The Smell of Ink/Lukten av Trykksverte

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel The Midwives by Duncan Ralston through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A killer on the loose. A writer on the run. A town plagued by an ancient evil. On tour with his latest book, true crime writer Martin Savage discovers one of his most-dangerous subjects has escaped. The so-called "Witch Hunter," a delusional murderer of women and their unborn children, holds a deadly grudge. He'll stop at nothing to get his revenge, and destroy everything Martin cares about. With nowhere to run, Martin and forensic psychologist Sheila Tanner flee to the town he left when he was a boy, after his mother was locked away in a psychiatric facility. A town hidden deep in his past, where no one would think to look for them. But things are not what they seem in Barrows Bay. The idyllic island holds terrible secrets. An ancient evil lived here...

It's Friday yet again and time for a new Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was " What is your favourite candy to snack on while reading? ". For me, candy equals chocolate, so it would be some kind of chocolate. An added bonus if it's coffee flavoured.

I came across the Spooky Scary Book Tag over at  Lala's Book Reviews  and I decided to play along as it looked like a fun tag to do, especially as it's close to Halloween. 1. What goes bump in the night? Name a book that has legitimately scared you while reading it. As a lover for all things horror and supernatural, I'm honestly not easily spooked, so I'm basically not able to answer this question. To put it this way, if a book or movie actually legitimately scared me, then you're in for a hell of a spooky ride. 2. Jack O’ Lanterns and Classic Costumes: A book you always reach for during Halloween time. I'm not one of those who re-read books, but The Woman in Black by Susan Hill is a good book. 3. Black Cats and Magic Mirrors: A book you love that is laced with superstition and/or magic. I'm going to mention The Shapeshifters by Stefan Spjut as the book is about stallos. 4. Witch’s Brew: Favorite witch character in any book/series. I can't decide between...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Murder in the Bayou Boneyard: A Cajun Country Mystery (Cajun Country Mystery #6) by Ellen Byron through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads Maggie Crozat has the Halloween heebie-jeebies in USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron's howlingly funny sixth Cajun Country mystery. Maggie Crozat, proprietor of a historic Cajun Country B&B, prefers to let the good times roll. But hard times rock her hostelry when a new cell phone app makes it easy for locals to rent their spare rooms to tourists. With October--and Halloween--approaching, she conjures up a witch-crafty marketing scheme to draw visitors to Pelican, Louisiana. Five local plantation B&Bs host "Pelican's Spooky Past" packages, featuring regional crafts, unique menus, and a pet costume parade. Topping it off, the d...

It's Tuesday and time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was a Halloween freebie and I decided writing a list of poems to read at Halloween. I decided finding some recitals of the poems on YouTube and link to the text on the rest.  My picks are; The Haunted Oak by Paul Laurence Dunbar The Vampire by Conrad Aiken Tam O'Shanter by Robert Burns Haunted Houses by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Ghost Music by Robert Graves Song of the Witches by William Shakespeare  (from Macbeth) Mr Macklin's Jack O'Lantern by David McCord Ghost House by Robert Frost Dusk in Autumn by Sara Teasdale

