A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

GAD’S HALL and THE HAUNTING OF GAD’S HALL Book Reviews

How do I even begin to review the confounding and enchanting reading experience that is Gad’s Hall and The Haunting of Gad’s Hall? First, let me reassure you that despite the book cover promising “two novels of the supernatural,” Gad’s Hall/The Haunting of Gad's Hall is the most benign ghost story I’ve ever read. Like, if you blink, you miss the scary parts. Which aren’t even that scary to begin with. Shockingly, I was okay with...

OLD COUNTRY Book Review

Old Country is one of the best horror stories I’ve read in a very long time. Tartlets, this supernatural horror novel by Matt Query and Harrison Query is AWESOME. There’s no other word for it. Old Country blew me away with its originality, insidiously creepy reveals, and excellent writing. I’ve read a lot of haunted house stories, but this tale about a young married couple living on haunted land stands out as a rare treat in the horror...

THE HOLLOW PLACES Book Review

Christ on a cracker. The Hollow Places is one of the most mind-bending, horrifying books I've ever read. I actually let out a low, guttural groan at one point -- that's how disturbed I was by one passage.  It was wonderful.  The Hollow Places isn't my first T. Kingfisher novel, nor will it be my last. I read The Twisted Ones by her last year and I loved it. The Twisted Ones was fantastically creepy, a stomach-clenching, supernatural,...

THE DROWNING KIND Book Review

The Drowning Kind has made me SO happy that I didn't buy a house with a pond. Or, a lake. Hell, even a pool. Because I am legit now a little creeped out by all bodies of water and what may be lurking beneath the surface.    What's The Drowning Kind about? This supernatural horror story is a mix of contemporary and historical fiction. It follows two main characters. There's present-day Jax, who returns to her Vermont family home after...

GHOSTER Book Review

Ghoster isn't a book I'd normally gravitate toward, but I’m glad I picked it up. A fellow Bookstagrammer who rarely steers me wrong when it comes to thriller recommendations put this Jason Arnopp novel on my radar. Sure enough, Arnopp's clever writing sucked me into the story right away.    What's Ghoster about? The premise of Ghoster is intriguing: main character Kate is suddenly “ghosted” (translation: abandoned) by her boyfriend...

THE LOST VILLAGE Book Review

The Lost Village is an excellent example of why I really, really dislike organized religion. Of course, I fully understand and acknowledge that not every religion turns into a cult. But the framework is there, and The Lost Village makes you realize just how easily the tide can turn with the right (or wrong) person to lead it. Despite that, I love a good cult story and an atmospheric creepy thriller. This debut novel by Camilla Sten delivers...

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (DNF Book Review)

I'm just going to come out and say it. **deep breath** A Discovery of Witches is Twilight for adults. **cringes** And y'know what? I liked Twilight better. **ducks as A Discovery of Witches fans throw things at her**      I feel like I've read A Discovery of Witches before... C’mon, people! I can't be the first person to draw parallels between Deborah Harkness’ series and the wildly popular vampire books by Stephenie Meyer. SO MUCH...

HIDDEN PICTURES Book Review

Hello, Tartlets! I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour for Hidden Pictures. Because I seriously loved this book. (Whew! What a relief. It would've been totally awkward to be part of a blog tour for a book I hated.) Billed as "The Haunting of Hill House meets The Perfect Nanny," this supernatural thriller by Jason Rekulak surpassed all the expectations I had for it. I ripped through Hidden Pictures in just two days. TWO...

THE BONE HOUSES Book Review

The Bone Houses has one of the best first lines I've ever read: "The evening air smelled pleasantly of a fresh grave." I mean, come on. HOW CAN YOU NOT GET SUCKED IN BY THAT? Talk about imagery. Take notes, fellow writers. This is just one example of author Emily Lloyd-Jones's beautiful writing in this young adult historical fiction/ fantasy / horror novel mash-up.   What's The Bone Houses about? The Bone Houses follows Ryn, a...

THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE Book Review

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue was another different type of read for me: fantasy. This creative story by V.E. Schwab is rich and complex; it’s detailed and emotional; it’s sweet and exciting. There are SO many things going on in this behemoth of a novel.   What's The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue about? The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is about a 1700s French peasant woman, Addie, who makes a deal with a demon to escape an...