Nick Cave is the sort of musician that easily has both men and women swooning in a matter of seconds. With his deep, sultry voice and lyrical music, it doesn’t take long for one to be transported into the darkest depths of human emotion. Most of the songs he performed that night were from 2019’s Ghosteen and some of the Bad Seed classics (I don’t know why I had a feeling he would play a song from the Murder Ballads and when the first notes of Henry Lee filled the venue, I was in musical heaven).
The energy was palpable and when Cave covered Cosmic Dancer (one of my fave songs from T.Rex) you could tell that magic was in the air (black magic in this case?).
Not being one to disappoint, Cave not only had an encore but TWO and during his second one, he was joined by a very special guest, Flea from The Red Hot Chili Peppers. All in all, it was an amazing show and one which you can only fully appreciate if you had been there.
SETLIST: NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS @ SHRINE AUDITORIUM, 3/9/2022 Spinning Song Bright Horses Night Raid Carnage White Elephant Ghosteen Lavender Fields Waiting for You I Need You Cosmic Dancer God Is in the House Hand of God Shattered Ground Galleon Ship Leviathan Balcony Man Encore: Hollywood Henry Lee Encore 2: We No Who U R Into My Arms Ghosteen Speaks
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Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.
When the FBI show up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.
Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
I’m usually not a fan of serial killer books (either real or fictional) but I absolutely LOVED how the focus was shifted from the killer and the spotlight was placed upon the daughter of a serial killer and how finding out what her father had done affects her and how she perceives herself and the victims. This book was unflinchingly realistic and I loved it. Then I realized that this is the same author that gave us What Unbreakable Looks Like and I understood why we had such a kickass protagonist in Scarlet.
I loved that Scarlet refused to be damaged goods because of her psychopathic father, and instead tried to create something positive from the experience of getting to know him, by recording a web series that highlighted the lives of the victims and allowed people to get to know them rather than focus on her father’s hideous crimes.
This is both a chilling read and a realistic look into how a murder affects those who loved the victim and how to move on from that.
This book is perfect for fans of true crime and serial killers. You won’t be disappointed!
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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What It Is: An age-defying exfoliator that gently polishes, smooths the look of skin, and buffs away dead surface skin cells for a smoother, brighter complexion in minutes.
Active Ingredients: Lactic Acid
Skin Types: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily
Skincare Concerns: Dullness and Uneven Texture, Fine Lines and Wrinkles, and Acne and Blemishes
Verdict: This very well might be the holy grail of exfoliators. I’m usually not a huge fan of exfoliating creams/cleansers because many tend to be harsh and create actual lesions/cuts on the skin (I’m looking at you St. Ives), however, these exfoliating beads are so minuscule and so delicate that it manages to rid your skin of dead skin cells AND be gentle enough for sensitive skin. I was pleasantly surprised by this exfoliator because I’m usually not a fan of exfoliators, but this one really does what it promises to do. It leaves your skin feeling smooth like silk and incredibly soft. I recommend this if you’re looking to amp up your skincare routine.
Price: $79
Where To Buy It: Ulta or Sephora
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The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything—and everyone—at a safe distance.
When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearly disapprove of her single lifestyle. After all, Andrea has made her fortune in the fertility industry—baby fever comes with the territory.
The more Maeve immerses herself in Andrea’s world, the more disconnected she feels from her life back in the city; and the cousins’ increasing attachment triggers memories Maeve has fought hard to bury. But confronting the terrors of her childhood may be the only way for Maeve to transcend the nightmare still to come…
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
I knew that I had to read this book the moment I saw the creepy doll on the cover. This book definitely delivers on all things creepy. Crazy cult. Check. Creepy dolls. Check. Psychobitches. Check.
Maeve hasn’t seen her cousin Andrea since the night she escaped the all-female cult The Mother Collective. Whilst Maeve is still dealing with the aftermath of the cult, Andrea seems to be doing amazing and has a multi-million dollar home and enterprise.
Throughout the book, you can’t help but feel this increasing sense of dread and you begin to notice that the book is a cross between Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives. Personally, this book is one wild ride and I enjoyed every crazy second of it.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves twisty cult stories that don’t focus on a cult led by a man and if motherhood has ever terrified you. You will find this read absolutely unsettling!
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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What It Is: A hydrating mask, best for dry sensitive skin.
What It Does: Soothes, hydrates, and restores.
Active Ingredients: Green Tea, Madecassoside, Tumeric, Rhubarb, and Ginseng.
