Rags & Bones

Rags & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales ed By: Melissa Marr and Tim Pratt
Fiction: Short Stories, Classics, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Paranormal 350 pages
Book Count: 48

This collection of short stories are all based on other works: classics, fairy tales, etc.  Each one retells the story in some way; changing the time and place, point of view, or even taking the ideas in a whole new direction.

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Strange Histories:

Strange Histories: The trail of the pig, the walking dead, and other matters of fact from the medieval and Renaissance worlds By: Darren Oldridge
Non-fiction: History, Paranormal, Religion 175 pages
Book Count: 47

This book is about many unusual beliefs that people had in the Middle ages and during the Renaissance, and how given their world view and what the knew to be true, all of these things were logical.  It also talks about how this relates to things that we now think are logical or facts my be based more on world view and not scientific facts.  It deals with the arguments that people had over details for these things and how they were thought out and logical given what they knew.  For example, devils flying witches to locations was seen as more likely then them traveling there in spirit. Because, in the Bible it says the Devil transported Jesus to the top of the Temple, so demons must be able to move  matter.  And as only God has the power of life and death, removing a soul from a body was argued to also be something that only God can do.  So while a modern person might see the inverse as more logical, because it doesn't go against the rules for flight and many people have heard of out-of-body experiences, medieval people had logical reasons for coming to a conclusion that people today see as strange and unbelievable.

How To Write A Novel The Easy Way:

How To Write A Novel The Easy Way Using the Pulp Fiction Method to Write Better Novels. By: Jim Driver
Non-fiction: Writing, E-book

A quick read on how the quickly write novels using the methods that pulp fiction writers used.  Like the other book I have read from this author he used books and movies as examples, but in this one he explained them more, so you didn't have to already be familiar with the work.

Victorian San Francisco Stories

Victorian San Francisco Stories By: M. Louisa Locke
Fiction: Mystery, Short Story, History, E-book


This book is a collection of short stories all based of characters in the author's novels.  They all take place around a boarding house in Victorian San Francisco who's owner is a widowed young woman that pretends to be a physic as that is the only way that she can get paid for giving out financial tips at that time.  One story is like a prequel  to the books and explains how she started faking being physic, because she couldn't be a financial adviser otherwise.  The other storied mostly revolve around her boarders.  There are historic notes at the end for each story.

Star Trek The Starfleet Survival Guide

Star Trek The Starfleet Survival Guide By: David Mack
Non-fiction: Sci-fi, Pop Culture, 177 pages
Book Count: 46

This book is the companion to the "Starfleet Basic Survival Manual" that everyone gets at the academy.  It includes what to do in the various situations that the Enterprise always gets into.

Witches: A Horror Short Story Collection

Witches: A Horror Short Story Collection By: Mav Skye
Fiction: Short story, Paranormal, E-book

A collection of short stories having to do with witches, Halloween, and other horror things.  It also has a poem in it.

Jane the Hippie Vampire: Love Beads

Jane the Hippie Vampire: Love Beads By: Lisa Lane
Fiction: Paranormal, E-book

Jane was turned during the 60's and hasn't stopped being a hippie in the decades that followed.  She likes a smoke and some good tunes and is a vegetarian (in that she doesn't eat animal meat, but does drink human blood as she must to survive.)  Also, she is a religious vampire who thinks that she might be able to reverse her curse by doing enough good and avoiding evil. She ends up meeting someone that oddly can tell that she is a vampire and crashes at their place. Then things get weird.

