Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 49

Book Review: The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry

 

My Review of The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry. A story that offers chills, but falls short of a full scare.

Title: The House That Horror Built

By: Christina Henry

Genre: Horror

Pages: 336

Release Date: May 14th, 2024

Publisher:  Berkley

Rating: ★★★☆☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:A single mother working in the gothic mansion of a reclusive horror director stumbles upon terrifying secrets.
Harry Adams loves horror movies, so it’s no coincidence that she accepted a job cleaning house for horror-movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding gray-stone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making movies that thrilled audiences—until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.
Javier values discretion, and Harry always tries to keep the house immaculate, her head down, and her job safe. Then she hears noises from behind a locked door, noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help. Harry knows not asking questions is a vital part of keeping her job, but she soon discovers that the house may be home to secrets she can’t ignore.

 

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Review:Christina Henry's "The House That Horror Built" promises a spine-tingling journey into the depths of terror, but ultimately delivers a mixed bag of frights and frustrations, earning a modest three-star rating.

The story itself gave more of a fiction vibe and not a horror vibe. The story of Harry the house cleaner seemed to overshadow anything creepy. It was a slow moving plotline that didn't come to a head until the very end, but by that point I was far from thrilled with finishing the book and really only did to tie up lose ends.
I love Christina Henry, but this story was not her finest. 3 out of 5 stars.  
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. 

Book Review: Queen B by Juno Dawson

 

My Book review of Queen B: The Story of Anne Boleyn, Witch Queen by Juno Dawson. A interesting take on the ambitious rise and fall of this historic figure.

Title: Queen B:The Story of Anne Boleyn, Witch Queen

By: Juno Dawson

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 224

Release Date: July 23, 2024

Publisher: Penguin Books

Rating: ★★★☆☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:This next spellbinding installment of Juno’s “irresistible” fantasy series Her Majesty's Royal Coven (Lana Harper) takes us back to the reign of Henry VIII and the origins of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven under the beautiful, the bewitching, Anne Boleyn.
It’s 1536 and the Queen has been beheaded.
Lady Grace Fairfax, witch, knows that something foul is at play—that someone had betrayed Anne Boleyn and her coven. Wild with the loss of their leader—and her lover, a secret that if spilled could spell Grace’s own end— she will do anything in her power to track down the traitor. But there’s more at stake than revenge: it was one of their own, a witch, that betrayed them, and Grace isn’t the only one looking for her. King Henry VIII has sent witchfinders after them, and they’re organized like they’ve never been before under his new advisor, the impassioned Sir Ambrose Fulke, a cold man blinded by his faith. His cruel reign could mean the end of witchkind itself. If Grace wants to find her revenge and live, she will have to do more than disappear.
She will have to be reborn.
In this gripping, propulsive, sultry short novel, Juno Dawson takes us back to the bloody beginnings of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven to show us the strength, steel and sacrifice it takes to make a sisterhood.

 

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Review:As a reader, I approached "Queen B" with a mix of excitement and curiosity, given Juno Dawson's reputation for tackling relevant and complex themes. While the novel certainly delivers on its promises of drama, wit, and social commentary, there were aspects that left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed, resulting in a three-star rating.
There was nothing really memorable here. The story jumped all over the place and the plot left no room for character or world building. I was left not knowing much about what I read or really cared. It was just bland.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Weekly Menu #552 And The Book Of The Week

 

Hello Monday! Welcome back to my weekly menu where I share all the delicious meals we will be making this week.

We have so many projects going on around the house, its a bit overwhelming, but I guess that's what happens when the sun starts to come out and all the things you've been putting off over the winter and now right in your face. Ugh... home ownership.

This weeks read is Verity by Coleen Hoover. My sister told me this was a spicy read. Lets see what her spice level is, shall we?

Lets get to this weeks menu. Enjoy!

WEEKLY MENU

Monday

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas
Kids - Cheese Quesadillas

 

Tuesday

Instant Pot Potato Soup
Kids - Tater Tot Nachos

 

Wednesday

Italian Grinder Sandwiches

Kids - Cheesy Pizza Sliders

 

Thursday

Smothered Porkchops

Kids - Chicken tenders and mashed potatoes

 

Friday

Grilled Steak with Couscous

Kids - Beef Ramen

 

Saturday

English Muffin Pizzas

 

Sunday

Chicken Souvlaki

Sunday Confessions #245

 

Welcome back to my Sunday confessions where I recap the blog.

Weekly Menu #551 And The Book Of The Week~Book Review: Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong~Book Review: Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha Tuli

Weekly Menu #552 And The Book Of The Week~Book Review: Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli~Book Review: The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry~Sunday Confessions #246




I'm down to the last episode of The Last Airbender. I'm so glad they redid the live action show. The last one was just stupid, but this one is full of fun action and fantastic bending. But damnit Momo, why?

36/100 2024 Reading Challenge~66/196 in my Star Wars Legends challenge~70/341 Gilmore Girls challenge~94/100 in my 100 books before you die challenge

Another wonderful week. Some new books on the horizon that I can't wait to dive into. Lets get to it, friends.

Book Review: Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha Tuli

 

My book review of Trail of the Sun Queen by Nisha Tuli. An Epic Journey Through Myth and Magic... I guess...

Title: Trial of the Sun Queen

By: Nisha Tuli

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 400

Release Date: November 15th, 2022

Publisher: Forever

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:Ten women. A deadly contest. Only one can win the Sun King's heart.

Lor has endured twelve long years of torment under the Aurora King’s rule. Her only desire is to escape and pay him back for every moment of misery she's endured.
When a surprise release finds her in the hands of the rival Sun King, Lor is thrust into the spotlight as she competes against nine other Tributes for the role of queen. If she wins his heart, she'll earn her freedom and finally get her revenge.
But Lor doesn't belong in the Sun Queen Trials. Not only does she not understand why she was freed, she isn’t a citizen of the Sun King’s court. The other Tributes resent her presence and will stop at nothing to ensure Lor is removed from the competition, permanently.
Now Lor must win, because if she loses, she dies. Or worse, she'll be returned to the evil—and now vengeful—Aurora King.

 

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Review:What the Harry Potter, Sarah J. Maas wannabe did I just read? The story starts off far too dark and disturbing to set a nice tone for the rest of the book. In fact, I felt really dirty and wrong. Once the story started to progress, there was a lingering question of "what is going on." All the characters were saying it. I was saying it. There were no little tidbits or treasures to help the mind grasp onto the mystery, it just became an annoyance, especially when Lor met the king and he even thought it was odd that no one had told Lor anything. When your own characters are questioning your writing choices maybe its time to stop and think about things.
King Atlas was just plane creepy and I couldn't stop thinking about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire mixed with smut and fairies. The only thing keeping me reading this book was my neurodivergent need to know the lingering secret that has been driving me nuts the entire book. By the way, super big let down.

Book Review: Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

 

My book review of Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong. A Riveting Fusion of Mythology and Modernity.

Title: Immortal Longings

By: Chloe Gong

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 372

Release Date: July 18th, 2023

Publisher: S&S/Saga Press

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.
Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.
Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.
Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

 

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Review:Chloe Gong's Immortal Longings presents a captivating blend of ancient mythology and contemporary storytelling, offering readers a rich tapestry of adventure, romance, and intrigue. Set in a reimagined Shanghai of the 1920s, Gong weaves together elements of Chinese folklore with a fresh, innovative narrative, resulting in a novel that is both familiar and refreshingly original.
My connection to Calla was immediate. She was strong but secretive. A wonderful character to follow.
The vibes of the book gave off a Hunger Games style setting, where people fight for survival and the highest prize. It was interesting to read and make my way through and in fact I really liked it. Its not often a copycat story can give me feels like that.
This was a fun and intense read. Loved Gong's style of writing and I can't wait to read more of this wonderful world.

Weekly Menu #551 And The Book Of The Week

 

Hello Monday! Welcome back to my weekly menu where I share all the delicious recipes we will be making this week.

Its been a weird week. The weather is bipolar. One day its sunny and in the upper 70's and the very next day is freezing cold and snowing in parts of the state. Make up your mind PNW. I'm also on prednisone for my autoimmune disorder and its making me pretty crazy too. Just trying to hold it all together right now and not kill anyone. Oy vey.

Maybe this weeks read will help keep me calm... or maybe not. Queen B by Juno Dawson. It sounds really interesting and I can't wait to read it.

Lets get to this weeks menu. Enjoy!

WEEKLY MENU
Monday
Chicken Teriyaki Pineapple Bowls
Kids - Chicken Nuggets and Rice
 
Tuesday
Pad See Ew
Kids - Beef Ramen
 
Wednesday
Smothered Frito Bowls
Kids - Fritos and Chicken
 
Thursday
Air Fryer Steak Bites
Kids - Mac and Cheese
 
Friday
Instant Pot Potato Soup
Kids - Tater Tot Nachos
 
Saturday
Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas
Kids - Cheese Quesadillas
 
Sunday
Leftovers Night

Sunday Confessions #244

 

Hello Sunday! Can you believe its April already. Second Quarter. 4th month. Its going so fast.
Lets recap the last week like its going out of fashion!

Sunday Confessions #243~Weekly Menu #550 And The Book Of The Week~
Book Review: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown~
March 2024 Wrap Up~Book Review: With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer

Weekly Menu #551 And The Book Of The Week~Book Review: Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong~Book Review: Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha Tuli~Sunday Confessions #245

Just finished 3 body problem and I can't wait to read the book. I'm crossing my fingers its just as good as the series.

33/100 2024 Reading Challenge~66/196 in my Star Wars Legends challenge~70/341 Gilmore Girls challenge~94/100 in my 100 books before you die challenge

A great week on the blog. Happy reading, my friends!

Book Review: With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer

 

My book review of With a Little Luck by Marissa Meyer. A wonderful story of luck and loss with a little D&D thrown in.

Title: With a Little Luck

By: Marissa Meyer

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 368

Release Date: February 13th, 2024

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Rating: ★★★★☆

 

Summary from Goodreads:After being magically gifted with incredible luck, a boy discovers this gift just may be a curse when it comes to love, in this YA novel by #1 New York Times -bestselling author Marissa Meyer.
Jude is determined to fly under the radar. He just wants to draw his comics, host regular D&D night with his friends, work at his parents’ vinyl record store, and escape high school as unscathed as possible. That is, until the night he comes across a mysterious twenty-sided dice and finds himself inexplicably gifted with a bout of supernatural good luck.
Suddenly, everything Jude has ever wanted is within reach. His first art submission is accepted to his favorite fanzine. He helps his friend’s song become a finalist in a songwriting competition. And he’s the 100th caller to a local radio contest, winning him a pair of coveted concert tickets, which he uses to ask out the popular girl he’s been crushing on since elementary school. For a few blissful weeks, he feels invincible.
But when he loses the magic dice at a local music festival, his luck takes a turn for the worse. He struggles to reclaim his good fortune while fighting off long-buried feelings for his best friend―who is definitely not the girl he’s supposed to be in love with. Can Jude risk stepping into the spotlight long enough to win the true girl of his dreams? Or is he doomed to be unlucky in love forever?

 

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Review:This is a wonderfully heartfelt read with almost a paranormal feel to it.
Jude is a sweet character who is soft spoken and caring. It wasn't until he found a mysterious dice that gave him the luck to finally ask out the girl he's been obsessing over for years. Everything seems to be going great until Jude loses the dice at a concert and things start to fall apart.
Marissa Meyer has always been one of my favorite authors. Everything she writes is unique. This book stays the course and is something I've not read before. I love how she takes a simple story about young life, love and even dungeons and dragons, and weaves a tale that is absolutely enthralling. I can't wait for more.

March 2024 Wrap Up

 

Hello! Welcome to the March wrap up. It was an amazing month with lots of great reads and more than 200 new followers on my bookstagram account. Hello all of you.
Lets look back on last months books.

Heartless HunterKristen Ciccarelli
A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe - a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution - who she can't help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch...is falling in love.









33/100 2024 Reading Challenge~66/196 in my Star Wars Legends challenge~70/341 Gilmore Girls challenge~94/100 in my 100 books before you die challenge

14 Books in March. I seem to have found a nice reading rhythm. Hopefully it will stick around for a while. Happy reading, my friends.