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel Hearthstone Cottage by Frazer Lee through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads Mike Carter and his girlfriend Helen, along with their friends Alex and Kay, travel to a remote loch side cottage for a post-graduation holiday. But their celebrations are short-lived when they hit and kill a stag on the road. Alex's sister Meggie awaits them in the cottage, adding to the tension when her dog, Oscar, goes missing. Mike becomes haunted by a disturbing presence in the cottage, and is hunted by threatening figures in the highland fog. Reeling from a shock revelation, Mike begins to lose his grip on his sanity. As the dark secrets of the past conspire to destroy the bonds of friendship, Mike must uncover the terrifying truth dwelling within the walls of Hearthstone Cottage. FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publ...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the middle grade novel The Witches of Willow Cove by Josh Roberts through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads It’s not easy being a teenage witch. Seventh grader Abby Shepherd is just getting the hang of it when weird stuff starts happening all around her hometown of Willow Cove. Green slime bubbling to life in science class. Giant snakes slithering around the middle school gym. Her best friend suddenly keeping secrets and telling lies. Things only begin to make sense when a stranger named Miss Winters reveals that Abby isn’t the only young witch in town—and that Willow Cove is home to a secret past that connects them all. Miss Winters, herself a witch, even offers to teach Abby and the others everything she knows about witchcraft. But as Abby learns more about Miss Winters’ past, she begins to suspect her new mentor is keeping secrets of her own. Can Abb...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel Boy in the Box by Marc E. Fitch through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Ten years ago a mysterious and tragic hunting accident deep in the Adirondack Mountains left a boy buried in a storied piece of land known as Coombs' Gulch and four friends with a terrible secret. Now, Jonathan Hollis and brothers Michael and Conner Braddick must return to the place that changed their lives forever in order to keep their secret buried. What they don't realize is that they are walking into a trap - one set decades earlier by a supernatural being who is not confined by time or place: a demon that demands a sacrifice. My Thoughts on the Book Boy in the Box was a creepy read with a bit of unreliable narrators (which of course makes it even more fun read). The plot and story starts a bit slow, but it gains momentum roughly in the middle. Th...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Killing Time (A Dodie O'Dell Mystery Book 6) by Suzanne Trauth through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads BAD BLOOD With Halloween just around the corner, Dodie O’Dell is making preparations to transform the Windjammer Restaurant on the Jersey Shore into a haunted house, while the Etonville Little Theatre is staging Dracula. But casting the titular Transylvanian is proving challenging. The amateur actors in the company are not shy about chewing the scenery, but who among them can convincingly sink their fangs into a victim's neck? When a mysterious newcomer with a transfixing Eastern European accent lands the part, rumors that he might be an actual vampire start to take flight—not unlike the bat who's recently been spotted in the town park. But everyone’s blood really runs cold when a cast member is found in a prop coffin w...

I came across the Fall Is in the Air Tag created by  The Book Angel  and I decided to play along as it looked like a fun tag. Autumn: A Book With Fall Colors (Orange, Yellow, Red) Late Checkout by Carol J. Perry Pumpkin Picking: Favorite Fictional Food I wouldn't mind eating Cauldron Cakes from Harry Potter. Lost In a Corn Maze: A Book You Got Lost In (A Really Good Book) As it's October, I'll answer Misfits by Hunter Shea Birds Fly South: What Bad Book (trope) Made You Want to Fly South Can I just say I'm really sick and tired of the love triangle trope? Sweaters: A Book That Makes You Happy The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans Ghost Story: A Scary/Spooky Book The Woman in Black by Susan Hill Black Cat: Favorite Fictional Pet Hedwig from the Harry Potter series. Demons: Favorite Evil/Villainous Character Can I answer Professor Snape? Grim Reaper: A Character You Want Dead Umbridge from the Harry Potter series. Halloween Party: What Book Character Would ...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the Southern Ghost Hunter Series: 5th Anniversary Special Edition (Stories 1-3) by Angie Fox through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads New York Times bestseller Angie Fox celebrates 5 years of the Southern Ghost Hunter series with a limited edition boxed set of the first three stories in the series, along with never-before-seen additional content, including deleted scenes, original art, an inside look at the characters, and a behind-the-scenes peek at how the series came together. Southern Spirits When out of work graphic designer Verity Long accidentally traps a ghost on her property, she’s saddled with more than a supernatural sidekick—she gains the ability see spirits. It leads to an offer she can’t refuse from the town’s bad boy, the brother of her ex and the last man she should ever partner with. A Ghostly Gift Verity Long doesn't want to...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the mystery/paranormal novel The Night Vanishing (Painter Mann #2) by Dick Wybrow through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads After the events of The InBetween, dead private investigator Painter Mann goes to New Orleans to find clues about the identity of his murderer. Instead, he becomes embroiled (you gotta watch out for getting embroiled, it can sneak up on you) in case involving two-headed monsters, voodoo witches and hundreds of missing ghosts. He's also being "hunted" by the Ghost Wranglers, a popular cable TV show determined to find the ghost PI known as Painter Mann. My Thoughts on the Book This was such a fun read. The plot and story was intiguing and the world building is well made. I also enjoyed Painter's integrity and sarcasm.

