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KJ✌️

@kayjayreads

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One of my students put these books on my desk after I mentioned that I had never read any of the Warriors books. This trilogy follows the journey of Rusty, a house cat who dreams of being a warrior in the nearby forest where there are four clans of cats that maintain a sort of truce, but have the occasional conflict especially as ideals clash, loyalties are tested, and outsiders enter the territories. He is welcomed by Thunderclan and the trilogy follows his ascension through the ranks in his training and challenges, both physical and mental.
This was an entertaining series with beautiful artwork. While I haven’t read the original books, I appreciated the visuals provided as it was sometimes hard to remember characters’ names and distinguish some from each other as there are a lot of similar and similar-sounding names (which is intentional as it partially aligns with rankings in each clan). I’ve heard positive feedback on these books from young readers and would recommend checking them out (although not too young; there are real stakes in the book and some pretty violent sequences and death).
#warriorcats #graphicnovel @erinhunterbooks @nyaatalie @smgoetter by @kayjayreads

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3

9 days ago

Brother and sister, Jerry and Terri, are invited to visit their distant cousins, Brad and Agatha, at their cottage. There they befriend three siblings who tell them about a haunted cave at the beach; they want Jerry and Terri’s help to close off the cave in an effort to trap the ghost inside. Meanwhile, during their stay they spend much time engaging in Terri’s hobbies including collecting wildflowers for pressing and visiting cemeteries for gravestone-rubbing (placing paper on a headstone and using a crayon to copy the inscription onto the paper). When they explore the nearby cemetery, they find that all the people buried there have the same last name as them. Is it a coincidence? A rich family history in this town? Or is there some other explanation?
I’m not sure if it was the setting, how the story unfolded (in spite of its predictability), or something else, but I would actually place this among my top Goosebumps so far — I really dug it.
#goosebumps #ghostbeach #rlstine by @kayjayreads

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2

24 days ago

Roland, Flagg, and a really tall tower.
Set in the kingdom of Delain, The Eyes of the Dragon largely follows the trajectory of two brothers following the murders (over a period of time) of their king and queen parents. One son, the one who embodies the more kingly nature, is framed for and convicted of the murder of his father where as the younger and weaker brother is made king while the magician (who committed the murders) remains at his side, influencing the impressionable boy into leading poorly. Meanwhile, the imprisoned brother develops a plan of how to escape and take back his throne.
Much different than King’s other works as his first full-length foray into fantasy. Apparently he wrote it because his daughter didn’t like horror books and when he asked what she likes to read about, she said, “Dragons.” This one was pretty good and felt very traditional in its story with an engaging and well-structured execution of the story. Also, I found this copy recently at a thrift store; I’m not totally sure that’s a dragon on the front.
#theeyesofthedragon #stephenking by @kayjayreads

36

0

25 days ago

My father-in-law bought me this one several years back. I had read The Gambler years prior, but started to read the rest of the collection last year.
I’ve posted mini-reviews of each story, so I figured I would just rank them in order of preference based on my memory of each (heads up: I don’t think I’m totally intelligent enough to have appreciated Notes from the Underground as much as others do).
Here’s the list from least-favorite to favorite:
8. A Disgraceful Affair
7. A Gentle Creature
6. Notes from the Underground
5. The Gambler
4. The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
3. The Eternal Husband
2. The Double
1. White Nights
#fyodordostoevsky by @kayjayreads

37

2

a month ago

Todd is obsessed with worms. He collects them, talks about them, and has even made them the subject of his science fair project. One day, when demonstrating that cutting a worm in half creates two new worms, his sister points out that his other worms are watching. Then, worms start showing up in various places: his bed, his cereal, his hat, his sandwich. Is someone playing a prank on him? Or are the worms getting revenge?
I used different variations of “worm” 6 times in the summary above. It’s hard not to when talking about this book. While I was reading it, I pulled up a digital copy and apparently it’s used around 280 times (fun fact). Apparently Stine was not happy with this book, but I thought it was pretty fun. However, Todd is not a very likable character and maybe he deserves some of what’s happening to him. I enjoyed the turn midway through once the tone shifts into him being plagued with worms and there’s a bit of an over-the-top sort of double-twist towards the ends that’s fun. (I was also reminded that I did read this one as a kid, because the final image had stuck with me and I’ve always remembered it, but couldn’t remember where it was from.)
#goeatworms #goosebumps #rlstine by @kayjayreads

