Hell House by Richard Matheson

 

Who doesn't love to read a horror novel that features a haunted house? The haunted house motif really does seem to be a popular theme in the horror genre world. With Halloween right around the corner, I decided I would read a few novels from the horror genre... I couldn't resist choosing to read Hell House by Richard Matheson as I've enjoyed a few of his other novels and have wanted to explore more of Matheson's novels. Hell House seemed like a good fit as it deals with a haunted house and is also considered a horror classic.

Hell House by Richard Matheson was published in 1971. Hell House has four main characters - Lionel Barrett, a physicist with an interest in parapsychology and his wife, Edith, and two mediums, Florence Tanner and Benjamin Franklin Fischer. Lionel Barrett, Florence Tanner, and Benjamin Franklin Fischer are hired by a dying millionaire, William Reinhardt Deutsch, to investigate the possibility of life after death for a week at the Belasco House (aka Hell House) in Maine. The Belasco House is known as the most haunted house with a long history.

Hell House is a horror novel with a mystery to be solved as to why the house itself is haunted. I especially liked the supernatural horror and mystery components for this novel as it slowly draws the reader in to the storyline over time. The sanity of each of the four characters is subtly undermined as the Belasco House picks up each individual's weakness and uses this weakness to its advantage as the house pits each individual against the other, which erodes the trust between them. 

The Belasco House also has a sordid history of debauchery and other immoral acts, which seemed to occur (or rather be encouraged) by the original owner, Emeric Belasco. The majority of those that enter the home never leave as they end up dead or alive but scarred in some way by other means, like madness, etc.

Although, I liked Hell House by Richard Matheson overall, I did not enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. I absolutely loved Matheson's novels,  Shadow on the Sun and also A Stir of Echoes, but Hell House just didn't measure up completely for me. Yes, this novel features a very scary haunted house, but the plot felt a bit dated and something else I can't put my finger on.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Hell House by Richard Matheson, which is well narrated by Ray Porter. 

Listening time for Hell House by Richard Matheson is 9 hours, 11 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Hell House by Richard Matheson, which I discovered on Chirp's website:

For over twenty years, Belasco House has stood empty. Regarded as the Mount Everest of haunted houses, its shadowed walls have witnessed scenes of unimaginable horror and depravity. All previous attempts to probe its mysteries have ended in murder, suicide, or insanity. But now, a new investigation has been launched, bringing four strangers to Belasco House in search of the ultimate secrets of life and death. A wealthy publisher, brooding over his impending death, has paid a physicist and two mediums to establish the facts of life after death once and for all. For one night, they will investigate the Belasco House and learn exactly why the townsfolk refer to it as the Hell House.

Hell House, which inspired the 1973 film The Legend of Hell House, is Matheson’s most frightening and shocking book and an acknowledged classic of the genre.

I am giving Hell House by Richard Matheson a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

Psycho by Robert Bloch

It's been a few decades since I've watched Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror movie, 'Psycho', which was based on the 1959 novel of the same name and written by Robert Bloch.

With autumn upon us and the Halloween season rapidly approaching, I decided to read some horror themed novels to celebrate the approaching holiday. 

I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of Psycho by Robert Bloch and narrated by Richard Powers earlier this month while on vacation with my husband. Psycho is a super fast read and was excellently narrated by Richard Powers. I was actually very surprised at how much I enjoyed Psycho. It's a tightly written novel. I enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the storyline. There are some differences between the movie and the novel as to be expected.

Listening time for Psycho by Robert Bloch is 5 hours, 24 minutes.

Below is the publisher's summary for Psycho by Robert Bloch from Chirp's website:

It was a dark and stormy night when Mary Crane glimpsed the unlit neon sign announcing the vacancy at the Bates Motel. Exhausted, lost, and at the end of her rope, she was eager for a hot shower and a bed for the night. Her room was musty but clean, and the manager seemed nice, if a little odd.

Norman Bates loves his mother. She has been dead for the past twenty years, or so people think. Norman knows better, though. He has lived with Mother ever since leaving the hospital in the old house up on the hill above the Bates Motel.

One night, Norman spies on a beautiful woman who has checked into the hotel. Norman can’t help but spy on her. Mother is there though. She is there to protect Norman from his filthy thoughts. She is there to protect him with her butcher knife.

This classic horror novel, which inspired the famous film by Alfred Hitchcock, has been thrilling people for more than fifty years. It introduced one of the most unexpectedly twisted villains of all time in Norman Bates, the reserved motel manager with a mother complex, and has been called the first psychoanalytic thriller.

I am giving Psycho by Robert Bloch a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars. I really want to watch the movie again now that I've read the novel.

Until my next post, happy reading!

The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner

 

I enjoyed listening to The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner and narrated by Cassandra Campbell while on vacation earlier this month.

Listening time for The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner is 7 hours, 40 minutes.

The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner is a work of contemporary fiction and is also a psychological suspense. I've had this novel in my 'to be read' pile for a number of years and I am glad I finally read it this month.