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery This Magick Marmot by Sharon Pape through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A fatal case of school spirit . . . Kailyn Wilde, owner of the Abracadabra potion shop, feels some dread anticipating her ten-year high school reunion at the new hotel in New Camel-but it turns out even worse than she feared. Running into her very first boyfriend is pleasant enough. Chatting with Ashley-who still can't let go of a tragedy that happened on prom night-is a bit more uncomfortable. But the worst part comes when one of Kailyn's oldest friends is found dead in the ladies' room. Soon this upstate New York town is in an uproar. And with some help from time-traveling wizard Merlin-who has adopted an unusual and alluring creature as his familiar-it's up to Kailyn to identify the alumnus most likely to commit murder . . . My Thought...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Late Checkout (Witch City Mystery #9) by Carol J. Perry through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads A dead ballplayer means foul play in Salem . . . Field reporter Lee Barrett is not happy that her hours are being cut back at WICH-TV, although it is nice to spend more time volunteering with Aunt Ibby, a research librarian at Salem's main branch. But Lee's least favorite task is going up to the stacks, a spooky, seldom-frequented upper section of the library. On this day she has good reason to be afraid--she finds a dead man, surrounded by hundreds of scattered books and torn-out pages. Her police detective beau, Pete Mondello, is soon on the scene, and the deceased is identified as a former minor league baseball player--and ex-con--named Wee Willie Wallace, who hasn't been seen in Salem for twenty years. With help f...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel A Darker Shade by Laura K. Curtis. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads What is haunting young Liza Prescott? Molly Allworth has been in service since leaving college when her mother died. Still, her situation is getting desperate and when the agency offers her a position that sounds too good to be true, she cannot resist. Soon she finds herself in a remote house in Maine, caring for a little girl who swore she saw her mother’s ghost…before she stopped speaking entirely. Nathaniel Prescott, the child’s father, thinks any belief in the supernatural is absurdly credulous. Molly’s history and heritage, however, have given her a wider view. There’s a significant bonus for Molly if she lasts the year. But as winter closes in and mysterious, often creepy events begin to occur, even her growing affection for Nathaniel and Liza may not be enough t...

It's Friday and time for a new Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was "Would you consider giving out books to trick-or-treaters instead of candy?". If the books were cheap enough, I certainly would, but in Norway, books can be a bit pricey.

Last year I recieved an ARC of the book Haunted Historic Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia: With Breakthrough Ghost Photography by Tim Scullion through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads In this second edition of over 230 ghostly photographs from photographer Tim Scullion, view 114 brand-new images and read seven new chapters that bring the hauntings of Williamsburg, Virginia, alive. Continue along Scullion's paranormal odyssey to capture and describe each apparition and the historical and paranormal background of the eighteenth-century houses and buildings afflicted to see what new observations have sprung forth from the world "behind the curtain." Scullion has learned the secret to consistently capturing the city's ghostly apparitions on camera. You will see images that are beautiful, ugly, horrifying, and bizarre, and that defy explanation. Are they ghosts, aliens, angels, or demons? Take a look vi...

