Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado was put into my hands completely on accident last summer at Book Expo. I even got it signed my Carmen, completely unaware of who she was as a writer compared to what I know of her writing now as I finally fell into this collection of dark and gritty stories that emphasis in a haunting sort of way the violence that is put onto women by those around us and ourselves.

A wife refuses her husband's entreaties to remove the green ribbon from around her neck. A woman recounts her sexual encounters as a plague slowly consumes humanity. A salesclerk in a mall makes a horrifying discovery within the seams of the store's prom dresses. One woman's surgery-induced weight loss results in an unwanted houseguest. And in the bravura novella Especially Heinous, Machado reimagines every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a show we naively assumed had shown it all, generating a phantasmagoric police procedural full of doppelgangers, ghosts, and girls with bells for eyes.

From the first story, The Husband Stitch, I was completely enthralled by what these stories had in store for me. Not only was the writing deeply written, pulling me in, but the story itself had little places for me to pause and catch myself. In those moments I began to notice certain things like the varying pace and how the stories the narrator was explaining about in between going through her life were the horror stories from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark I read as a child.

The atmosphere was set to already be something completely different and unusual. Now it was set in the peculiar setting of a piece of my life.



Maybe now though, this story is a much more resonate scary story for myself now. It does continue to haunt my mind even as I write this review. Overall, between The Husband Stitch and Mother's, they may tie for my favorite from the short story collection.

“Many people live and die without ever confronting themselves in the darkness.”

Her Body and Other Parties presents a collection of close experiences that provide a sexually charged intrigued and eerie tone that continually kept me reading and up into the night thinking about the hidden meanings within each story until I finished. When attempting to explain this collection to someone else, I find it hard to. Only I must tell them to be prepared for hard hitting  and overall haunting realism infused with magic, horror, and something completely different from what I have previously been reading possibly ever.

More short story collections will be read by me to come after this one. This book not only broadened my mind, but my reading horizons for sure.






Carmen Maria Machado is a fiction writer, critic, and essayist whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Granta, AGNI, NPR, VICE, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015, Best Horror of the Year, Year’s Best Weird Fiction, and Best Women’s Erotica. She has been the recipient of a Millay Colony for the Arts residency, the CINTAS Foundation Fellowship in Creative Writing, the Elizabeth George Foundation Fellowship, and a Michener-Copernicus Fellowship, as well as nominated for a Nebula and Shirley Jackson Awards and longlisted for a Tiptree Award. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Clarion Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers’ Workshop, and lives in Philadelphia with her partner.

I am writing this with a possibly jammed pointer finger, so readers, appreciate my reading wrap up for March 2018, even if really I am not sure what I am going say since to be honest, all my reads were pretty good. I am hoping that April will be even better as I commence my nightly reading before bed. Reading after all, is one of my top ten things I am trying to do more of or better in attempt to change my life this year.



In a stop at Barnes and Nobel while on a crepe and ballet adventure, two books ended up in my hands and taken up to the pinched faced cashier who looked at my first read of the month with a questionable stare. I smiled and paid for Slutever by Karley Sciortino, trying not to let my anxiety get the best of me.

If I had, I would not have been able to read the funny and interesting memoir that takes place throughout Karley's life as an eighteen year old who moved out to London on her own. Through squatting adventures and sexual encounters in the many years to come, I got further into her life than I had read on her blog (also entitled, Slutever) and in the end yes, did actually feel quite empowered to embrace whatever slutty endevours life may put before me. Live and all that.

The other book I took up to the counter with me got less of a once over than Slutever. If only the cashier knew about Tiffany Reisz's fabulous novels up to The Lucky Ones- A book which per usual did not disappoint.

Though I will admit that I have a strong relationship with the Original Sinners series which will make some of those books among my favorite Tiffany Reisz (and in general) books of all time, The Lucky Ones was a strong and interesting novel that continues to stretch Tiffany's genre bounds for the better. This time, in a suspense novel with a slight gothic feel to it that created an eerie and intriguing atmosphere that kept me reading until late at night.