A Passive Aggressive Letter to the Baker Park Library:

Dear Library,

  Hello, I would like to tell you about an amazing invention.  It is called the Dewey Decimal System.  It was invented in 1876 and is a way for people to know what the subject mater is of a book.  It is as easy to use as counting, as you just arrange all the books by the number that is located on the spine of all your non-fiction books.  If that is hard for you to understand you can ask for help from any other branches of the library, or from most every other library in the country.  I know that you have attempted your own version of this by putting all of the books in sections that you personally labeled, but each time I run to your location in a hurry this has caused issues.  One time I used the website for the library to find a book and wrote down what its number was so that I could find it.  But things were not arranged by the Dewey Decimal Classification so I had to look all around the section labeled with it's subject matter, and then when it wasn't under that I had to look around for where else it might be.  The last two times I have picked up books labeled as "Humor" gave them a quick look and only when I started to read them did I find out that one was a book on Astrology (and not on making fun of astrology as a quick look of the cover would imply) the other was a fiction book on global warming (and not just some dark humor on pop culture as it looked like.) I know that there are cost connected with this system, but as every other branch of the county library that I have been in uses the system I have to imagine that you are paid up for using it. (Even the branch in the mall uses it, and if any branch should be using an idiots method of arranging books, it should be the one next to the arcade.)  So please, start using the same method of shelving books as every other library that I have ever been in and not just sticking books where you think that they might go.

~Me

P.S. I know moving all the books will not be that hard as my main branch likes to switch up the sections for fiction and non-fiction, teen and audio books at least once a year.

Grimm End

Grimm End By: S T Cameron
Fiction: Paranormal, Mystery, E-book

This book has the full range of paranormal things: Shape shifters, reanimated corpses, magic, Greek mythology, genies, and  mysterious things of unknown origin. It centers around a small town in modern times that seams like it is a different time.  At the start of the book I thought it might have been from the 1900's until the car drove by.  In the main part of the story they even point out how old fashion the town seams (c. 1950's) as there is no cell reception, a old style dinner, and the town shuts down for the night.
The main story is about three siblings that find out that their family was from the town from above and their great grandfather use to collect mysterious things of great power.  Three other "sisters" which might be connected with the Fates are trying to get "Pandora's Box" and are using the kids to get to it.

Just A Little Terrible

Just A Little Terrible By: Vincent V. Cava
Fiction: Short Story, Paranormal, E-book

This e-book is a collection of flash fiction horror stories.  Which means that each story can be read in a minute or two as none of them are longer then 1,000 words.  Because of this there are a lot of stories where the horror comes from a twist ending or finding out that what you were assuming was going on is not what is happening.  But not all of them rely on the surprise ending.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites By: Heather Brewer
Fiction: YA, Paranormal, Mystery 182 pages
Book Count: 45

Vlad has to deal with all the normal problems of junior high school: bullies, girls, grades, overprotective adults, etc. However, he also is half vampire, and living with his "aunt" (really his mother's best friend) after both his parents died years ago leaving him the only vampire that he knows of.   His aunt and his best friend are the only two people that know his secret. And as his aunt is a nurse he doesn't have to hunt, as she sneaks almost expired blood out of the blood bank for him.  But then his teacher disappears and the sub is a mysterious man that makes English class all about mythic creatures (including vampires) and Vlad's quiet life of blood slushies and cheesy horror film watching is in danger.

And the Sea Called Her Name:

And the Sea Called Her Name By: Joe Hart
Fiction: Short Story, Paranormal, E-Book

A man marries a woman whose mother went missing twice in a coastal fishing town.  Things were good between them, until she got pregnant and started acting weird.  With all the connections to the sea and her mother's disappearances being sea related I thought this might be a variation of the myth of the selkie, but it is not.

Sleep Like The Dead: Short Stories- Vol 1:

Sleep Like The Dead: Short Stories- Vol 1 By: Daniel Blackmore
Fiction: Paranormal, Short Story, E-book

This book has 2 short stories and then the first 2 chapters of a longer book by the author.

Rag Doll:

Rag Doll By: Troy McCombs
Fiction: Short Story, Paranormal, E-Book

A young girl finds an old rag doll at a yard sale, and then creepy things start happening.

