The Garbage (2026) Reading Challenge

If you've been following me for years, you'll know that I really love reading challenges because of the way it stretches your reading comfort zone, but I've always sucked at actually completing them.

In 2015, over at Goodreads, we kicked off our most outrageous challenge ever, borrowing The Beatles Reading Challenge from another group I was a part of, which had turned their songs into reading tasks. And in 2016, we whipped up The REM Reading Challenge. (I really sucked at this one. I couldn't even complete one album, but man was it fun trying!). And then to honor David Bowie's passing, in 2017 we pulled together the Bowie Reading Challenge! In 2018 I decided to take a break from our music theme and challenged everyone to read whatever the fuck they wanted in our RWTFYW challenge. The only rule was that there were no rules : ) In 2019 I spread my love of Guster around, 2020 was all about Ani DiFranco, 2021 had us fan girling over PJ Harvey, and 2022 continued the female artist love with our Liz Phair challenge (I sucked at this one too, didn't complete one album but came soooo close for so many!). 2023 had me returning to my 80s roots and we concocted The Cure challenge, which was my most successful up to that point. And 2024 brought us the Depeche Mode challenge, where I completed a whopping record breaking 8 albums! And we just closed out our 2025 Afghan Whigs Challenge. 

For 2026 I'm going to keep the alternative resurgence theme going and am thrilled to announce that we're hosting the Garbage Reading Challenge!

Garbage made a comeback in 2025 but have been kicking the crap out of the radiowaves since the mid 90's. Shirley Manson is an absolutely killer lead vocalist. 

Whether you know and love Garbage or this is the first time you are hearing of them (I mean it's possible, right?), what I think is most cool about these kinds of reading challenges... is that you don't even have to be a fan of the musicians to participate. You just have to be a fan of READING!!

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Garbage (2025) Reading Challenge

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So here's how this works:

*The goal is to cross off as many of Garbage's songs as you can throughout the course of 2026.

You can challenge yourself to complete one entire album, focus on completing one decades-worth of albums, or build your own challenge by hitting your favorite song titles... it's totally up to you!

*You cross off the songs by reading a book that meets the criteria listed after each song title.

If the book meets multiple reading tasks, cool! You can apply it to multiple song titles, OR you can make the reading challenge more challenging by limiting yourself to one song title per book.

*There may be built in redundancy with some of the tasks.

They are repetitive on purpose, to give you an opportunity to read more than one type of book and still get credit for completing a task. (Sneaky, I know!)

*Please copy and paste the entire list, or your customized challenge list, into your own thread in this goodreads folder and strike through the song titles as you complete them, OR, you can simply copy and paste each song title and its criteria from the master list here as you complete it. (obviously put your name in the thread title so we know whose challenge it is).

*Do not add your list directly to Rule and List thread.

*YOU MUST LIST THE BOOK TITLE AND AUTHOR that coincides with the song as you complete it for the challenge so we know what you read!

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An example of a completed song title task in your Challenge thread would look like this:

<s>“This Bouquet” – Read a book that features flowers on the cover</s> - The Distance from Four Points by Margo Orlando Littell

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Aaaaannnnnnnddddddd here's the list:

A total of 8 studio albums and 91 total songs tasks!

Garbage (1995)

"Supervixen" – Read a book that features a strong female MC

"Queer" – Read an LGBTQIA book

"Only Happy When It Rains" – Curl up with a book on a rainy day instead of going out or doing your chores and take credit for it here

"As Heaven is Wide" – Read a book that features religion

"Not My Idea" – Read a book that was recommended to you by someone else

"A Stroke of Luck" – Save this for the book that became a surprise five star read

"Vow" – Read a book that you swore you would never read, or a book by an author you swore you would never read

"Stupid Girl" – Read a book that features a sad girl  /  weird girl 

"Dog New Tricks" – Read a book that features a dog or has a dog on the cover

"My Lover’s Box" – Read a romance novel or a book that heavily features love

"Fix Me Now" – Save this for the book that becomes your entire personality after you read it

"Milk" – Read a book that features drinking or has a drink on the cover

Version 2.0 (1998)

"Temptation Waits" – Read that book you just bought, go ahead, move it right to the top of your TBR

"I Think I’m Paranoid" – Read a book that is super creepy and had you looking over your shoulder the whole time

"When I Grow Up" – Read a book that features a young MC

"Medication" – Read a book that deals with illness / chronic illness

"Special" – Read a book that was someone else’s favorite

"Hammering in My Head" – If you read a book that gave you a “book hangover”, take credit for it here

"Push It" – Save this spot for the book you pimped the most this year

"The Trick Is to Keep Breathing" – If you read a book that literally took your breath away, take credit for it here

"Dumb" – If you read a book that you should have DNFd and didn’t, take credit for it here

"Sleep Together" – Save this for the book that kept you up all night

"Wicked Ways" – Read a book with a twist that took you by surprise

"You Look So Fine" – Read a book just because of its cover and take credit for it here

Beautiful Garbage (2001)

"Shut Your Mouth" – Save this spot for the book you read this year that that you will absolutely not take any criticism on

