Kurt Mason

This book is every person’s nightmare turned into a reality. Whether you believe in intuition or not, everyone has those moments in life when you feel as though you are being watched, as if there is someone just out of your line of sight that is keeping tabs on your every move. Some people feel this more strongly than others, and for those of us, myself included, who feel this so strongly that the hairs stand up on the back of our necks, I would offer a word of caution before reading this book; this book takes the illusion of your home representing safety and security and smashes it to pieces. A lifetime of horror movies have taught me to trust my intuition and that you never investigate mysterious sights/sounds, especially if it’s coming from your dark, musty basement.

Without a doubt in my mind, I feel as though I have finally found the answer to the question that seems to befall every book lover: who is your favorite author? I have always struggled with this question because I have always enjoyed such a variety of authors and genres, but I have finally figured it out--Andrew Smith. Andrew Smith has woven his way into my heart, and he has taken on the title of my favorite author.

To be honest, I picked this off of my shelf because I figured that it was a fitting time to dive into a virus-based, apocalyptic narrative. Amid all this drama with Covid-19, this book was calling to me. I didn’t know what to expect from this book because I don’t typically find myself leaning toward plague narratives, but I figured that I would give this a try--and I’m glad that I did.

This was a random find for me. During one of my many forays through the bargain stacks at the bookstore, I found myself picking this book up off of the shelf. I have always loved a good mystery, and when this book was touted as a modern day Nancy Drew, I figured I would have to give it a try. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized why the author’s name, Sara Shepard, had seemed so familiar to me; I had never read the books, but I did watch the first few seasons of the television adaptation of Shepard’s series “Pretty Little Liars”. Now, this may be an unpopular opinion, but I was never really a huge fan of the show, so after I made this connection I was apprehensive to crack open this book.

I’m really not sure where to start with this one because I absolutely loved every minute of it! I have been a fan of Darcy Coates ever since I read her book “Craven Manor” last summer. There is just something about the way that she writes that can beautifully and so vividly pull you into the universe that she creates on the page. With Coates’ amazing ability to craft a story that sucks you in, I found myself unable to put this book down.

Taking a much deserved break from Greek mythology, I decided to dive into another passion of mine--Dolly Parton. The embodiment of southern charm, Dolly Parton has a career that has not only spanned decades, but she has also managed to seamlessly weave her name throughout all different genres of entertainment and popular culture: music, film, television, cooking, real estate, philanthropy, education, and so much more.