38

2

a month ago

Clarice Starling is training to be an FBI agent when a superior of hers, Jack Crawford, takes her aside to assist in an investigation of a series of grisly and horrific murders. To support the investigation, she is sent to interview Hannibal Lecter, another killer and former psychiatrist who is imprisoned at Baltimore State Hospital, and who previously assisted another investigation in this book’s predecessor, Red Dragon. The thing with Lecter, though, is that he’s not just going to give out answers; one must still dig for them, while also digging inside themself.
Being a fan of the movie adaptation, but somehow never having read it (although I have read Red Dragon), I decided to finally read The Silence of the Lambs. The movie is a successful adaptation in that it largely follows the book well, consolidates certain elements, and leaves out some additional aspects that might not be totally essential to a film adaptation. All that to say, I enjoyed my reading experience, it was very familiar, but not so familiar that it felt totally redundant given my exposure to the movie. Plus, I feel like certain things in the story were clarified well through the details within the book. A solid read, but not without its challenges given some of the content and imagery.
#thomasharris #thesilenceofthelambs by @kayjayreads

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6

a month ago

🎧 The Graveyard Book is a sort of retelling of The Jungle Book, but instead follows Bod (short for “Nobody”) who, as a baby, crawled down the street to a graveyard and was raised by ghosts and other supernatural beings. As he gets older and more aware, Bod expresses curiosity about exploring the world, receiving an education, and learning about his family who was murdered the night he left home.
I listened to the full cast audiobook of The Graveyard Book. I first attempted to read the book years ago but couldn’t get into it. However, I wanted to give it another chance since I’ve heard so many positive reviews of it. Overall, I enjoyed listening to the audiobook and the performances of each of the voice actors, but for some reason I just didn’t feel super invested in the story and had I been reading it in book format instead of listening to the audio, I don’t know whether I would’ve enjoyed it as much although I did like some of the character dynamics and plot developments. I’m sure I’m in the minority here, but I thought it was just fine. I understand why others like it, though. by @kayjayreads

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0

a month ago

Yesteryear is narrated by Natalie, a Christian, mother of five (with one on the way), wife, and online-influencer who lives at the titular farm and has branded it as her identity and livelihood. Early in the book — and through alternating chapters that detail her upbringing, her college experience, her relationship with her husband, and her creation of her idyllic online persona — Natalie wakes up in an uncanny version of her life: the house seems like her house, but with inaccuracies and no modernity; the family looks somewhat like her family, but something is off. Has she been abducted? she wonders. Is this a reality television prank? Or has she been transported back in time to the very lifestyle she appears to live by in her online presence?
At first, I was uncertain whether I would like this book or even whether I would be able to finish it. A lot of the subject matter conveyed through the narration was a bit much for me, but pretty quickly I saw the intent with it in the portrayal. It seems to not just be a satirical depiction of a certain type of person (or people, as it were — no one is safe from scrutiny or being caricatured here), but also just a depiction of the modern age in a lot of ways, from the online, social media world to the political moment, a lot of what seems to create a sense of paranoia and uncertainty of the things that are happening around us. But the portrayal of Natalie, I think, is smartly done in that in spite of what she exudes externally, her narration offers a very human (and seriously flawed) portrait of a strong-minded and strong-willed woman who has to be in control, even if it contradicts some of her ideals. While it seems to be a polarizing book, I thought it was a really entertaining read that takes you on quite a ride. My wife and I read it together and it was a fun experience talking the book out, making predictions, and listening to each other’s reactions and perspectives.
#yesteryear #caroclaireburke by @kayjayreads

39

3

a month ago

In anticipation of the upcoming movie, Other Mommy, I requested the book it’s based on from the library. Written by Josh Malerman (probably most known for Bird Box, which I still haven’t read or watched), Incidents Around the House is told from the perspective of eight-year-old Bela who lives with her Mommy and Daddo and is regularly visited by Other Mommy, an entity who has largely resided in Bela’s room and closet but lately is appearing elsewhere including outside the house. And what Other Mommy wants is for Bela to let her into her heart. As the story progresses, Other Mommy starts appearing to others around Bela including her parents, grandma, and others they interact with as they seek to understand what’s happening, escape what’s happening, and rid themselves of Other Mommy.
This was an eerie and creepy book with some imagery that really stuck with me. The tone is unsettling as the antagonist cannot be contained and appears in some jarring forms, so at any point and any place at any time she can show up. There was a realization I had fairly recently when watching a clip from The Sixth Sense, a movie I’ve seen countless times (and one I still love), in which I suddenly became especially aware of, not just how scary, but also how sad that movie is to see a kid just being tormented by the presence of ghosts, and this book made me feel something similar, especially, I think, since it’s told from her point-of-view. Ultimately, an engaging, but really upsetting book.
#joshmalerman #incidentsaroundthehouse #othermommy by @kayjayreads

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4

2 months ago

There Are Ghosts Here opens in a car where Willa is covered in ash along with the smell and taste of smoke. With her is a newspaper article stating that she is responsible for a fire that has taken place. She has no memory of this and is taken to Dorsey House, a home with therapeutic offerings for each resident’s journey. There, she is hosted by Margaret and Hal, the former who conducts the sessions, the latter who maintains the grounds. Upon her arrival, too, Willa is met by two girls who are currently staying there and who also assist her (and challenge her) during her stay as she works towards being able to leave Dorsey House. But in addition to these 5 residents, Willa is also confronted by a water- and kelp-covered specter, as well as the ghosts of her own past and personal demons within.
This was my 3rd of Tooley’s books (I still need to read her Betrayal Prophecies books). I found this one to be really captivating from the start and propulsive in her execution of the plot and how more is gradually revealed, not just for structural intentions, but also in a logical delivery given the story; it’s hard to talk about this one without saying too much, but I appreciated the delicate and thoughtful confrontation of heavier topics and themes. A solid psychological mystery that provokes introspection which makes it, at times, somewhat painful and challenging, but ultimately a satisfying read.
#thereareghostshere @adriennetooley by @kayjayreads

24

0

2 months ago

After seeing Almost Famous in the theater, my dad got a copy as soon as it was released. My mom — his first wife — was not big on me watching R-rated movies until I was in high school; it was often a point of ideological conflict between the two, so out of respect since I was only 11, and because it technically wasn’t the whole movie, he took me aside one day and said, “You have to watch this one part,” before fast-forwarding to the “Tiny Dancer” scene. I had questions. I wanted to see more. But I would have to wait. In the meantime, he showed me Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut, Say Anything… From there, once I was allowed to, I sought out all his movies and became a fan of them and him. In high school, I started writing screenplays as a hobby and often found myself studying his dialogue and reading his screenplays as a source of inspiration with him being a sort of creative role model for me.
Given how much his movies have become a source of comfort for me, it’s no surprise that I found much comfort in The Uncool, Crowe’s coming-of-age memoir that largely chronicles his childhood into early adulthood with much emphasis on his time as a teenage music journalist, that period being what Almost Famous was based on. Notably, too, the frame of the book is set to the production and opening of the musical adaptation of the movie.
And while it is a memoir, it also functions as a remarkable document of music history as Crowe’s career journeys through his time spent interviewing and writing about such figures as Bruce Springsteen, Kris Kristofferson (which offers perhaps my favorite part of the book aside from the last chapter), Jim Croce, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, and Fleetwood Mac among others, with his time touring with the Allman Brothers Band being the basis for Almost Famous. But ultimately, it’s a heartfelt and sincere love letter to his family. (Continued in the comments…) by @kayjayreads

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8

2 months ago

“…the questioner wants the truth. The doubter wants to be told there ain’t no such thing.”
The Sunset Limited (a novel in dramatic form) is a play about a black man and a white man having a conversation in real time following the former saving the latter from throwing himself in front of a train and then taking him back to his apartment for communion and fellowship. At the table, we have two men: one a privileged professor who is imprisoned, the other an impoverished ex-prisoner who professes; one who looks at the world and sees pointlessness, the other who looks at the world and sees pleasure; one without faith, the other full of it; one who rejects and condemns all those around him, the other who welcomes anyone in to care for them; one who hides himself from the world, one who bares his soul including his misdeeds. There are key distinctions between the two, but below the surface, when one looks closer, one sees the contrast emphasized in such a way to indicate that the man with little has everything and that the one with everything has nothing. But ultimately, throughout the course of their conversation, questions are posed to find out whether a lost soul can be found, whether hope that was never there be restored, and whether someone who doesn’t want to be saved can be.
This play is rich in its ideas and presents them in a pretty barren environment with no major distractions which allows us to get to know the two characters as well as we can in this stripped down, minimalistic production. A meeting of the minds between two people from different worlds and pasts who just happened to cross paths on this particular morning.
#thesunsetlimited #cormacmccarthy by @kayjayreads

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2

2 months ago