Waking Up: How I Found My Faith By Losing It:

Waking Up: How I Found My Faith By Losing It By: Ted Dekker
Non-Fiction: Religion, Memoir, E-book

 Unlike many books by this author, this one doesn't fit in our month of Halloween theme.  And you can also see how far ahead my reading is from this list, as I read this book on Sunday, because I didn't feel like reading spooky stories while I worked the computers at church. (listening to the musicians practicing the hymns for the day really ruins the mood.)

This book is a really short book on the author's faith journey, with info on what book he was writing during a key time in his story; because, the book deals with the questions and issues that he was dealing with at that time. (And because as a free book, it is in part an ad for his books/website.)  

Aladdin and the Flying Dutchman:

Aladdin and the Flying Dutchman By: J. R. Rain and Piers Anthony
Fiction: Fantasy, Paranormal, 165 pages
Book Count: 44

This is book 3 in a series based off the question of, what did Aladdin do after the end of his story in Arabian Nights.  As you might have guessed from the title it includes a mixture of different legends, myths and beliefs.  This gets interesting when mixing them all together.  Aladdin is Muslim, but goes to a Hades based off of Greek Mythology (with Greek gods and demi-gods), where they also talk about Purgatory.
At the start of the book, Aladdin is already flying on the Flying Dutchman, with it's ghostly crew.  The story is actually about the key to Hades being taken from the sirens as they were attacked by a kraken.  Aladdin and his friends must stop the key from being used, having many adventures as they try to do so.

Buried Treasures of the Appalachians:

Buried Treasures of the Appalachians: Legends of Homestead Caches, Indian Mines and Loot From Civil War Raids By: W. C. Jameson
Non-fiction: History, 205 pages
Book Count: 43

If I learned anything reading this book, it is that the Appalachians are full of caves, mines, river banks and random buried objects that are full of millions of dollars work of gold, silver, and important historic relics that are impossible to find, even with a map or having been there before.  Also, that it is really annoying when one goes back and forth calling the Civil War: the Civil War or the War Between the States, sometimes in the same entry.

Review of My Cat:

Review of My Cat by: Tanner Ringerun and Jack Shepherd
Non-fiction: Humor
Book Count: 42

Finally, a way the rate ones cat on 4 simple criteria: Appearance, Sociability, Usefulness and Huggability. This book reviews both famous cats as well as not famous cats. (For a few; that blurry picture of what might be a cat with the review, is the only proof for outsiders that the cat in question exists, like Bigfoot, but with more puking in shoes.)  Each cat is graded and placed in the appropriate section: good, bad, really bad, ugly, and useless.

The Very Bad Dream:

The Very Bad Dream By: Anne Schraff
Fiction: YA, Mystery 32 pages
Book Count: 41

I picked this book up from the library, just because I have never seen anything like it.  It looks just like the type of book that a school might have for beginning readers, or slower readers. It is only 32 pages long and has questions in the back like they might use in school. Even the writing style, somehow makes me think of school books. And it is part of a series of short books by a publisher that has educational in their name.  However, it stars college kids who get drunk, go to clubs,  and is about a "dream" the main character has of a murder that actually happened.  So, not the subject matter you would expect for a school read, unless it is decades to centuries old, and therefore a classic.

Good Night Darth Vader:

Good Night Darth Vader By: Jeffrey Brown
Fiction: Children's, Graphic Novel, Humor, Pop Culture
Book Count: 40

Vader is trying to get the twins asleep by telling them the story of how characters all across the galaxy are going to sleep. (Or at least trying to.)

Hell House:

Hell House & Other True Hauntings From Around the World By: Alison Rattle and Allison Vale
Non-fiction: History, Paranormal 207 pages
Book Count: 39

This book is a collection of a couple of page entries on famous haunted houses and other places/people from around the world.  It includes places from all over the world divided by region.  Because it covers all over, it only includes a couple of stories from each place.  Some of the places are well known, some are not. It also has pictures of many of the places.