I couldn't go to sleep after all not knowing what happened.



While I was also home on spring break, I tried to make it my mission to read. Along with The Lucky Ones, I also read on recommendation from my dude guy, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I think I remember this being on a reading list in high school which is probably why I never read it before. Hitchhiker's Guide was definitely not my usual reading, but I enjoyed the change of pace none the less with its strong irony and strangeness overall.

After reading it, I changed genre once more and went to a light contemporary, Luck Love & Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert. Though I can never dislike Amy's books, they are light and quick, but that is it. Though enjoyable, they leave me wanting more from the characters or story. In this case, it was the character which at the end made me even a little angry for thinking all the problems that began in the very beginning with her marriage were entirely her fault...I don't know...just me, I guess- but hey, here I am still thinking about it so that has to account for something.

My last book I read in March 2018 was a books that has been sitting on my TBR for way longer than it should have when I got the ARC at Book Expo back in June.  Her Body and other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado, a collection of short stories, was absolutely fantastic. It was strong and haunting in a very odd way that makes me feel like she would be great at writing a richly plotted horror novel.

I have never really read a collection of short stories on my own, but I am so glad that I did and I definitely will be reading more in the future by Carmen and others. Another section of genre I may even try to put my own foot into when trying to write in the future perhaps. Though I doubt any of my writing will be as otherworldly.

Within the month of March by the looks of it, I read about five new books. Some good, some great.

My next read to start off April strong is going to be The Chateau by Tiffany Reisz. Sexy Kingsley in France with a cult of women who's holy book is the Story of O?

Count me in. Avec plaisir.

UPDATE: I have finished The Chateau early and it is still March. It was amazing. I LOVED it and Kingsley and everything about it...an actual review will be to come along with many random talks until it is released in June for all of you to rant and enjoy this lovely beauty of a book with me.


Any great reads come your way that this?

Since beginning my small press class, I feel like perhaps I have finally found the opportunity that I fit into within the publishing world instead of just the hopeful writer one. My graduation date approaches and my publication date continues to be pushed back along with the idea of ever being able to finish this draft of my novel, and so maybe these facts have also given me an insentient into looking at actual job prospects.

I would still like to hide in the keys of my laptop rather than not being argued with after I proclaim during class that I "think I talk to much."



Which is probably true. Everyone else doesn't talk so then I get awkward and proclaim how I enjoyed the prostitute piece the most so far in the 2018 Pushcart.

I have strange tastes.

Entertaining tastes?

Taste.

This month though with my bounty of classes and trying to keep up with the blog while not freaking out, my reading habits have been on the decline. A decline that while I continue to embark on the outlook of optimism, I tell myself I can't let happen. Even though I did. Do. I am trying okay? I hate to think that I actually have to try when it comes to reading these days, but I do, and that is the best I can do.

That best, if I am being honest however, means I only read one book this month while working on another. I have, on the other hand, read six literary magazines either online or in print. Though I will never say that I prefer them over a good fat novel, I think I found a good solution for that reading in, or between classes situation I have been missing since high school.

But onward to the real reads. In February, the first thing I read was The Glass Eye by Jeannie Vanasco. In case you didn't already hear or read my response? review? book talk? I LOVED it. I read it until there was no more to read and I am pretty sure that sooner rather than later I am going to read it again so that it can either inspire or cause me to fully doubt myself as writer from admiration.

The Glass Eye started February off right, and it is definitely on my favorite books of all time. I don't know if it hit me in the right moment or what, but the writing was as absolutely gorgeous as the story Jeannie had to tell, both for her father, and herself. I cannot wait to read more from her.

After that wonderful debut memoir though comes the lit mags. All the journals! Ready?

I started the month with New England Review from 2017. I won't deny , like many of these journals, this was for class. It was however, one of the first ever real like print literary magazines that I have owned. I tried to cherish it accordingly even though it was for class and I was stressing about my annotations/response to the magazine as a whole being late.