Last year I recieved a press copy of the novel Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Undead Client: Being Book One of the Unpublished Case Files of John H. Watson, MD by M.J. Downing through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Sherlock Holmes has only been deceased a month when Dr. John Watson, still grieving, recounts his final case with Holmes. A terrifying mystery, it sends Watson and Holmes into the dark reaches of London's back alleys - and the human soul. It begins when Anne Prescott, a lovely Scottish nurse, begs Sherlock Holmes and Watson to help her find her fiancé and her sister, who have gone missing in the teeming streets of London. Immediately, Watson feels an attraction to her that shocks him. Newly married to Mary, and deeply in love with her, he struggles to put Anne out of his mind. As Watson and Holmes dig into the slums and sewers of London looking for Anne's fiancé and sister, they uncover ...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve a press copy of the horror novel Shepherd's Warning by Cailyn Lloyd through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads For years the abandoned MacKenzie mansion remained hidden in rural Wisconsin. Rumors and stories of apparitions, odd noises, accidents, and strange deaths in or near the property were enough to convince the townsfolk it was haunted and they stayed away. Lucas MacKenzie and his brother Nate know nothing of this when they inherit the property and decide to bring their families to Wisconsin for a major renovation project with HGTV stardom in mind. As they tear out old fixtures and open shuttered windows, the house begins to reveal secrets of a terrible past and it soon becomes clear the MacKenzies are in grave danger. In the end, only one person can save them. My Thoughts on the Book Shepherd's Warning is one of those books that one would struggle to put...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel One by One by D.W. Gillespie through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The Easton family has just moved into their new fixer-upper, a beautiful old house that they bought at a steal, and Alice, the youngest of the family, is excited to explore the strange, new place. Her excitement turns to growing dread as she discovers a picture hidden under the old wallpaper, a child’s drawing of a family just like hers. Soon after, members of the family begin to disappear, each victim marked on the child’s drawing with a dark black X. It’s up to her to unlock the grim mystery of the house before she becomes the next victim. My Thoughts on the Book Oh my, I really loved this book. It's dark and twisted and it plays on the "isolated old house"-trope very well. I really liked Alice, because even though she's young, she sense that there...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the non-fiction book Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions by A.P. Sylvia through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Vampire . . . the word immediately conjures up bloodstained fangs, an aversion to sunlight, bats, garlic, and wooden stakes. These undead immortals have haunted our favorite books, television shows, and movies for decades. This exploration of a seemingly supernatural topic delves into past traditions around the world and how those traditions have affected our pop-culture modern-day monster. Explore belief systems as well as origins of various notions we all seem to have about vampires, and unearth the bloody dirt about this mystical creature. Discover differences and similarities between the realm of folklore and what modern media has taught us. Did villagers really use wooden stakes, garlic, and mirrors? What about vampires turning in...

Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to recieve a press copy of the book Ghosts and Legends of Charleston, South Carolina by Denise Roffe through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Charleston is a city whose spirits are tangible. Fires, earthquakes, wars, and piracy have scarred her landscape. Mysterious echoes from her past manifest around every corner. Misty figures disappear, disembodied voices speak, and a creeping uneasiness accosts visitors to the Holy City. In this revised second edition, thirteen updated stories and a new ghostly chapter spring from death to life as you travel along cobblestone streets, through old mansions, and into back alleys with paranormal investigator Denise Roffe, who explores Charleston along with the Southeastern Institute of Paranormal Research to interact with its ghostly residents. Examine nail-biting eyewitness accounts of paranormal events that are backed by historical resea...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the horror novel The Ghost Hunter's Daughter by Caroline Flarity through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads "Supernatural meets Mean Girls" in this YA horror mystery for older teens. Sixteen-year-old Anna sees things from another world, the spiritual world, a skill that isn't exactly useful in high school. It's bad enough that her mother, possessed by a demon, took her own life when Anna was a child, a loss she remains tortured by. Now her father makes his living "clearing" haunted objects, and Anna's job as his assistant makes her a social misfit. Most kids in her suburban New Jersey town refer to her just as "Goblin Girl." Only Freddy and Dor remain loyal friends. But Anna's so focused on her own problems, she's missed that her connection with Freddy is moving beyond the friend zone and that ...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the novel Monster on the Moors (A Bobby Holmes Mystery) by J.M. Kelly through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads Monster On The Moors is an MG-YA horror thriller that takes place in the eerie North York Moors of England. Clairvoyant Bobby Holmes, his American cousin Brenda Watson, and their friends, wise guy Stevie and Michael (who is challenged by Asperger Syndrome), are drawn into a deadly mystery. They are hunted by an ancient wolf creature controlled by evil witches of British lore. When one of their friends is captured, they must rely on the investigations of a librarian who is more than he seems, the mystical gifts of a gypsy king, a mysterious stranger at the center of it all, and their own wits in a desperate race to save their friend and come out alive. My Thoughts on the Book Monster on the Moors was an entertaining and engaging read, ...

It's Wednesday again and time for a new Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge post, courtesy of  Long and Short Reviews . The theme of the week was recipes from my city/state/country. As I live in Norway, I figured out I'll give you a couple of links to a couple of recipes, which is  Norwegian Fish Cakes  and  Komle . Both of them are from the Thanks for the Food blog, where you can find even more Norwegian-inspired recipes if you're interested. The blogger has even published a cook book. At least I had common sense enough to NOT link to a recipe for the slightly "evil" thing called Smalahåve, which is basically roasted sheep head. Thanks, but no thanks. I would prefer haggis from Scotland, as with haggis, at least the food isn't staring back at me while I eat it.

