Xepherus Reads

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,       It's that time again, picking your Spooky TBR for October. In this series I recommend some amazing books that I have read and reviewed. Let's see if I can add some scary times to your TBR.   Originally published by Doubleday Books in 1973 (and currently presented by Valancourt Books), Burnt Offerings is written expertly by Robert Marasco. We are introduced to Ben and Marian Rolfe, the parents of a young son, David. They are stuffed into a New York City apartment with dreams of a better life. When Marian comes across an advertisement for a Summer rental, she suggests that they disappear into the country with Ben's elderly Aunt Elizabeth. No noise. No cramped apartment. A new experience for the family. Ben agrees to meet with the home's owners, Ronald and Roz Allardyce.     As they unpack and begin their Summer together, a presence begins to manifest itself. As Ben grows wea...

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,       It's that time again, picking your Spooky TBR for October. In this series I recommend some amazing books that I have read and reviewed. Let's see if I can add some scary times to your TBR.       The Hellbound Heart is written by Clive Barker and is published by Harper-Collins. It centers around Frank Cotton, an often lascivious man whose desire for ultimate pleasure leads him to acquire Lemarchand's Configuration. A black and gold lacquered puzzle box, said to hold the key to unlocking another dimension. In this dimension, the Engineer and his following, the Cenobites, are said to deliver exquisite pleasure and pain. But when Frank returns to his family home on Lodovico Street, he opens a door to more than he had bargained for. During a blood ritual, Frank summons the Cenobites, four horrifically disfigured agents of the Order of the Gash. And his introduction to pleasure and pain begins.   Many m...

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,      It is time to begin sharing my  2026 Xepherus Reads  Reading Challenge results.    The challenge dates are January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026  Book Challenge books read: 17/50) Books Read Not in a Category: (121) Total Books Read: (138)   Updated 09/26/2026   Xepherus Reads Challenge categories (in alphabetical order):                 A 2025 Goodreads Choice winner- A banned book- A biography of a celebrity- A book a Netflix show was based on- A book by a debut author- A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham A book by your favorite author you have not read- Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena (****) A book featuring your favorite character- One Last Kill by Robert Dugoni (****) A book from your childhood- Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury  (*****) A Book of the Month Club Book-  Middle of the Ni...

    Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,       It's that time again, picking your Spooky TBR for October. In this series I recommend some amazing books that I have read and reviewed. Let's see if I can add some scary times to your TBR.     NOS4A2 is written by Joe Hill and is published by William Morrow Publishers. In this macabre tale of horror, we are introduced to teen Vic McQueen AKA the Brat from Haverhill, Massachusetts. She is dealing with her parents' slowly decomposing marriage while listening to their constant bickering. One day she grabs up her bike and flees her home amidst a squabble about her mother's missing bracelet. She peddles faster and faster until she reaches The Shorter Way Bridge. On this day she finds that this bridge is an extension of her mind that can carry her wherever she wishes to go. Soon she has her mother's bracelet, having traveled to and from Hampton Beach, New Hampshire in minutes.   She continues to escap...