"Androgyny" – Read a book with a cover that could work for any genre

"Can’t Cry These Tears" – Read a tear jerker

"Til the Day I Die" – Read a book about death and/or dying

"Cup of Coffee" – Stay in bed and read a book so you can take credit for it here

"Silence is Golden" – Read a book with a cover that features foil lettering/design

"Cherry Lips" – Read a book that is set in the summertime

"Breaking Up the Girl" – If you DNF a book, take credit for it here

"Drive You Home" – Listen to an audiobook on your commute to work / in the car and take credit for it here

"Parade" – If you read a book that you own in multiple formats, take credit for it here

"Nobody Loves You" – Read a book that is severely under read / flying under everyone’s radar

"Untouchable" – Save this spot for your favorite book of the year

"So Like a Rose" – Read a book that has a flower /  flowers on the cover

Bleed Like Me (2005)

"Bad Boyfriend" – Read a book that features an evil or morally grey male MC

"Run Baby Run" – Go buy and immediately read that brand new release you’ve been waiting for and take credit for it here

"Right Between the Eyes" – Read a book that has a body part on the cover

"Why Do You Love Me" – Read a book that you’d be embarrassed to have people see you read

"Bleed Like Me" – Read a gory horror novel

"Metal Heart" – Read a steampunk, industrial, or sci-fi novel 

"Sex Is Not the Enemy" – Read a steamy, spicy book

"It’s All Over but the Crying" – If you read a book you thought you were going to love but it turned out to be trash, take credit for it here

"Boys Wanna Fight" – Read a book that features a lot of violence

"Why Don’t You Come Over" – Do a buddy read, or if you read a book for a book club, take credit for it here

"Happy Home" – Read a book that features a haunted house

Not Your Kind of People (2012)

"Automatic Systemic Habit" – Read a book that is shelved in your favorite section of the bookstore

"Big Bright World" – Read a dystopian novel

"Blood for Poppies" – Read a book with a red cover, or that has blood on the cover

"Control" – Read an audiobook and play it at whatever speed you want

"Not Your Kind of People" – Give an author you didn’t like a second chance and take credit for it here

"Felt" – If you read a book that makes you crave more books like it, take credit for it here

"I Hate Love" – Read a book that you would consider the complete opposite of a romance novel

"Sugar" – Read a book that you’d consider “brain candy”

"Battle in Me" – Save this spot for the book that really toyed with your emotions or set off all of your triggers

"Man on a Wire" – Read a book that deals with grief, regret, longing, or vulnerability 

"Beloved Freak" – Save this spot for the first book you give a 5 star rating to

Strange Little Birds (2016)

"Sometimes" – Read a book from a genre you’ve dabbled in but don’t typically read

"Empty" – If you read a book that everyone loves or hates but you just felt meh about, take credit for it here

"Blackout"  - Save this spot for a book you read that you really liked but immediately forget everything in it after you finish reading it

"If I Lost You" – Read a book that features grief and loss

"Night Drive Loneliness" – Read a book while on a road trip and take credit for it here

"Even Though Our Love is Doomed" – Read a book that makes you feel icky for liking it

"Magnetized" – Read a book that social media influenced you to purchase and read

"We Never Tell" – If you read a popular book and hated it, take credit for it here

"So We Can Stay Alive" – Read a book about the end of the world

"Teaching Little Fingers to Play" – Read a book that features music, musical instruments, or is written by a musician

"Amends" – If you read a book that someone recommended to you, but you didn’t like it, take credit for it here

No Gods No Masters (2021)

"The Men Who Rule the World" – Read a book that has a political theme

"The Creeps"  - Read a book that creeps you out

"Uncomfortably Me" – Read a book that is outside of your comfort zone

"Wolves" – Read a book that features wolves, coyotes, or werewolves (or has a main character that is any animal)

"Waiting for God" – Freebie space! Read anything you want and take credit for it here

"Godhead" -  Read a  book by someone who you believe to be highly influential 

"Anonymous XX" – Read any book you want and take credit for it here

"A Woman Destroyed" – Read a book that features a badass, rage filled female MC

"Flipping the Bird" – Read a book that is full of foul language

"No Gods No Masters" – Read whatever the hell you want and take credit for it here

"This City Will Kill You" – Read a book that takes place in a large city

Let All That We Might Imagine Be the Light (2025)

"There’s No Future in Optimism" – Read a book that’s dark and depressing

"Chinese Fire Horse" – Read a book that’s been translated

"Hold" – Read a book you borrowed from the library and take credit for it here

"Have We Met (the Void)" – Read a Sci Fi, Space opera book

"Sisyphus" – Read a book about a mythological character/creature or a historical novel

"Radical" –  Read a non fiction book

"Love to Give" – Read a book that features love or has a heart on the cover

"Get Out My Face AKA Bad Kitty" – Read a book with an animal on the cover

"R U Happy Now" – Read a book with a title that used initials or acronyms in it

"The Day That I Met God" – If you read a book and it totally becomes your new personality, take credit for it here

Books I Read in December

Closing out 2025 with a strong December! I read a total of 13 books - some were hot as fuck, others were cool as a cucumber. Why not just jump into them all? Did you read any of these, and if you did, did they hit the same? 