Verdict: This is by far the softest hydrating mask you’ll ever experience. If, like me, you have oily skin, then you may use this hydrating mask once a week, applying a thin layer of it all over your face and keeping it on for 20 minutes. However, if your skin is more on the dry side, especially during the winter when skin tends to be parched, you can also apply a thin layer of this mask all over and keep it overnight. Once you remove this mask (using a cloth and lukewarm water) you’ll unleash the softest skin you’ve ever imagined possible. It seems to eliminate bumps and any dry patches you may have. I tend to exfoliate my skin prior to putting this mask on, so that the skin can easily soak up all the hydrating and soothing ingredients found within this mask. I really recommend this product if you’re in need of some major hydration. Personally, I can’t wait to try out other skincare products from Topicals.
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In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.
A teenage girl who isn’t allowed outside, not after last time. A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory. And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible.
An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
This is one of those rare books that came with a TON OF HYPE and actually LIVED UP to the hype and then some! I really loved that this book started out in one direction and completely reeled you in another by the end!
Right from the very beginning, the reader knows there’s something very wrong the moment we dive into the story. This novel excels in creating this crescendo of dread and unease that by the time you’re hit with the climax, you’re questioning your own sanity.
Ted lives alone in a run-down home with his beautiful kitty Olivia while his daughter Lauren comes to visit him from time to time. When Dee moves next door to him, convinced that he had something to do with her little sister’s disappearance things really start to escalate into chaos for everyone involved. This thriller is a wild ride and one you won’t easily forget once you’re through with the final page.
I can’t recommend this book enough. Believe the hype, it’s worth reading!
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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Verdict: I’m not really a fan of Selena Gomez’s music, but I was curious to try out her beauty brand when it was included in one of Allure’s Beauty Boxes recently. I’m picky when it comes to mascara because so many things can go wrong, from the formula of the actual product to the wand’s construction and bristles. I must say that I really love everything about this mascara. The formula is excellent, it provides both volume and length and doesn’t flake throughout the day. The formula is also gentle, so it doesn’t take much to wash it off by the end of the day. Now, the mascara wand itself is excellent too. The bristles are that of a more classically standard mascara wand and there’s nothing wrong with that because it actually helps both boost the lashes’ volume while also lifting the lashes to high lengths. This is an excellent product and am curious to check out any of her other beauty products after this.
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Charlotte lost her mother six months ago, and still no one will tell her exactly what happened the day she mysteriously died. They say her heart stopped, but Charlotte knows deep down that there’s more to the story.
The only person who gets it is Charlotte’s sister, Maddi. Maddi agrees—people’s hearts don’t just stop. There are too many questions left unanswered for the girls to move on.
But their father is moving on. With their mother’s personal assistant. And both girls are sure of one thing: she’s going to steal everything that’s theirs for herself. She’ll even get rid of them eventually.
Now, in order to get their lives back, Charlotte and Maddi have to decide what kind of story they live in. Do they remain the obedient girls their father insists they be or do they follow their rage to the end?
GRADE: C-
REVIEW:
I was really disappointed in this book. It was marketed as a retelling of the Lizzie Borden crime and it truly didn’t live up to that hype at all. First of all, the chapters between Charlotte and Maddi are one and the same, the voice is similar and the only reason you can tell them apart is that there tend to be more Charlotte’s chapters and her chapters also tend to contain more inner dialogue, but apart from that, they were very similar. None of the side characters were fleshed out. I feel like I never got to know any of the characters, really, and so when there’s a huge reveal it doesn’t come as shocking but more as a “WTF?” moment, as it makes no sense as to why certain characters we barely saw throughout the book would suddenly act the way they did.
This book had a good premise but the execution was poor and the writing wasn’t that great. I did enjoy the short chapters but ultimately, apart from the ONE BIG THING that happened, nothing else seemed to occur. The sisters spend the majority of their time mourning their dead mother, driving to and from school, barely interacting with anyone there, or locked up in their rooms. Their interactions with anyone else besides themselves feel stilted and forced, and I’m surprised Charlotte could ever think that Lana was her friend, because she acted very strange from the very beginning.