This is a main reason for why I normally think that the average required novel reading in classes are slightly unrealistic. No matter what the novel- it could be the best in the world -I will at least not like it or enjoy it in the slightest with the responsibility each chapter reading weighing on my back. Each second I am not trying to think about what the author must have "meant" by making the curtains blue I am worried I am somehow reading wrong which is absolutely ridiculous.

But enough of my issues with education's reading curriculum.

After reading the pushcart and doing a little more digging, I found as well that I had a love for stories that were published in The Paris Review. On eBay I found a few of the previous issues and bought them. Three coming in the mail like little presents to me from me as the semester hit that winter droning point. So far out the three, I have read Issue 202. If that doesn't ring a bell, I remember them by cover. So, the purple one with the whimsical flower design from 2012.

Around the time of getting this magazine, my boyfriend had attempted to implement a hour before bed reading time so that homework wouldn't cause burn out. Having that hour for the few days that it lasted got me a good dent into the magazine and only confirmed my admiration for the publication.

We really need to reinstate reading time.

The last two print magazines that I read included Ploughshares Spring 2017 issue  in one night before deadline. I sat in the dusty chair in the physics lab while my dude guy played with the fancy new #D printer. I just sort of read and took notes and suffered a bit on the inside. The second of the last print mags was Ecotone's 10th Anniversary edition from last year-- AKA. the one with the gorgeous, not to mention that kind of matte soft you just want to hold all day, cover.

Online wise, I read an older edition of PANK for class- the 10.5 issue.

To round out the month, for class I also read a good portion of the 2017 publications in Little Fiction Big Truths online. I actually found myself able to enjoy this publication completely after figuring out the website, both because I wasn't doing the assignment for it the night before due date, and the stories were entertaining- a quality I find more and more necessary in a piece of writing rather it being literary with a capital L.

And what am I reading now, you ask? Well remember it is February and that means that two of my books I was so hyped about are now available! Both of them are also in my hands right now...or on my desk if we are being literal. So, get ready for some talk about Slutever by Karley Sciortino because it is sure to be coming in all the best ways.

I am sure that coming up Tiffany Reisz's The Lucky Ones won't disappoint either.


Happy last day of the shortest month, everyone. Now we just have to hope there are no surprises before spring arrives.

Last year to be honest, I thought the releases in the book world fell a little flat. Or didn't really happen at all. In 2018 however, I already am looking forward to quite a few books in the near future . Soon they will hopefully be taking up space in my book bag and time away from my studies already causing me stress.



Will there ever be a time when all I have to do in life is cuddle up in a good blanket and read?

We can hope. If it ever happens in the near future I will be reading a few of these...

Recently released, I still need to get my hands on Slutever: a memior and manifesto by Karley Sciortino. A long time reader of her blog, I have so much respect for this lovely lady. If I had the confidence to talk about what me and my boyfriend text back and forth over the phone I doubt I would ever have any sort of social anxiety again. Or at least not on the internet.

I linked the Barnes edition above, but really, not going to lie. The cover I see on Amazon is way more pin-up badass. Will that be the one that comes or...are we slut shaming a bit over there, Barnes & Nobel? Huh? Answer me and send me the pretty edition!

"SLUTEVER is a call-to-arms, a confessional memoir, a slut manifesto, as told by a sex-radical hedonist in a pink PVC mini dress. It's a thoughtful, first-person account of a modern woman, navigating sex, love, casual hookups, open relationships,, bisexuality, BDSM, breakups, sex work, sex parties, and the power of sexual agency, as told from the front lines."

Also coming out this month is The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz. If you know me at all, we can pretty much say that I am just excited about this because, well, Tiffany Reisz. As I have said previously, I would read basically anything she writes. Hard core fan, yep, right over here.

"Allison pieces together the story of her life, she learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew."

I barely even know what the book is about, but I am completely a-okay with that as long as this pretty paperback appears in my hands soon after the release date.



Years ago in the years of my young adult fanatic stage of great books like City of Bones and Vampire Academy, one of the best lyrical beautiful fantasy dystopias EVER was Shatter Me. Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi is the trilogy now becoming a whole series. I am excited and I only hope that the writing will be just as wonderful and inspiring.