It's Tuesday and time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post, courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was covers with autumn colours/autumn vibes and I decided narrowing it down a little bit with using covers for cosy mysteries. Here's my picks; Penned In by Lynn Cahoon What Not to Wear to a Graveyard by Debra Sennefelder Boston Scream Murder by Ginger Bolton Knit of the Living Dead by Peggy Ehrhart Murder in the Corn Maze by G. A. McKevett Autumn Alibi by Jennifer David Hesse Fudge Bites by Nancy Coco The Mint Julep Murders by Angie Fox Crypt Suzette by Maya Corrigan Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

Some time ago I read the novel The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova after hearing so much about it and it being on my TBR for quite some time. Today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads Late one night, exploring her father’s library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters addressed ominously to "My dear and unfortunate successor". Her discovery plunges her into a world she never dreamed of – a labyrinth where the secrets of her father’s past and her mother’s mysterious fate connect to an evil hidden in the depths of history. My Thoughts on the Book It's fair to say that some books do actually live up to their hype. The Historian is one of them. I might be a bit biased as I have a thing for Dracula, both the fictional and the historial, but nevermind that. I loved the writing style, the intricate plot and all the various layers in addition to all those great descriptions that made me feel like I was there in the book...

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the middle grade novel The Grave Digger by Rebecca Bischoff through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads In 1875 Ohio, twelve-year-old Cap Cooper is an aspiring inventor—and a reluctant graverobber—enlisted by his father to help pay for his mother’s medical expenses. When one of the dead returns to life at his touch, Cap unearths a world of dark secrets that someone at the local medical school wants to keep buried. On the brink of discovery, he’ll have to use every ounce of cunning he has to protect those he loves most and save his own skin. The Grave Digger is an eerie mystery set in the aftermath of the Civil War, filled with action, friendship, and a hint of the paranormal, perfect for those who enjoy reading late into the night and long after the lights go out. My Thoughts on the Book The Grave Digger is a somewhat dark and macabre book, bu...

Last year I recieved an ARC of the cosy mystery Coastal Corpse by Rena Leith through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Netgalley Happily settled in her cozy cottage with its resident ghost, Cass Peake looks forward to Halloween. Then another corpse is found on her beachfront. With the support of family and her ghostly roommate, Cass investigates. To her dismay, she finds the murder victim handled her goofy neighbor's trust fund and he was in dire need of money. The suspect list grows with a former husband, another needy relative, and a maybe shady accountant who suddenly disappears. To top it all off, rumours circulate about treasure hidden in Cass's cottage. Detective George Ho doesn't like his ex-girlfriend snooping around. Despite that, sparks still fly between him and Cass. But superstitious George has no idea Cass's home is haunted. Can Cass solve the mystery and renew the romance with her ghost-adverse...

It's Friday and time for a new Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was " Do you read books that have an autumn theme? ". I've read plenty of fun books with an autumn theme, such as Autumn Alibi by Jennifer David Hesse, but I also read a few spooky books during October as it is the month for Halloween. Autumn is after all my favourite season, so of course I'll read plenty of autumn/Halloween-inspired books.

Last year I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cosy mystery Murder in the Corn Maze (A Granny Reid Mystery #2) by G.A. McKevett through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards, but I haven't published my review until now. Description from Goodreads The roots of the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency reach back to the 1980s in the little town of McGill, Georgia—where Stella Reid and her seven grandkids enjoy some spooky Halloween fun and stumble into murder . . . It doesn’t take cash, just some good old-fashioned creativity, to turn a pillowcase into a ghost costume or a trashcan into a suit of armor. So even if she has to stick to a budget, Stella Reid always makes holidays like Halloween memorable for twelve-year-old Savannah and the rest of her grandchildren. After joining the other townspeople for trick-or-treating and the annual parade down Main Street, Granny Reid and the kids head to Judge Patterson’s antebellum mansion, where a corn maze awaits. Most of the ...