House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias: A Tale of Grief and Vengeance

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Every story is a ghost story.

PLOT SUMMARY:

For childhood friends Gabe, Xavier, Tavo, Paul, and Bimbo, death has always been close. Hurricanes. Car accidents. Gang violence. Suicide. Estamos rodeados de fantasmas was Gabe’s grandmother’s refrain. We are surrounded by ghosts. But this time is different. Bimbo’s mom has been shot dead. We’re gonna kill the guys who killed her Bimbo swears. And they all agree.

Feral with grief, Bimbo has become unrecognizable, taking no prisoners in his search for names. Soon, they learn Maria was gunned down by guys working for the drug kingpin of Puerto Rico. No one has ever gone up against him and survived. As the boys strategize, a storm gathers far from the coast. Hurricanes are known to carry evil spirits in their currents and bring them ashore, spirits which impose their own order.

Blurring the boundaries between myth, mysticism, and the grim realities of our world, House of Bone and Rain is a harrowing coming of age story; a doomed tale of devotion, the afterlife of violence, and what rolls in on the tide.

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

I’ve read Gabino Iglesias’ Bram Stoker-winning debut novel and enjoyed it very much. So I was very excited when I received an ARC for his latest novel. I decided to go in blind, not reading the plot summary because I feel like his books are a real treat if you experience them as the protagonist does, learning on the way. In House of Bone and Rain, Gabe gets lured into avenging the death of his best friend Bimbo’s mother, Maria. Coincidentally, the hurricane that’s approaching Puerto Rico is also named Maria. Residents of Puerto Rico have a lot of trauma when it comes to hurricanes, as mentioned in the book, it devastates whole populations, kill so many, and keeps the island without electricity and water for months.

Prior to the hurricane, Gabe along with his friends Tavo, Paul, and Xavier helped Bimbo gain more info about who killed his mother – but someone is now targeting the friend group, and it looks like Gabe might be next. The horrors of the book are both real and supernatural, as they intermingle and you can’t decide what’s worse, the horror done by humans or the ones brought by the supernatural, because they’re both equally horrifying.

This is a tale of grief, processing colonialism and racism, and coming of age. I love how Gabino writes his characters and how they act how one realistically would, meaning that there isn’t a character that is only good and one that is only bad, they all have good traits but also are heavily flawed because of their loyalty to each other (which I can’t blame them because a strong friendship won’t have you bailing when things get tough). Although this book is fiction, I feel like there are a lot of living situations that the writer experienced himself and it shows, which makes the book even more poignant and powerful.

I recommend this book for those who love fast-paced thrillers with supernatural elements woven into the plot.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Mulholland Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Review: First Aid Beauty – Bounce-Boosting Serum

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What It Is:  A lightweight face serum with collagen and peptides that helps preserve youthful-looking skin and softens the look of expression lines with plumping hydration.

What It Does: Softens and eliminates the look of fine lines and hydrates dry skin.

Active Ingredients: Collagen, Peptides, and Algae

Verdict: This serum works best for those who have dry or combo skin, but despite having oily skin, I liked this serum and felt like it helped keep my skin hydrated without it feeling too sticky or slick. If your skin is acne-prone (like mine) you’ll love the fact that this serum doesn’t clog pores and is rather lightweight. Not to mention that it absorbs really fast so you can wear this beneath makeup if you wish to (although I only wore this at night). It really gives you a healthy glow and can be paired with other skin care products without any problem. One pump is enough for your whole face and neck area, so a little goes a long way. The price point isn’t crazy and it lasts a long time, so I do recommend this serum for being effective and for being rather inexpensive compared to others.

Price: $44

Where To Buy It: Ulta and Sephora

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Book Review: Hollow Heart by Viola Di Grado: A Thought-Provoking Novel on Life After Death in Catania, Sicily

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If you do die, on the other hand, we’ll almost never see you again, and certainly, no one will miss you.

PLOT SUMMARY:

A finalist for the PEN Literary Award for Translation, this courageous, inventive, and intelligent novel tells the story of a suicide and what follows. Viola Di Grado has given voice to an astonishing vision of life after life, portraying the awful longing and sense of loss that plague the dead, together with the solitude incited by the impossibility of communicating. The afterlife itself is seen as a dark, seething place where one is preyed upon by the cruel and unrelenting elements.

Hollow Heart will frighten as it provokes, and enlighten as it causes concern. If ever there were a novel that follows Kafka’s prescription for a book to be an axe for the frozen sea within us, it is Hollow Heart.

