a remote jungle location to meet his scientist aunt, but it turns out he's been kidnapped by a rival researcher who aims to destroy the pristine natural habitat for the sake of monetizing mineral resources. All they need is for Mark to use his "jungle magic" to find his aunt, who has fled for her safety.
The bad guys carry guns and threaten to shrink the heads of Mark and his aunt if they don't comply. There's also a number of natural enemies to fend off, including bloodthirsty mosquitoes, huge ants, a tiger, and quicksand. The plot moves fast, and there's never a dull moment. For its uniqueness of setting and quantity of thrills, I would consider it among the best in the holy 62 original books....more
Bird Box mastermind Josh Malerman is back with a chiller that recreates the jump scares of a PG-13 popcorn horror flick in novel form. This feat is quBird Box mastermind Josh Malerman is back with a chiller that recreates the jump scares of a PG-13 popcorn horror flick in novel form. This feat is quite extraordinary with words alone, with no aid from special fx monsters or a jarring score. Many of the images in this novel are truly nightmare-inducing.
From the first page we're introduced to a child POV who innocently interacts with "other mommy," a manifestation who floats across the floor, hovers up the walls, and longs to "come into her heart."
Eventually the girl's real parents find out about the terrifying entity and attempt to save their family in the process. A guilty backstory adds internal conflict, which tries to mirror the external issues at hand.
The first few chapters are among the finest horror renderings, even if the technique is largely borrowed from Stephen King. My enthusiasm waned somewhat with the melodrama confessions and meandering plot, but I did appreciate the fine attempt at giving the monster a thematic connection to the characters. If you love King's IT, this novel is likely to provide you with a similar, micro-dose version of that experience....more
As kids we'd jokingly say, "If you love it so much, why don't you marry it!" But parodies such as "Mating with the Mantis" take a more literal interprAs kids we'd jokingly say, "If you love it so much, why don't you marry it!" But parodies such as "Mating with the Mantis" take a more literal interpretation. From youth, our heroine has enjoyed studying praying mantises. As an adult, she received her doctorate in the field. She's obsessed. But she also has a secret--she's not just scientifically interested, but sexually attracted to praying mantises!
Naturally, tiny insects are not effective bedmates, so she has to imagine a mantis head on her human partners. Sometimes she even makes them dress up in mantis costumes. None of it really satisfies her though, which is why when an "enlargement ray" shows up at the lab, she's all too eager to zap the hottest mantis in her habitat so they can make mad love.
Then things both do and don't go according to plan.
I cackled on every page. We're talking side-splitting, snorting laughter. But why? Part of it is M.J. Edwards' hilarious descriptions and over-the-top metaphors. She has impeccable comedic timing and embraces the most irreverent of topics.
I can’t believe the $0.99 otherworldly erotica short story is still a thing, but I’m glad it is. In a world already full of tragic absurdity, I think hyper-overblown ridiculousness like this serves as a mental health band-aid. I’m sure her erotica stories about coronavirus strains and Zoom meetings are just as good....more
If you're an undecided voter hesitant about the guy who gleefully watched TV while his cult tried to murder the Vice President, but are also not yet sIf you're an undecided voter hesitant about the guy who gleefully watched TV while his cult tried to murder the Vice President, but are also not yet sold on Harris because you want more policy from her -- good news! She wrote a 300+ page book that is filled with her stance on all the hot issues, including a significant amount of policy proposal.
The book came out in January, 2019, just days before she launched her campaign for the 2020 presidential election. Allegedly this was the time when she was wildly liberal but, as we see here, she has always been level-headed, able to relate to differing perspectives, willing to praise thoughtful Republicans, and all while standing firm in her mission to create a better world.
She gets surprisingly forthright about her vision for a better economy that supports lower and middle-class families, foreign relations, cybersecurity, climate change, abortion, and so much more. In some ways it's better that the book is 5+ years old because there's no dwelling on Covid which, thanks to the Biden/Harris administration, we've largely beaten. This was also pre-insurrection, but the book seems to eerily anticipate the kind of dire atmosphere that was already building in our politics which allowed this to happen.
We also see variations of "We're not going back" and other 2024 campaign catchphrases, showing that the challenges we face today have been on her mind for a long time.
The downside of having so much policy is that the book isn't as riveting as other political memoirs. She has some great anecdotes, and juicy behind-the-scenes perspective during some major events in American politics, but mostly this is all policy all the time. Again, good news for the few people who feel they need more of that from her. If you're in that camp, grab a copy from the library!
If you're STILL on the fence after that, it might be time to recognize that internalized sexism is a real thing. It's not your fault! Women didn't even have the right to vote for 150 years of American existence. It's now been 250 years without a woman president. If you see Kamala Harris and think "she doesn't look presidential" it's because 250 years of sexism has created a world where it's hard to picture a woman as president because we've never seen one before. Not because there's any actual logic to avoiding women leaders.
By the way, it's not just an American thing, or a conservative/liberal thing or even a man/woman thing. The ultra-progressive state of California has NEVER had a woman governor. We may think we're beyond sexism, but we all have to deal with this reality because of the history we exist in.
Don't vote for Harris just because she's a woman, but also don't NOT vote for her just because she's a woman.
Bigger picture, please vote for the candidate who will not declare themselves king and imprison women for seeking healthcare....more
Wasn't expecting this to be a mad scientist whodunit where the victims are murdered via swarms of insects, including ants, dragonflies and bedbugs. AtWasn't expecting this to be a mad scientist whodunit where the victims are murdered via swarms of insects, including ants, dragonflies and bedbugs. At one point, a man is "beaten" to death by the velvety wings of moths. In a horde, even mild insects can kill -- apparently.
Despite the gnarly premise, gore is not especially descriptive. This makes me consider it a mystery instead of a horror novel. Too bad, since I am very fascinated to learn, in graphic detail, how death by butterflies and moths would work....more
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