The Running Bibliophile

The Hike  by Lucy Clarke is a story of friendship told from four different perspectives of a friend group.  The annual holiday is Liz's choice this year, and hiking a huge mountain in Norway is what was chosen.  Obstacles throughout the trip reveal secrets, leading to the death of one of them.  Who will survive? I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Hike by Lucy Clarke.  She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, so when I was approved to read Clarke's latest novel, I was over the moon with glee.  I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review. From the start, The Hike  is extremely engaging, and I had trouble pulling myself away to do normal every day things.  When I wasn't reading it, I found myself thinking about the story and the characters. As a whole, the four main characters were likable but definitely had some traits about them that weren't amiable, just like real life.  I like...

Too Scared To Sleep by Andrew Duplessie is a chilling collection of horror short stories that immediately brought to mind the eerie, unforgettable feeling of reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Each story delivers suspense, creepiness, and just enough unease to keep readers turning the pages late into the night. What truly sets this teen horror anthology apart is its interactive element: at the end of every story, there is a QR code that readers can scan to watch a short video connected to the plot. This creative feature adds a modern twist, enhancing the atmosphere and making the stories feel even more real and immersive. I’d like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an Advance Reader’s Copy (ARC) of this horror collection in exchange for my honest review. The synopsis immediately caught my attention, and I was excited for the opportunity to dive into these scary short stories. When I found out I had been approved to read it, I couldn’t wait to experience how the stories w...

Stinetinglers 2 by R.L. Stine is a fun and spooky collection of ten horror short stories, each inspired by eerie events from the author’s life or his family’s experiences. Much like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark , this collection is sure to thrill young readers looking for a good scare. Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Stinetinglers 2 . I was especially excited to receive it, having devoured R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books growing up. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. It’s surprisingly creepy for a kids’ book and instantly put me in the Halloween spirit. I also loved that many of the stories end on cliffhangers; it keeps the tension high and lets readers’ imaginations run wild. I gave Stinetinglers 2 four out of five stars. It’s a fantastic choice for readers ages eight to twelve who enjoy spooky stories with just the right amount of chill. Follow The Running Bibliophile On Social Media Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Pinterest | Goodre...

Halloween Cupcake Murder (Irish Village Mystery, #9.5) by Carlene O'Connor, Carol J. Perry, and Liz Ireland is a collection of three novellas by three different authors, all having to do with Halloween.  I'd like to thank NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy of this collection that I received for free in exchange for my honest review. T he first novella in this collection is part of a series and is named Halloween Cupcake Murder (Irish Village Mystery, #9.5) written by Carlene O'Connor .  Tara Meehan owns an architectural salvage yard and in search of new products for her store.  When she receives a cupcake and a cryptic message from a stranger, Tara becomes entwined with an ancient mystery tied to Samhain.  I found this story to be intriguing but a little hard to follow at times, but all in all, I really enjoyed this novella.  It was suspenseful without being scary, and I loved that their was a secret society involved.  It made me want to re-watch the...

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is about Yale classmates and friends, June Haywood and Athena Liu, debuting their novels at the same time with both expecting to become well known authors.  When Athena suddenly dies in front of her friend, June makes a rash decision and steals Athena's manuscript, pawning it off as her own in hopes of attaining some of the fame Athena found.  Will June be caught? This novel was the October selection for the book club I belong to.  Although the synopsis sounded intriguing, I was afraid I was going to be dissatisfied with the direction that the story would take.  My assumption was correct.   June ended up being as unlikable as I thought she would be and literally had no redeeming qualities.  She kept making excuses and trying to rationalize the reason for stealing Athena's manuscript and publishing it as her own.  I kept waiting for her to get caught or reveal what she had done, but neither one really happened, which just ...