GRADE: B+

REVIEW:

I read this book because it takes place in my birth town of Catania, Sicily, and because the protagonist dies by suicide but remains alive as a spirit of sorts as she gets to witness her body decomposing. I loved the novel’s first half, the rich descriptions of what happens to one’s body after death, and the listless feeling of seeing life move on without you. Dorotea Giglio spends her ghostly life still working at the stationery shop she worked at while still alive (her boss is the only living person who can see her), meeting up with other ghostly entities, and falling in love with a living young man. The book is incredibly short at 177 pages. Still, the second half of the book didn’t read as easily as the first half (until Dorotea meets Alberto, the young man she falls in love with – it felt like she finally had a purpose instead of simply existing as a ghost). The book was well written (I’d say it’s more literary than any other genre) and it did offer some insight into life after death, and it isn’t your typical ghost story (she isn’t lingering because she’s seeking revenge or anything of the sort). The book had an ending that I would expect from an Italian book (meaning more realistic and not necessarily happy or hopeful as the American market tends to lean towards).

I recommend this book if you’re interested in the afterlife, or want a ghost story that isn’t on the horror spectrum.

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Poetry: An Ode to Fearless Women by Nikita Gill

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Defined by no man, you are your own story,

blazing through the world, turning history into herstory.

And when they dare to tell you about

all the things you cannot be,

you smile and tell them,

“I am both war and woman and you cannot stop me.”

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Saturday Skin Pretty Pop Moisturizer Review: Hydration and Glow Benefits Unveiled

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What It Is: Luxurious Moisturizer with Probiotics and Prebiotics.

What It Does: Helps protect and hydrate skin.

Active Ingredients: Niacinamide, Okra, and White Lupin.

Verdict: I’ve been a big fan of previous Saturday Skin products, especially their cleanser and glacial water cream. So I was really excited to try out this moisturizer. This cream is best for people who have dry skin and aiming to banish their fine lines. I have oily skin, but found that this moisturizer worked well for me too. I love how my skin was left feeling supple and incredibly soft. You can wear this moisturizer under makeup if you need to as it’s not greasy and can be easily mixed with a tinted moisturizer or foundation. The glow after you use this cream is incredible – get this if you want to achieve that effortless amazing skin glow that has been very popular on social media for years. The price point on this product is very reasonable and for the benefits, it’s definitely worth it. Check it out if you’re shopping for a new moisturizer or simply want to try one that will give you that must needed glow.

Price: $45

Where To Buy It: Sephora and https://saturdayskin.com/

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Throwback Thursday: Rediscovering the Vampire Chronicles – A Journey into Anne Rice’s Immortal World

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Drink from me and live forever.

During my teens, I read this novel several times and even made a little skit to perform for my high school’s Drama Fest. I saw the movie more times than I can count, and those intense teenage years, were filled with the Vampire Chronicles. I read the new installment of Price Lestat a few years ago, and it felt like revisiting an old friend. I was devastated when Anne Rice passed away as she was my favorite living author.

With the series Interview with the Vampire, my love for the characters resurfaced, and I decided to revisit the original novel. I instantly fell in love with the world that Rice created and its three central characters, Louis, Lestat, and Claudia. Only this time, I didn’t find myself sympathetic towards Louis as I always was in the past. This time, I felt like he was always placing the blame on Lestat when it was obvious that some of the terrible choices he made were his and his alone.

New Orleans is as much as a character in the book as the characters themselves, with its lush vegetation, Spanish houses, churches, mausoleums, and jasmines. I loved reading about Louis’s encounter with Lestat who proposes to him a better life and offers him the gift of immortality (although Louis sees this more as a curse). Claudia, a young child who cannot grow up is by far the most interesting and complex character. She has reasons to detest the ones who made her, and yet, like Louis she places the blame only on Lestat when they both share this blame.

Lestat, the charismatic maker who later becomes the protagonist of the Vampire Chronicles is depicted as violent, ill-tempered, a spend thrift, and arrogant vampire. But as we later learn in the books that follow, Louis’ interpretation of events were not always correct.

I absolutely loved revisiting this vampire world and it also reminded me that the new TV series follows the events of the novel much more faithfully than the movie ever did (although some things were altered for the series).

Anne Rice created a lush, alluring world with characters that are worth loving (and disliking sometimes, like Armand!) but ultimately remain in your heart forever.

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Shannen Doherty: The Legacy of a Tenacious Actress and Fierce Personality

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Last week we lost Shannen Doherty at the age of 53. After a decade-long battle with cancer, we had to say goodbye to one of the most iconic actresses and bonafide cool woman. As someone who grew up in the 90s, my first introduction to Doherty was through the series Beverly Hills 90210 as the ultra-cool but always fierce Brenda Walsh. Doherty had a way to capture the hearts of viewers even when she was in a cast with other talented actors. There was something about her that made us tune in every week. When Doherty left Beverly Hills 90210 (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen replaced her exit), the show was never the same ever again.