All in all, some people seemed to have enjoyed this book, but this wasn’t the case for me. Not sure if I can really recommend it as the story wasn’t really compelling nor good. It’s a pass for me.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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Verdict: I’ll be honest, I’ve been wanting to try this out ever since all the It-Girl’s of the past decade have always relied on this lipliner/lipstick shade. Alexa Chung was always seen wearing this shade and looks wonderfully effortless in doing so. My only problem is that the price tag is kinda high if you’re unsure whether the shade will look good on you or not, so I was very excited when this showed up in my latest Allure Beauty Box. I’ll admit that this shade is AMAZING, and the lipliner is very soft and has a smooth application. I decided to apply clear lipbalm over it to help the liner to not look so matte or dry out my lips, but I will be purchasing the lipliner and lipstick in this shade now, as it has become my go-to shade to wear every day. I recommend this if you wish to look put together as in “your lips but better.”
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It’s that time of year again when we celebrate the Women in Horror, and every week for the month of February I’ll share my Top 5 picks across the different mediums. Today, I’ll focus on books and here are some of my recent favourite female authors that I can assure you, will scare the pants off of you!
The Winter People by Jennifer McMaHon
West Hall, Vermont, has always been a town of strange disappearances and old legends. The most mysterious is that of Sara Harrison Shea, who, in 1908, was found dead in the field behind her house just months after the tragic death of her daughter, Gertie. Now, in present day, nineteen-year-old Ruthie lives in Sara’s farmhouse with her mother, Alice, and her younger sister, Fawn. Alice has always insisted that they live off the grid, a decision that suddenly proves perilous when Ruthie wakes up one morning to find that Alice has vanished without a trace. Searching for clues, she is startled to find a copy of Sara Harrison Shea’s diary hidden beneath the floorboards of her mother’s bedroom. As Ruthie gets sucked deeper into the mystery of Sara’s fate, she discovers that she’s not the only person who’s desperately looking for someone that they’ve lost. But she may be the only one who can stop history from repeating itself.
Children of Chicago by Cynthia Pelayo
Reminiscent of the Bloody Mary urban legend, the Pied Piper’s story can be tracked back to the deaths of children for centuries and across the world—call to him for help with your problems, but beware when he comes back asking for payment.
Chicago detective Lauren Medina’s latest call brings her to investigate a brutally murdered teenager in Humboldt Park—a crime eerily similar to the murder of her sister decades before. Unlike her straight-laced partner, she recognizes the crime, and the new graffiti popping up all over the city, for what it really means: the Pied Piper has returned.
When more children are found dead, Lauren is certain her suspicion is correct. Still reeling from the recent death of her father, she knows she must find out who has summoned him again, and why, before more people die. Lauren’s torn between protecting the city she has sworn to keep safe, and keeping a promise she made long ago with her sister’s murderer. She may have to ruin her life by exposing her secrets and lies to stop the Pied Piper before he collects.
A recurrent, unidentifiable noise in her apartment. A memo to her boss that’s replaced by obscene insults. Amanda—a successful architect in a happy marriage—finds her life going off kilter by degrees. She starts smoking again, and one night for no reason, without even the knowledge that she’s doing it, she burns her husband with a cigarette. At night she dreams of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth on the shore of a blood-red sea.
The new voice in Amanda’s head, the one that tells her to steal things and talk to strange men in bars, is strange and frightening, and Amanda struggles to wrest back control of her life. Is she possessed by a demon, or is she simply insane?
Queen of Teeth by Hailey Piper
Within forty-eight hours, Yaya Betancourt will go from discovering teeth between her thighs to being hunted by one of the most powerful corporations in America.
She assumes the vagina dentata is a side effect of a rare genetic condition caused by AlphaBeta Pharmaceutical, decades ago, when she and several thousand others were still in the womb.
But, when ABP corporate goons upend her life, she realizes her secondary teeth might be evidence of a new experiment for which she’s the most advanced test tube . . . a situation worsened when Yaya’s condition sprouts horns, tentacles, and a mind of its own.
On the run and transforming, Yaya may be either ABP’s greatest success, or the deadliest failure science has ever created.
The Things We Say In The Dark by Kirsty Logan
A shocking collection of dark stories, ranging from chilling contemporary fairytales to disturbing supernatural fiction. Alone in a remote house in Iceland, a woman is unnerved by her isolation; another can only find respite from the clinging ghost that follows her by submerging herself in an overgrown pool. Couples wrestle with a lack of connection to their children; a schoolgirl becomes obsessed with the female anatomical models in a museum; and a cheery account of child’s day out is undercut by chilling footnotes. These dark tales explore women’s fears with electrifying honesty and invention and speak to one another about female bodies, domestic claustrophobia, desire, and violence.
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The Inkblotters 