"The girl with the power to kill with a single touch now has the world in the palm of her hand."

When I saw that A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas was coming out everywhere in May, I paused. I thought...weren't we done with A Court of...? Didn't I already cry for these beautiful characters that formed my recent book family? Apparently we are not done being tortured yet.

"As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, she finds that those dearest to her have more wounds than she anticipated—scars that will have far-reaching impact on the future of their Court."

Still...count me in for a beautiful Night Court winter solstice- And a great reading year.

What does everyone else have on their 2018 reading radar so far?

This year, reading and I were like distant cousins at a family reunion. We said hi, had a few good things to say to each other and then sort of left it at that. I don't know why, but for me this reading year has been strange.

According to Goodreads I have only read approximately a little under 50 books not counting my many rereads this past year, visiting old favorites. Still, it is a low number for someone who took three books out at a time to return them within a day or two to the library in high school. It is jarring.

It does not mean that I do not have a few favorites of the year to share with you all however...

New to 2017

Looking back over my reads for the year, I knew this one was going to be on the list since the moment I finished reading it, and here it is. The Red by Tiffany Reisz was beautiful gorgeous artsy porn and I loved every minute of it. I have a review up as well if you need more convincing.

The Upside of Unrequited

I was not expecting this book in the least. While in a reading rut this past summer, I picked up this book that I got from the OwlCrate stand at Book Expo. Going in, I knew pretty much nothing only to be laughing alongside quirky and interesting characters finding first love. And you know what? I loved it. It was just the happy making sort of book I needed and I definitely think that a reread may be in order for this contemporary YA soon.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

If you have not read A Court of Thorns and Roses, you definitely need to get on that. The third book in this trilogy? series? was amazing and I love all the characters so much that they are practically my much cooler fae family. Though this book was great, the second, A Court of Wings and Fury still holds my heart the most.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

After reading Laini Taylor and her strange musings in Daughter of Smoke and Bone I knew that I was going to have to pick up this pretty thing of a series starter and go in to reading it just as confused as her other novels. I was not dissapointed by the Strange in the title. It was strange and a magical fantasy I didn't realize I needed in my life to take a break from reality. Laini, I am not sure how you do it, seriously I don't, but don't stop.

The Night Mark by Tiffany Resiz

Another Tiffany Reisz novel, you ask? Why of course! It deserves it. Time travel romance with great banter, historical lighthouse content, some sauciness thrown in, it the least erotica of all Tiffany's books, but still absolutely fantastic. Tiffany can do it all, folks!

New to Me 2017

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

I have been wanting to read this book for some time. Whenever I went to get it at the bookstore however, I was with someone who reminded me how ugly the cover was and did I really need that ugly covered book? I can answer the question now. Yes, yes I did. This is a coming of age epic about two friends in Neapolitan Italy who take very different paths in their lives. This is the first book of the four book series that spans through child, young adulthood, through when our main characters have children themselves. This book is simply life and hardship and I loved the so much and now plan to devour all of Elena Ferrante's work.

All The Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

This was my first book of the year! It always seems to happen that my first book of the year manages to make its way onto my favorites list. This year was no different. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things is what this story captures through a morally compelling and beautifully told story. I loved this one so much I even have a review to go along with it.


The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

When I forget my love of reading, a need a really good, fun, and fast pace read to help me through. This was the book that did that for me in the spring this past year as I was finishing up my first year at college while undergoing the process of transfer papers. This was a magical young adult fantasy-esque novel loosely based on 1001 nights. Our main character is snarky and strong and I immediately needed the second book in this duology right after.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I bought this one a think a year prior and finally got to this massive fantasy. I will tell you what I was told about it. It is great. One of the best true fantasy novels I have read. If you like fantasy, read it.


A recent read and add in, The Secret History beguiled me much like everyone else who read it- and not just because the fictional school sounded strangely like the one I was hoping to apply to when I was searching for colleges two years ago. There was a mystery surrounding the words and characters that made you want to join into the story with Richard Pen who believes that his fatal flaw is longing for the picturesque at all costs.

