Slasher Summer by E. L. Chen

Patrick just wanted to gather his friends for one last summer. The group had come together because of him, The Jumpscare Society. After his sister's murder he needed something and the group had worked, putting on shadow plays of the Slasher movie, filmed right in their home town. Until their senior year when it fell apart. But now, Patrick has pulled them back together for one last night: the druggie, the preppie, the football king and his cheerleader queen, and the goth girl. Everyone except the Final Girl. But Carrie shows up anyway bringing with her a host of unresolved issues. Or maybe they all brought issues. Especially the person who shows up dressed as the Slasher. 

A fun take on horror films. The book is third person omniscient from most of the character's viewpoints and uses over half the book to build tension before the killings begin. This is going to be a weird thought but I was thrown off by exactly how perfectly the movie beats were hit in a book. It was like hearing a Queen song sung as a madrigal. It mostly works but feels just a little off. Other than that, a really fun summer read. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 23, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Crown Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

When I Was Your Age by Kenan Thompson

I love a biography read by the author and this book proves excatly why. Thompson is open about his life, starting from his time in Georgia and wending through his time on Nickelodeon. He focuses on his own life though it touches that of many famous other people. Of course, he talks about his time on Saturday Night Life. 

There are also stories of his family. Both growing up and now his daughters. 

Four stars

This book came out December 5, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove

Willow Stone used to spend summers with her godmother Sue on Little North Island. But when she was fifteen, the summers stopped. Now she's grown, and an organist and curious about Sue. But what she finds is not what she expects and it sends her back to the island. 

Now, she's trying to figure out a weird small town that has... dynamics. Plus, there are ghosts. Which I wasn't expecting.

Three stars

This book came out February 17, 2026

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Funny Man Patrick McGilligan

A deep dive into the life of Mel Brooks. This book starts, as many good books do, at the beginning, with Brooks' birth in 1926. The whole first chapter is devoted to his first eighteen years, growing up in New York as the youngest of five, being coddled and cosseted. The books moves on to his time in the army during WWII, his time in television, and his movies. There are touches on his marriages and other romances. 
This book is not sycophantic, acknowledging that Brooks was often a horrible coworker and employee, stealing ideas, not crediting people, and often raging at them. 
I'm not sure why, in this day and age, various slurs were in this book They weren't needed for verisimilitude and any number of other words could have been used instead. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 19, 2019

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Final Target by Nora Roberts

Arden is just starting out as an author at the beginning of the book. She's at a book signing and shrugs it off when one of her fans asks her to grab a meal or coffee with her. But then she sees him again. And again. And someone breaks into her house. Then again, when she's home. But he's wealthy so he gets off with a time of five years. 

In that time, Arden begins to heal, writes more books, and decides to move to Oregon, following her family. She also meets the people of her town, including Joe Riley who owns the hardware store as well as his grandson, Gideon. Gideon is a double-threat as a romance hero, being not only a woodworker but a former cop. 

Of course, the two begin to fall in love. But the danger still lurks.

If you like Roberts, you will enjoy this book. It definitely follows her formula but it's a good formula and enjoyable. 

Four stars

This book came out May 26, 2026

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own

The Hidden Staircase by Carolyn Keene

Nancy is trying to relax and read a book but is having trouble concentrating. Luckily, she's interrupted by a knock on the door. Not so luckily, it's Nathan Gombet who is trying to get something from Carson Drew. Her father isn't home but, when he comes back, confirms that Gombet is someone that Nancy should avoid.

Luckily, she has a mystery to distract herself. There are a pair of elderly sisters who are concerned that their house is haunted. Nancy decides to stay at their house so she can experience what they are hearing. And it is certainly puzzling, but she is able to figure out what is happening in the end, leaving the sisters with a happy ending.

This book hasn't aged as well as the first one. I think it was just some of the language that made me realize how old these books are but I'm going to keep working my way through the series. 

Three stars

Nancy Drew #2

Follows The Secret of the Old Clock

Followed by The Bungalow Mystery

This book came out in 1930, rereleased June 16, 2026

ARC kindly provided by Dover Publications and Netgalley

Opinions are my own

Freedom by Angela Merkel, narrator Juliet Stevenson

I was a little intimidated by the 27 hour listening time but was intrigued by a woman who I only knew a little about. And I'm glad that I picked up this book. Not only is it well-written, Merkel has lead a fascinating life. The narrator was a perfect fit, reading the book as I imagine Merkel would, albeit in German. 

As the foreward notes, the book is almost equal between her time out of the chancelloarship and in it. She starts at the beginning, growing up in the GDP, eastern Germany. She was born before the Berlin Wall went up, and was old enough to understand what happened when the wall came down. 

During her time as the Chancellor of Germany, Merkel dealt with any number of political pitfalls. There is a large section given to refugees in Germany. She also crossed swords with Putin and spent time with both Bush and Obama (she speaks of the latter two highly.) She speaks very... professionally about President Trump.

Four stars
This book came out January 1, 2024

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own