Author: kylieraewriter

          Almost didn’t make it again. I’m considering cutting down on my goals so I don’t feel so disappointed in myself if I don’t reach them. Reading four books a month used to be so easy, but between work and the baby I’ve barely had any time at all. And the only reason I managed it this month is audible. Three of the four books this month were audio books.  Little man is getting bigger and playing with toys now, so I’m trying to manage, but it’s hard. Anyway, enough of my rant and on to the books.

The Alchemist by H.P. Lovecraft

          This was my first Lovecraft read and I didn’t hate it. I purchased his entire collection as an audiobook and the intro by the narrators did not lie. He is very descriptive. Sometimes overly so in a way that makes it hard to follow what his point was. But it also allows for a very colorful story to be told.

          This story was very short, but it still managed to give the reader everything they needed to know. It was dark and creepy, just the way I like my stories to be. It was maybe a little predictable. But only because it’s such an old story and many horrors tales have played on similar themes.

          A good read overall.

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

          To be honest, if I had read a physical copy of this book instead of listening to it, I probably wouldn’t have finished it. It was a lot, and I mean a lot, of technical jargon and repetitive descriptions about the scientific expedition and the mountain’s latitude and longitude and the blah blah blah. However, at the root of it all was a creepy story that I did like and want to hear.

          There were a few times that the suspense of ‘what did he see that he refused to talk about,’ might have killed me. I was pulled to google questions I had in order to just get a straight answer, but I pushed on.

          I don’t know if I’m satisfied by the overall story, but I don’t regret getting to the end without giving up.

Make it Scream, Make it Burn by Leslie Jamison

          I picked this book off the list of Top Books of 2019. The author read it herself, and her voice is very calming and almost therapeutic. If I’d had a bad day at work, listening to it on the way home helped me get my head right. This can also be attributed to the topics of her essays.

          I’ve learned interesting facts from this book that I probably wouldn’t have come across otherwise. The Whale, 52 Blue, and the reincarnated children were my favorites. The topic of reincarnation has always piqued my interest.

          The last portion of the book was more personal and I felt I could relate to her on several levels. Her dating Vegas Joe reminded me of my failed endeavors at dating. How she built him up in her head, but the reality of him fell flat. But then also her marriage and becoming a step-mother. To have someone put into words what I’ve felt and struggled with the last two years was a relief. And it’s also given me ideas on how I can strengthen my relationship with Big Brother.

          Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m glad I picked it off the list.

78 Reasons why your book may never be published and 14 reasons why it just might by Pat Walsh

          My craft book for the month was the only book I actually read. Mostly because I like to highlight and make notes. And I can’t do that if it’s an audio book or even an e-book.

          I skimmed a lot of this book, to be honest. I’ve read a lot of books on the publishing industry, so I already knew a lot of the information. Not to say it wasn’t good to have a refresher. It also is a bit of an older book so it had a little bit of outdated information. Like the part about self-publishing. It’s not shunned like it was when this book was written.

          And that’s that. I’m going to attempt to actually read this month, but I’m glad I have audio books to fall back on. I’m also preparing my reading list for next year and would gladly take any suggestions.