Honorable Last Minute Mentions...

A random book post has been called for and I have seen this book tag going around and thought it would be fun. So, here we go for great books and bookish habits in this Rapid Fire book tag. Prepare yourselves. Ready, set...



Physical Book or E-book?

Physical book. It just feels right.

Paperback or Hardcover?

Honestly after many years of questioning- paperback. Not only do they make my wallet happier, but carrying it around and seeing how I've read it over and over just makes it feel like more of an experience. More mine.

Online or In-Store Book Shopping?

In store. I find that I second guess myself less for some reason and it feels so satisfying to walk out with a good stack of new stories. Plus, just being around the books makes me feel better.

Not going to lie though, getting a book package in the mail, even from myself, is always awesome.

Trilogy or Series?

Series. I want to live with characters I love for as long as the story will allow. Usually I also find that a trilogy just doesn't so certain worlds justice.

Hero? Or Villain?

After reading great anti-heroes and The Darkling... Villains. Especially well written ones.

A Book Everyone Needs to Read?

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- oh, or The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons come to mind.

Recommend an Underrated Book?

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly



Last Book You Finished?

I just reread A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It is a book that my book lover heart loves dearly.

Last Book You Bought?

I was going to buy The Glass Eye today, but I didn't! So hmm, The Secret History by Donna Tartt I think.

Weirdest Thing You Used as a Bookmark?

I am a corner ripper when in need. Most of the time it is an unneeded piece of paper, now page marker.

Top 3 Genres?

Fantasy, All Romance, Historical Fiction

Borrow or Buy?

I'm a book buyer. It had been a problem after reading out my high school library. I am trying to borrow more though when I am not sure if a book is going to be a new favorite, or try to use my kindle more. My bookshelves have ran out of room!




Used Books: Yes or No?

YES. I love used books as much as new. They have a story with the story. Once, I bought a used copy of The Thorn Birds while out of town. When I got home, I found out the original owner had their address on the inside. The book had returned to its hometown with me!

Characters or Plot?

Characters. Plot is definitely needed, but a good book is characters that make me feel like when I open it up to read, I am home.

Long or Short Books?

Loooonnnnnggg. As long as each page keeps me turning.

Long or Short Chapters?

Shorter. I just have begun to notice this.

Name the First Three Books You Think Of:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
The Siren by Tiffany Reisz



Books that Made You Laugh or Cry?

The characters in Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners books always make me laugh.
Cry? It takes a lot for a book to make me cry. Get emotional however, recently probably The Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante. They remind me of a good friend and myself in odd ways.

Our World or Fictional?

Nooo. This question. It depends! Fictional...no reality. I. Don't. Know. If I could jump into a book though, if that is what the question is asking, I would.

Audiobooks?

Never listed to one. I always thought they would be great on a long car ride though.

Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?

Sigh. Yes. Especially if it is to be displayed on my shelf. It took me forever to finally read Elena Ferrante who I love because of the covers.



Book to Movie or TV Adaptions?

I love film, but I must say TV, especially if it is a beloved book series. Game of Thrones and Outlander really showed how well book to TV could be done.

What is an Adaption better than the Book?

Either Girl, Interrupted which was losely based on the memior, or the Mockingjay films. The book needed to be fleshed out and as well capturedas the film.

Series or Stand-Alone?

Series.

All you want is for him to look at you. Ok, strike that. Touch you– No no no this is all wrong...yet also completely correct? So let's make this big. Let's make this broad and thematic like all the fancy people do.

Usually when I am in a reading rut I stay there. I stay there and mope, or read really terrible online romances to fill the void of whatever it may be on that particular day. Something soft. Something sweet, and usually pink.

Well, now all I see is Red.

And I am quite pleased about it.



Never make a promise you don’t intend to keep… 

Mona Lisa St. James made a deathbed promise that she would do anything to save her mother's art gallery. Unfortunately, not only is The Red painted red, but it's in the red. She soon realizes she has no choice but to sell it.