The pros of The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner for me was the main character, Kyra Winthrop, and the overall storyline. Kyra is a 34 year old marine biologist and she was involved in a diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. She barely remembers anything about her life from the past four years. Kyra has flashes of memories that don't make a lot of sense to her as she tries to piece her life back together.

Kyra is also essentially an unreliable main character. She draws a few false conclusions about her life when it comes to all of her fragmented flashes of memories and how they fit together. I also questioned whether or not Kyra's fragmented flashes of memoir were even true/real at the time or if they were simply false memories.

The overall storyline/plot and other characters were good too. I figured out some of what was happening in the novel early on, but there was a plot twist that I didn't quite catch.

The major con for me was the pacing of this novel. The Twilight Wife was a bit slow for me. 

Below is the publisher's summary for The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner from Amazon's website:

From best-selling author A.J. Banner comes a dazzling new novel of psychological suspense in the vein of S.J. Watson's Before I Go to Sleep and Mary Kubica's The Good Girl that questions just how much we can trust the people around us.

Thirty-four-year-old marine biologist Kyra Winthrop remembers nothing about the diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. With only brief flashes of the last few years of her life, her world has narrowed to a few close friendships on the island where she lives with her devoted husband, Jacob.

But all is not what it seems. Kyra begins to have visions - or are they memories? - of a rocky marriage, broken promises, and cryptic relationships with the island residents, whom she believes to be her friends.

As Kyra races to uncover her past, the truth becomes a terrifying nightmare. A twisty, immersive thriller, The Twilight Wife will keep listeners enthralled through the final, shocking twist.

I am giving The Twilight Wife by A.J. Banner a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

New to Me Little Free Library Find in Hopland, California + Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants Visit!

 

Last Saturday afternoon, my husband and I made our way home from a nine day vacation to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants. We had a blast visiting the 31 miles of old growth redwood forests located roughly 4 hours north of San Francisco California! In fact, I recently read that the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants was recently named as the best state park in the nation.

We enjoyed walking four of the numerous trails in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants. Plus, we visited a couple of the small groves, a drive through tree, and several of other roadside attraction during our stay.

Me walking on one of the trails in the Avenue of the Giants!

We actually stayed in an AirBnB in Miranda, California ---population 350 people!! I loved being in nature and also being very far away from the crowds of people found in big city life.

It wasn't until our return trek home that we stopped briefly off in Hopland, California to leave seven books at a Little Free Library next to a post office the size of a postage stamp. Hopland is another small town with a population of slightly more than 800 people.

Have you found any Little Free Libraries lately? 

Let me know as well if you've ever visited Humboldt Redwoods State Park/Avenue of the Giants in the comments section below!

Happy National Comic Book Day!!

 

Top Ten Tuesday - Books on My Fall 2024 To-Read List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I am usually not a fan of listing book titles I want to read during a given timeframe as I usually end up changing my mind on which books I want to read due to my personal interest at any given moment.

So, below are ten books I want to read during the last quarter of 2024 given my interest at the time of making this post.

Have you read any of the following books? Share your thoughts with me in the comment section below if you've read any of them.

1. Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin

2. The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

3. Houses Without Doors by Peter Straub

4. The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

5. Sisters In Law by Linda Hirschman

6. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin

7. Murder As Fine Art by David Morrell

8. The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle

9. The Sentence by Louise Erdrich

10. Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick

Carl Hiaasen on His Love of Florida

 

I've read a couple of Carl Hiaasen's novels, Nature Girl and Skinny Dip, both of which I enjoyed immensely. I like Hiaasen's satirical sense of humor.

I am not really sure why I have not read more of his novels yet, but hopefully I will read more of them in the future.

I enjoyed watching the above video I discovered last week on YouTube.

Margaret Atwood Discusses The Handmaid's Tale

 

I LOVE, Love, love Margaret Atwood and her novel, The Handmaid’s Tale! She's such a brilliant and intelligent woman and writer. I enjoyed watching the above YouTube interview featuring Margaret Atwood.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Happy National Cozy Mystery Day!!

 

Do you have a favorite cozy mystery series?

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts

 

I’m a longtime fan of Salvador Dali’s artwork. I have even visited the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida back in 2008 with my husband before the museum moved to its current location. 

Since I’m a Dali fan, I’ve decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts and narrated by Charlie Thurston. 

Listening time for The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts is 6 hours, 28 minutes.

I truly enjoyed listening to this work of nonfiction. I learned a lot of things I never knew about Salvador Dali's life before reading this book uncluding a lot of history about Spain, the Surrealist movement itself, other artists of the time, Dali's thoughts on various current events, and what had the most impact/influence on his artwork. I also enjoyed the detailed deep dive into some of Dali's most famous works and what the symbology in these works meant.

