Books_in_Red Blog

I know that as an author, I should review more books than movies, but since I've been finishing up my latest novel, I haven't been able to read as much. However, I have definitely been watching some movies, especially when I want to procrastinate! So one more movie before I get back to blogging about whatever book I'm lost in! Night Bitch was something else! This movie tackled some really tricky subject matter regarding motherhood. Amy Adams showed her enormous talent and

I finished this movie a couple of weeks ago, and I'm dying for others to watch it and tell me what they think! This movie definitely had what I refer to as "the brass teapot effect." Let me give a bit of background on that. Years ago, my husband and I watched a movie titled The Brass Teapot. It was not a well-known film, and the premise made it clear why. The story was about a couple who found a brass teapot that spits money if you hurt someone else in its presence. It

I can't say enough good things about this novel! In 1978, a horrific scene unfolded in a Florida sorority house. Sorority president Pamela Schumacher survives the brutal attack, but her life is forever altered after discovering the bodies of several of her sisters maimed and murdered overnight by an unknown but witnessed attacker. This novel follows the murders of the notorious Ted Bundy. While many of the adaptations or true crime documentaries that follow this serial kil

This movie was incredible! After my first watch, I had some questions, but I was also sipping tequila at the time, so that could have been it. 😂 After watching it for the second time with my family, the plot was much clearer to me, and the holes I thought were there the first time around were resolved. So, imagine you are invited by an extremely wealthy, super handsome, and charming celebrity to party on his private island with a bunch of his friends. What would you do? I

If you're from Kansas City, like me, you know that our city is well known for its haunted houses. Most of these terrifying experiences...

I absolutely love reading Riley Sager. I believe I have read all of his novels. Many of his stories surprise the reader with twists near the end that completely flip the narrative in a different direction from what seemed to be unfolding. This novel was no different in that aspect, but the ending will likely pull on your heartstrings more than some of his previous works. It's 1994, and best friends Ethan and Billy have set up their trusty orange tent in Ethan's backyard for

Over the weekend, my family and I watched this movie, which is now available to purchase and watch from home. I have been waiting for this one, and it didn't disappoint! If you haven't seen the trailer, the premise is this: Louise and Ben Dalton meet Paddy and Clara while on vacation. They all end up hitting it off so well that the Daltons and their young daughter, Agnes, agree to come to Paddy and Clara's home in a remote area of Europe for another get-together and to le

Mallory Quinn lands her dream job when she gets the opportunity to become a nanny for the adorable five-year-old Teddy. With her past struggles, Mallory is thankful for the quiet solitude her live-in position offers. She respects Teddy's parents and loves the small cabin she calls home, nestled in the Maxwell family's backyard, just steps away from the young Maxwell family and her charge, Teddy. All is well and good until Teddy, who loves to draw, begins drawing elaborate s

I was very intrigued by the concept of this book; the title alone is enough to pull you in. Siblings Louise and Mark, who are estranged, are brought back together by the sudden death of their parents. The pair is then left to deal with the remnants of their parents' home before attempting to sell it. In this instance, the remnants are a plethora of puppets that fill every nook and cranny of their childhood home. Louise and Mark's mom was a puppeteer for a Christian minist

Ever since the original "Beetlejuice" was released in 1988, I've been anxiously awaiting a sequel (or something!) because it was so...

This book is one of my favorites by Peter Swanson, and I believe I have read all of his books. I'm not sure I'd necessarily categorize it as horror, since that is the theme this month, but the story would make a great horror movie, in my opinion. So, I'm going to add it to this month's review! The story follows Abigail, a young woman who falls in love with millionaire Bruce Lamb and decides that his promise of a happy ever after is just what she needs! Bruce isn't Abigail'

Books will be the MAIN topic for this blog, but I wanted to mix it up and briefly discuss some of my favorite horror flicks for spooky season! The three I chose are all very different, and I enjoyed them for that uniqueness. So, let's dig in! First up is one of my all-time favorite slasher flicks, Scream . I mean the original one from the 90's, but I do happen to like all of them. This one in particular is one of my faves because it broke the mold, so to speak, on the slash

Bag of Bones remains one of my all time favorite stand alone novels by Stephen King. The story deals with grief, love, and, of course, ghosts! Mike Noonan is the main character in the book; he is a man dealing with the sudden death of his wife. Circumstances find Mike returning to a lakeside summerhouse that he calls "Sara Laughs". It is here in western Maine that Mike meets Mattie and Kyra, and his next love story begins. This novel deals with powerful themes of grief an

Incidents Around the House started with the terrifying text of a young girl telling her parents goodnight, then welcoming "other mommy" from the closet. Sounds like a nightmare, right? I thought the book was very creepy and had a lot of symbolism regarding what we allow into our minds, hearts, and homes. Like many people, I found the constant use of "Daddo" in the book a little annoying, but overall I really enjoyed the story and kept guessing how it would end. Regarding t