Bird Box (Josh Malerman)

There is something out there.  If you see it, you go insane, kill everyone around you, and then kill yourself.  No one knows what it is, or how it can be stopped.  All they know is that you cannot look at it or you'll die.

I had heard about this book a few years ago, and meant to read it.  I actually started it a few times, but never finished.  I guess it just wasn't the right time.  But with my "Monster Mash" summer reading theme, I thought I had finally found the perfect excuse to read it.

And oh, boy!  This does not disappoint!  Right from the start, this book grabs you by the throat and drags you into a claustrophobic nightmare, where you can't even trust your own eyes.  Malorie is living alone in a house in Michigan with her two children, Boy and Girl.  Desperate to get away from the house for the first time in years, she gathers the children, and together the three of them take a boat down the river--completely blindfolded--in hopes of finding freedom.  The story alternates between these moments in the present, and Malorie's experiences from four years ago, when reports first started cropping up of something driving people to unspeakable violence.

This method of alternating chapters works wonders, as we start to see the stories converge.  You know how the original story ends--Malorie is now all alone, except for her two children.  But, we don't know how she gets to that ending, and that is what will keep you on the edge of your seat.  That, and the fact that we don't really know what is the cause of the madness.  What is out there?  Can it hurt you?  Can it be avoided?  And is there any way you can actually look at it without completely losing your mind?

If you're looking for something atmospheric and creepy, I would recommend giving Bird Box a try.  It's a quick and fascinating read.  

Summer Reading 2018

Hello, all!

So, this is the time of year when Emmy posts about how she is totally doing a Summer Reading theme, and then promptly forgets all about it!  (Such excitement!)  And if I recall correctly, this is also the time of year when I make big promises that no, this will not be like last year--this year I will really stick with the ideas that I had planned, etc.

So, enough of all that.  Here's what I'm aiming to do (whether I do or not is up for debate...)  First, I intend to choose a reading theme and read as much as I can with that theme.  Those books will (hopefully) be reviewed both here and on my Goodreads page.  Feel free to follow me there.  For books that I read that aren't related to the theme, those can still be found by following me on Goodreads.

I've been doing Summer Reading themes on and off since 2010!  For a quick refresher, here's what I've done in the past:

• 2010: Gothic Novels
• 2011: Scary Stories and Mythical Monsters
• 2012: A Summer in Middle Earth
• 2013: Summer School
• 2014: It's a Mystery!
• 2015: To Read or Not to Read
• 2016: Professional Fan-Fiction
• 2017: [Skipped this year]
• 2018: ???

Much debate has gone into this, but after looking at my to-read pile, I think I have decided.  2018's theme is: Monster Mash!  These are books about monsters, both real and imagined, seen and unseen, scary and silly, human and beast.  So, anything from The Invisible Man to Bird Box is fair game.  As always, feel free to read along with my suggestions or to add your own to the list.  Read something good?  Let me know!

I've not worked out an official start time yet.  I used to start Summer Reading when the semester ended.  But, I've been out of school for five years.  So, I've considered June 1st-August 31st, Memorial Day to Labor Day, and several variations in between.  I think this year, I'll just wait until it seems natural.  Expect something in the next few weeks.  And we'll go from there.  

And stay tuned.  I'll definitely be posting books on Goodreads, but I'll try to add the reviews here, as well.  I hope you find something fun to read from my list :)