If you're at all curious about Salvador Dali, other artists during the day, art in general, and history, then this book is most definitely for you. If you enjoy audiobooks, then you'll also enjoy Charlie Thurston's narration of The Dali Legacy.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts from Chirp's website:

In turns beloved and reviled, twentieth century art, painter, filmmaker, and designer Salvador Dali set Europe and the United States ablaze with his uncompromising genius, sexual sadism, and flirtations with megalomania. His shocking behavior and work frequently alienated critics; his views were so outrageous, even prominent Surrealists tried to ostracize him. Still, every morning he experienced “an exquisite joy-the joy of being Salvador Dali,” and, through a remarkable talent that invited bewilderment, anger, and adoration, rose to unprecedented levels of fame-forever shifting the landscape of the art world and the nature of celebrity itself. In this stunning volume, noted art historians Jean-Pierre Isbouts and Christopher Heath Brown discuss the historical, social, and political conditions that shaped Dali’s work, identify the impact of Modern as well as Old Master art, and present an unflinching view of the master’s personal relationships and motivations. With their deeply compelling narrative, Isbouts and Brown uncover how Dali’s visual wit and enduring cult of personality still impacts fashion, literature, and art, from Andy Warhol to Lady Gaga, and seeks to answer why, in an age of shock and awe, Dali’s art still manages to distress, perplex, and entertain.

I am giving The Dali Legacy by Christopher Heath Brown & Jean-Pierre Isbouts a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

 

I had Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle on my reading wishlist for quite a while. I don't recall how I discovered this graphic memoir, but it must have really stood out for me to have added it to my reading wishlist.

I recently purchased a used paperback copy of Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle. Guy Delisle is a Canadian cartoonist and animator, who spent time working in North Korea as an animator.

I loved the artwork for Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea!! The artwork is the best part of this book. It was an intriguing to read Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea as it gives us perspective on what it's like to visit North Korea as a foreigner and to also work in North Korea short term. For instance, the author had to be essentially escorted everywhere by a translator/escort. Propaganda is a big problem in North Korea. The sad state of affairs for the North Koreans is touched upon in this book, which gives us some insight as to how the country is in real life.

Below is the publisher's summary for Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle I discovered on Amazon's website:

Guy Delisle’s Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea is the graphic novel that made his career, an international bestseller for more than ten years. Delisle became one of the few Westerners to be allowed access to the fortress-like country when he was working in animation for a French company.

While living in the nation’s capital for two months on a work visa, Delisle observed everything he was allowed to see of the culture and lives of the few North Koreans he encountered, bringing a sardonic and skeptical perspective on a place rife with propaganda. As a guide to the country, Delisle is a non-believer with a keen eye for the humor and tragedy of dictatorial whims, expressed in looming architecture and tiny, omnipresent photos of the president. The absurd vagaries of everyday life become fodder for a frustrated animator’s musings as boredom and censorship sink in. Delisle himself is the ideal foil for North Korean spin, the grumpy outsider who brought a copy of George Orwell’s 1984 with him into the totalitarian nation.

Pyongyang is an informative, personal, and accessible look at a dangerous and enigmatic country.

I am giving Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!

Happy National Read A Book Day!

 

Bookish Quote of the Day!!!

 

Top Book-To-Screen Adaptations for TV and Movies!

The above, short YouTube video (under 4 minutes) discusses four books that have been turned into either a tv series or a movie coming out this fall. They all sound like good adaptations!

Literary Sites of the Monterey Peninsula

 Fun video highlighting the literary sites on the Monterey Peninsula. Ths focus being on John Steinbeck, Robinson Jeffers, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

I've even visited both Cannery Row and also the house where Robert Louis Stevenson once stayed... See the blog post I made from my visit to the Robert Louis Stevenson House here.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books Involving Food

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Top Ten Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Below are ten books related to food in some way. The first five books are ones I've read and really enjoyed reading. While the last five books are ones about food that I would like to read.

Below are five books I've read and loved that are focused on food!

1. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8 Lee

2. The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson

3. Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy Thomas

4. The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

5. The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister

The following five books are ones that I would like to read that are focused on food!!

6. Our Fermented Lives: A History of How Fermented Foods Have Shaped Cultures & Communities by Julia Skinner

7. Chocolate Wars: The 150-Year Rivalry Between the World's Greatest Chocolate Makers by Deborah Cadbury

8. The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky

9. Caviar: The Strange History and Uncertain Future of the World's Most Coveted Delicacy by Inga Saffron

10. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlansky

Have you read any of the above books? If so did you like them? Let me know in the comment section below. Happy reading!

2024 High Summer Readathon - Wrap Up Post!

I didn't quite reach my goal of reading four specific novels I set out for myself to read for the 2024 High Summer Readathon as I had a two week reading slump mid-month.

I'm kind of surprised by my reading slump last month as I read so many books during the month of July. I simply thought I'd keep the momentum going during the month of August.

I did, however, read three books last month. I read and reviewed the following three books:

1. The Story of English in 100 Words by David Crystal (nonfiction)
2. Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar (fiction)
3. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival by Louise Murphy (historical fiction/fairytale retelling)

Click on the links above to read my review of each book.