Xepherus Reads

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   The Goosebumps Series has been a staple in many a kid's growing up. It has spawned several series, a televiso n show, and recently two films. A worldwide phenomenon , Goosebu mps remains a literary favorite of children and adults alike. For Halloween I decided to pick up a few Goosebumps books. The first one I read was actually the first R.L. Stine book I picked up decades ago. "Reader beware, " Stine warns, "you are in for a scare."   The Sc arecrow Walks at Midnight is the twelfth book in the Goosebumps Series by R. L. Stine. It is published by Scholastic Books . In it we are introduced to Jodi a nd Mark, two kids on their way to visiting their grandparents . They are excite d for the spooky ghost stories and their grandmother's famous chocolate chip pancakes. Arriving at the station they are greeted by Stanley. He is the superstitious and somewhat befuddled grounds keeper of their grandparents...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!     N ovember . How is it possible that 2018 has been reduced to just two more months? October was a blur with New York Comic Con, fairs, and book s to read. Although I ended October with just a few book read, I definitely had a great time delving into these amazing new worlds. And I even re-read an old favorite.   But with January 2019 only two months away I am goin g to focus on my Reading Challenge . The end of year TBR should finish the challenge , getting me close my super goal of 100 books read for 2018. Here is to a wonderful reading year, my friends!       Here is my final list of books that I read in October (any reviews are highlighted): Angels and Demons by Dan Brown Lullaby by Jonathan Maberry The Davinci Code by Dan Brown Pete the Cat: Five Little Pumpkins by James Dean Tear Me Apart by J.T. Ellison The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight by R.L. Stine Walk on Earth a Stranger by Ra...

  Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!     This is a magical time for many. The Holiday Season for me begins in October as I prepare for colder weather, Autumn leaves changing, and Halloween. It is a cozy time for me, which leads me to visit sweeping epic tales and thrillers. In 2016 I read the first book in Rae Carson's Goldseer Trilogy based on recommendations, and yes, the book calling to me. After I was finished I said that I would wait for the entire series to be released so that I could re-read book one and then continue the series. That time has come.       Walk on Earth a Stranger is written by Rae Carson (better known for her Fire and Thorns trilogy) and published by Harper Collins under their Greenwillow Books imprint. It tells the harrowing and often touching story of fifteen year old Leah Westfall. It is 1849 and she and her family have made a decent living during the infamous Gold Rush years of American history. Her father ...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Thrillers have dominated my reading landscape in 2018. I cannot get enough of the suspense and mystery they have brought into my life. When my favorite thriller author recommended the latest J.T. Ellison novel, I knew I had to pick up a copy. What I found was a new favorite writer.    Tear Me Apart is written by J.T. Ellison, and it is published by Mira Books. In it we are introduced to seventeen year old Mindy Wright. She is a powerhouse Olympic hopeful that dominates the ski slopes whenever she competes. Her parents, Lauren and Jasper, have sacrificed time and money to their daughter's passion. But one accident sends Mindy careering off the slopes and into the hospital. Her leg injury is severe and will keep her out of competing for a long time. She is positive. With work she knows that she will ski again. As she recuperates in the hospital, Mindy finds out that she has leukemia, and a stem cell transplant is he...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons,   The Exorcist will go down in my history as one of my al l-time favorite books. I have read it several times, including a reading and review just recently . It is a faith-challenging, creepy, and often surprising crime novel. Blatty took the usual police investigation story and added a paranormal twist. Some may see the Exorcist as a horror novel, but I usually categorize it as a thriller. And it is a thriller that has stood the test of time. But what happened to Regan MacNeil after her battle with the supernatural? In 2016 the FOX Network answered that question.    When it was decided to announce an Exorcist television series, I was excited. As far as I knew, the series would play on the themes of the original boo k, but be its own entity. Week after week I sat glued to the series, very impressed with its storytelling and loving the actors chosen for this s tory . G eena Davis plays a mother of two teenage g...