Just as she realizes she has no choice but to sell it, a mysterious man comes in after closing time and makes her an offer: He will save The Red if she agrees to submit to him for the period of one year.

The man is handsome, English, and terribly tempting...but surely her mother didn't mean for Mona to sell herself to a stranger. Then again, she did promise to do anything to save The Red...

Let me begin by openly admitting that I will read anything Tiffany Reisz writes. Novels, series, novellas, saucy short stories of all shapes and sizes. I would probably read her grocery list and wonder at what kind of cereal she is fond of. Tiffany Reisz is part of my soul now, if that is not a totally creepy thing to say...I sound a tad bit off my rocker, don't I?

Apparently this new erotic (and I found out just before beginning to read) paranormal novel, The Red, is rubbing off on me.

Tiffany did warn me though when I began and announced such on Twitter about how excited I was to get my hands on another one of her erotic, light on the romance, works. She replied to me with, "It's insane pornography. How you like that sort of thing!"

All I can say is why yes. Yes, it is absolute filth, and thank you.

"Art should be dangerous, you know. It should say something to society that society doesn’t want to hear." -The Red, Tiffany Reisz

It was also somehow absolutely beautiful in a type of story telling that somewhere inside me I really needed as of late. My soul filled with great stories is telling me this as I type.

I can easily see now why in her Original Sinners series, sweet cinnamon bun Mick from The Angel was willing to trade covers in the bookstore for it. The Red is a book of sexy filth that made my week. Who would have thought that days after reading a straight up erotica that I would still be thinking about it? From the art, the plot that lead me on to the very end, and of course the sex scenes that were vivid and situations for all to enjoy while reenacting famous paintings, The Red made me wish I had an art gallery to save.

It also really made me want to meet our main character Mona's mother who previously owned the gallery. She sounds awesome.

Tiffany- or shall I say, Mistress Nora Sutherlin from the Original Sinners, outdid herself with this intense and wonderful erotica that still managed to hold a strong story line that promised to reveal a one sinful and captivating end. Of course I am not too surprised.

This was a novel that I went in knowing not a whole lot but the words Red, Erotica, and Art. I loved it as I sat down and read it deep into the night even after my kindle beeped of how its battery was low. There was nothing stopping me on this mysterious and slightly weird journey of Mona and all the stories of The Red that swept me away into its pages and famous paintings tied in a red velvet bow that only now makes me question if such wonder was only a dream.

Or something greater.

I'm going with greater.

“I love you. I love you all the way.” 

― Bryn Greenwood, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

“Summer had so many tricks. The nights lasted longer than the days, even though the angle of the Earth’s axis meant that was impossible. The night couldn’t be longer, but summer made it seem that way. Summer sneaked time for me, taking a minute from February, three minutes from English class in March, ten whole minutes from a boring Thursday in April. Summer stole time to give me another hour under the stars with Kellen.” 

― Bryn Greenwood, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

“Your family is real, but mine isn't? Real people with real feelings, but my family isn't real to you. You think. I'm a character. A story. Those women you talk about. Not real people to you. Stupid women. I'm real. I'm as real as you are. My family is real like your family.” 

― Bryn Greenwood, All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

I have a theory. Hating someone feels disturbingly similar to being in love with them. I've had a lot of time to compare love and hate, and these are my observations.

Love and hate are visceral. Your stomach twists at the thought of that person. The heart in your chest beats heavy and bright, nearly visible through your flesh and clothes. Your appetite and sleep are schredded. Every interaction spikes your blood with adrenaline, and you're in the brink of fight or flight. Your body is barely under your control. You're consumed, and it scares you.

Both love and hate are mirror versions of the same game - and you háve to win. Why? Your heart and your ego. Trust me, I should know. - The Hating Game, Sally Thorne

I want to know what's going on in your brain. I want to juice your head like a lemon. -The Hating Game, Sally Thorne

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Men at Work Series by Tiffany Reisz

Colleen Hoover

milk and honey by Rupi Kaur

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne