How has your week been? What have you been reading lately? I finished Such a Quiet Place, Megan Miranda – such a good murder mystery – and Rape: A Love Story, Joyce Carol Oates – a dark, gut wrenching novella. Now, on to the 10+ things I bookmarked recently.
one+ The Winners of the 2024 Kirkus Prize were recently announced. James, Percival Everett, won for Fiction. I loved this retelling of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from the point of view of the enslaved man, Jim.
two+ Here’s why Han Kang is refusing to celebrate her Nobel Prize. “She said that with the wars raging between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, with deaths being reported every day, she could not hold a celebratory press conference,” Seung-wo told Korean reporters. “She asked for understanding in this matter.”
three+ Is Belletrist the next thing in the book world? Or is it already a thing and I’m just super-late to the party? I like the f Belletrist x Tertulia collab, which makes them now similar to Book of the Month … kinda sorta. Also, apparently Bookshops are cool again!
four+ Of course in a month dedicated to reading dark & macabre books, or as we like to say, #WickedGoodReads, someone would bring up Stephen King – so here’s Top 13 Scariest Stephen King Books: The Ultimate List. And I’ve been slowing working through reading the books on The 50 Best Horror Novels of All Time. I love the top 3 books, The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson; It, Stephen King; and Let the Right One in, John Ajvide Lindqvist.
five+ The answers in r/horrorlit: (What’s) The Best Horror Book of 2024? can form the basis of any horror genre fan’s reading list! And so can Vulture’s Best Horror Books of the Year (So Far). I haven’t read much horror published this year, but I really liked Incidents Around the House, Josh Malerman, but I’d give the edge to Murder Road, Simone St. James – which is a blend of horror and a murder mystery.
six+ Audiobooks are the main way I experience books, and I love the ideas in 18 Things to Do While You Listen to an Audiobook. For me, a lot of my audiobook listening is done when I’m driving, doing chores around the house, or walking outside.
Off the Books
seven+ Last weekend, I was feeling the nesting mood, and that including cooking this spicy sausage pasta and these easy roasted green beans & potatoes. And I’m happy to report that the Inijiji toe socks I mentioned buying last week are freaking awesome! This week I spent in Missouri for work, but I did get to go to Lambert’s Cafe, the restaurant where they throw rolls at you – and serve you a massive amount of food!
eight+ I’m officially registered for the Jekyll Island Half Marathon in January 2025. I’ve run the 10K option the past 2 years, and really want to “graduate” so to speak. I also registered for the Fort Clinch Trail Run (10K), which I ran last year. It was so hard – due to lack of practice on actual trails – but so much fun. And sadly, I deferred running the 2024 Detroit Free Press International Half which is this weekend, to 2025. I’m not prepared – but next year!
nine+ I’ve crafted a little Sunday evening wind down beauty routine for Fall. It starts with soaking in the bath tub with epsome salt with this Crest 3D 1-Hour Express Whitestrips on my teeth and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oatmeal Mask on my face. After I’m out of the tub, face washed, I use Anastasia Brow Genius Brow Serum and Pacifica Vegan Collagen Lash Serum (this is the first week, so at the end of the year I’ll report if it worked) and TruSkin Vit. C+ Serum. After removing the Crest White Strips, rinse with water and smother my lips with Carmex lip balm. Then it’s straight to bed to relax with a movie or tv show.
ten+ And of course I’m asking – What are you watching?! I want to be all over Love is Blind S7, but I’m waiting until all the episodes are released first – so not until after Oct. 30th! Of course, I’ve already seen some of the drama that’s happening, but I’m trying my best to stay away from too many spoilers. I haven’t had much screen time recently, but I just finished catching up with Reasonable Doubt S2 – it has been so good this season!
In case you missed it, this week Kim and I shared 3 Haunted House #WickedGoodReads You Should NOT Read When You’re Home Alone and 3 #WickedGoodReads that Blend Historical Fiction & Soft Horror. —- Cheers to the weekend and week ahead!