Digging Up Death:

Digging Up Death: (A Mari Duggins Mystery) By: Gina Conroy
Fiction: Mystery, Religion, E-book

This is a quaint Christian novel on: a possible murder, theft, adultery, international crime,  impeding a criminal investigation, domestic abuse,  secrets, lies and other such things.  Also the story resolved around an archaeology department at a  college that is connected with Egyptian digs.  And a teacher in the department that gets physically ill when touching dirt.

The Nightmare Collective: An Anthology of Horror Short Stories:

The Nightmare Collective: An Anthology of Horror Short Stories: By: M.B. Vujacic, et al.
Fiction: Short Stories, Horror, Paranormal, E-book


This collection of horror stories includes a mix of popular horror story lines.  It includes ghosts, unexplained happenings, cursed things, etc.  Each story is stand alone with no connection between stories besides the genre.

Vampire Dreams: Samantha Moon Stories Book 4:

Vampire Dreams: Samantha Moon Stories Book 4: By/Ed By: J.R.Rain
Fiction: Fantasy, Paranormal, Short Stories, Classics, E-Book

The book is a collection of short stories that are supernatural in origin.  Along with the first story with, who I guess, is the title character, there are a few other stories without her, as well as a couple of classic scary stories.  It includes "The Raven" and "The Monkey's Paw."  

Dracula Rising:

Dracula Rising By: Jackson Stein
Fiction: Fantasy, Paranormal, E-book

This is a story in the vein of Vlad Tepes was really a vampire.  It takes place when he was 18 and in this story world completely, stupidly, naive.  So, as any of you that have read his life story know, this book doesn't stick too much to actual historic facts.  There are people and things in the story that actually happened, but not in the way, time, or by the person that they do in the story.  Also there is a vast conspiracy theory, which is offensively unrealistic.

Mary, Mother of the Son:

Mary, Mother of the Son By: Mark P. Shea
Non-fiction: Religion, E-book

First, this book is rather long and deep, and so that is why it took me so long to read that it ended up messing with October's theme of Halloween, Halloween, Other October Holidays, Halloween, and NaNoWriMo prep.  I started it in August.

This book, as you might have guessed by the title, subject, or author is about Mary the mother of Jesus.  It is written by some one that was an evangelical and then converted to Catholicism after having a deep mistrust of the Catholic view of Mary, but an intellectual belief in the Church.  Like many people in his situation even after he converted, he wasn't too sure on all the devotions and visions of Mary that many people follow, but are not required to believe in the Catholic Church.   The book goes through how major Catholic beliefs about Mary, may not be directly in the Bible, but are hinted at as much as many doctrines that all Christians believe, even thought it is not stated in the Bible.  Also, how they all relate back to Jesus and/or the hopes of all Christians and why they were made official in times to counter heresy that evangelicals would also see as being wrong.  It also covers things like the history of the rosary and why, although no Catholic is required to pray it, many people use it to help in their prayer life.  And you learn important and completely useful facts like that the Vatican has no official stance on who was the best Beatle, or how to eat a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.  (To relate to October, it also pointed out that there isn't anything official on ghosts either; however, there have been a lot more of priest and bishops sharing their own personal thoughts on that subject.) With the main point of pointing out those things is to show how there are a number of things that the Catholic Church has a set belief on, but for the vast majority of things there is nothing set in stone on what a Catholic should think.

Cthulhu Tales: Vol 1-3

Cthulhu Tales Vol 1
Fiction: Graphic Novel, Sci-fi, Short Story, 132 pages
Book Count: 38

Cthulhu Tales: The Whisper pf Madness: Vol 2
Fiction: Graphic Novel, Sci-fi, Short Story, 108 pages
Book Count: 39

Cthulhu Tales: Chaos of the Mind: Vol 3
Fiction: Graphic Novel, Sci-fi, Short Story, 112 pages
Book Count: 40

All of these books are collections of short stories that in some way relate to the Cthulhu mythology.  The stories take place in a various times and places and have a wide range of styles of drawings.  The stories also range from being somewhat humorous to classic horror.

The Start of the Month of Halloween!!!!