Another series that everyone loved was Charmed, where Doherty portrayed Prue Halliwell the bravest and most powerful witch of the charmed one sisters. Again, once Doherty left this series (this time she was replaced by Rose McGowan), the show wasn’t the same ever again either. Doherty left a mark in each of her series where those who watched the series when she was in them and then watched the episodes without her, know the importance and weight she carried in each of her characters.

Doherty was also in Heathers, a cult-classic that stars Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. Even in this case, she became the most iconic Heather – her wit and comedic nature on full display, stealing every scene she was in.

The reason why saying goodbye to Doherty is so difficult is not only because she portrayed iconic characters that we all loved, but also because she was the embodiment of bravery, with a tenacious will to live. During a time when being viewed as a “difficult woman” for speaking up could be detrimental to someone’s career, she decided to never make herself small and forge her own path. Any role Doherty touched was gold, even when she filmed indie horrors like Bethany or when she had a small role in Riverdale after the passing of Luke Perry, touching the hearts of so many viewers with her heartbreaking role.

Shannen Doherty will forever be remembered for her bravery unapologetic bad-ass attitude and quick wit, and yes, even for being an undeniable charismatic beauty.

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Spotlight: Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon

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Becoming the star is easier when the rest of your band is dead…

All drummer Vienna Taylor ever wanted was to make music. If that came with fame, she’d take it—as long as her best friend, guitarist Madison Pierce, was sharing the spotlight and singing lead. And with their new all-female pop rock band gaining traction, soon everyone would hear their songs…

Except, on the way to an event, the Bittersweet’s van careened off an icy mountain road during a blizzard—leaving one member dead and another severely injured.

In order to survive the frigid night, the rest took shelter in a nearby abandoned cabin. But Vienna’s dreams devolved into a terrifying nightmare as, one by one, her fellow band members met a gruesome end…and Madison simply vanished in the night.

What really happened to the Bittersweet? Did Vienna’s closest friend finally decide to take center stage on her own terms?

She doesn’t want to believe it.

But guilty people run.

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Book Review: I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

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Be happy you weren’t there. Be happy you’re only reading about it.

PLOT SUMMARY:

1989, Lamesa, Texas. A small west Texas town driven by oil and cotton—and a place where everyone knows everyone else’s business. So it goes for Tolly Driver, a good kid with more potential than application, seventeen, and about to be cursed to kill for revenge. Here Stephen Graham Jones explores the Texas he grew up in, the unfairness of being on the outside, through the slasher horror he lives but from the perspective of the killer, Tolly, writing his own autobiography. Find yourself rooting for a killer in this summer teen movie of a novel gone full blood-curdling tragic.

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

All hail the slasher king. Stephen Graham Jones is to horror books as Wes Craven was to horror movies. Meaning that he absolutely knows the genre and all the tropes of said genre. I love that the book was written in a confessional sort of way, with Tolly, the protagonist, trying to have us understand what happened that summer of 1989. With book is steeped in nostalgia and feelings – but at the same time is hella hilarious. I love that Jones is a huge fan of slashers and that he knows how to deliver unhinged violence, but at the same time truly tug at our hearts.

This book is filled with all the fun of a horror film, but also all the feelings of a coming-of-age novel. I loved Tolly’s friendship with Amber because the friendships of your youth are never quite the same as an adult. Childhood friendships are so intense, and truly ride and die – and I loved how that was presented and explored.

I don’t want to discuss too much about the plot because I think it’s best to jump into this blindly but rest assured, if you loved SGJ’s The Indian Lake trilogy series, you will absolutely love this novel too. This is top-tier horror at its finest and if you’re new to SGJ it’s a good book to start!

*Thank you so much to Saga Press for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Review: Fenty Thicc N Smooth Rich Peptide Eye Cream

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What It Is: A thick, rich, all-in-one eye cream that visibly hydrates, brightens, and reduces the look of puffiness with a blend of eye-targeted peptides, caffeine, and vitamins.

What It Does: Reduces fine lines and moisturizes the eye area.

Active Ingredients: -Hyaluronic Acid, Kalahari Melon, Baobab Oil: Hydrate, support, and nourish the skin.
-Polyglutamic Acid: Is a moisture-binding peptide that plumps skin with hydration.
-Illipe Butter: Is fatty acid-rich to replenish skin’s moisture.

Verdict: This cream is what I look for in an eye cream. It’s very rich and thick (so I recommend using at night) but leaves your skin feeling immensely moisturized. The packaging is also very genius, as it has a twist mechanism, so you’re not digging into the cream with your fingers or nails (so no bacteria can get into the cream). You simply twist and a small dime sized amount comes out, which is more than enough for both eyes. This cream is excellent for all skin types – I have oily and find it doesn’t feel heavy. Fenty created an amazing product and will definitely be one of my go-to eye creams from now on.

Price: $42

Where To Buy It: Sephora, Ulta, and https://fentybeauty.com/

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