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah Scholfield

I’ve had my eye on this book for ages, and I'm so thrilled to have finally gotten my hands on a review copy. Queer southern gothic speculative fiction with fractured family trauma and survival? Sign me up.

From the very first page, it pulls you under. It’s packed with everything you’d hope for—twisted, atmospheric darkness, abusive mothers, a decaying house hidden in the woods, restless haints, and horrors that linger in the shadows.

But what makes it unforgettable is its humanity. This is one of the most haunting, visceral novels I’ve read in years. At its core, it’s the story of a woman clawing back control after a lifetime of suffering, rising from the wreckage of her past to seek beauty in a world that has offered her only cruelty.

The result is a resonant, traumatic, and deeply unsettling read.

We Call Them Witches by India-Rose Bower

We Called Them Witches is a striking spin on the post-apocalyptic novel. Think Bird Box. Think A Quiet Place. Think any horror story where terror arrives out of nowhere and annihilates humanity in grotesque, unstoppable ways.

But here, the menace is stranger. These are eldritch monsters that morph into a mixture of whatever they’ve consumed and whatever is in their environment. Imagine a silently shifting mass of twigs, insect legs, moss, human parts, fox skulls, dirt—an ever-changing nightmare that refuses to give up its search for prey.

We follow Sara and her family as they endure this new world by turning to old pagan practices: wards, adder stones, protective circles that hold these creatures at bay. But their fragile safety shatters when they discover an unconscious girl lying just beyond their defenses.

Parsley can't remember how she escaped the "witches" and Sara is simply mesmirized by her. As their friendship blossoms, a horror hits home - the creatures capture her brother Noah and everyone is relying on Parsley's knowledge of the beasts in order to rescue him from their otherworldy clutches.

What unfolds is a frustratingly devious exploration of just how far we're willing to go to save our family. And what we learn is that, in the end, survival isn’t just about keeping the monsters out—it’s about facing the ones we’ve already let in.

I really liked it but I also hated how much it toyed with me lol.

Composite Creatures by Caroline Hardaker

Ok. The last 11 books I've read were all review copies. I thought it was time to give myself a break and dip into my massive tbr pile!!

I picked up Composite Creatures on a whim at a used bookstore—partly for the cover, but also because of its ambiguous, allusive description and the fact that it’s published by Angry Robot, a small press known for sharp, inventive sci‑fi. The description wasn’t screaming science fiction, but oh gosh, you guys. This thing!

Hardaker thrives on withholding information, so we’re pulled into the story with only the barest sense of what’s happening. If you prefer novels that lay everything out up front, this might not be for you. But for me? Totally my jam.

We’re introduced to a world ravaged by climate change, where most animal species have vanished and where the majority of people face a slow, inevitable death from “the greying”—a form of incurable cancer born of polluted air and dwindling resources.

Norah and Arthur, strangers to one another, want desperately to live longer, healthier lives. Enter Easton Grove, an elite and painfully expensive health system that pairs them based on genetic compatibility, hoping their partnership will blossom into a press‑worthy love story. That compatibility matters: it grants them the right to receive an ovum organi to raise together.

And what is an ovum organi? Think of it as a genetic replica of both partners, beginning as a strange, pet‑like ball of fur that—if cared for properly—develops into something far more familiar over time.

I won’t say more, because the book’s power lies in its slow reveal. But I will say this: Composite Creatures deserves your attention. I wasn’t expecting it to punch me in the gut, and oh boy did it ever!

A quote on the back calls it “wistful” and “wonderfully strange.” It’s that, and so much more. It sneaks up on you, claws out, and leaves a mark you won’t shake off. Come for the weird little furball, stay for the existential sucker punch.

25 Days by Per Jacobsen

Did I just tear through a 300‑page book in a single day, even though the author intended it to be savored one chapter at a time over the 25 days of Christmas? Why yes. Yes, I did. And what delicious brain candy it was.

25 Days is the perfect winter holiday horror novel to sink into on a sleepy Sunday afternoon. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it knows exactly how to keep the pages turning. Told through alternating chapters from each family member’s perspective, we witness the horrors inflicted on them from every angle. And if I ever thought vacationing in an isolated cabin on a mountain sounded appealing, this book cured me of that fantasy real quick.

Rompy, twisted, and as frigid as the inside of an icebox, 25 Days is a chilling delight—a must‑read if you’re looking to kill a few hours before the festivities begin.

What Christmas horror novel would you recommend?

Nowhere Burning by Catronia Ward

This one was rough for me—not because it’s bad, but because it never quite reached the level of Sundial’s full‑tilt wtf‑energy, even though Ward still delivers her signature twists toward the end.

So what exactly threw me off? Maybe it was the sheer number of twists, some of which felt designed to provoke a “Gasp!” moment that didn’t quite land. Maybe it was the way the story tried to straddle both “haunted house” and “cult” territory without fully committing to either lane.

And I can’t lie: the entire time I was reading, I kept thinking about Michael Jackson—specifically the parallels to Neverland Ranch and the swirling child‑related rumors.

Intentional? Coincidental? Hard to say, but it definitely muddied the experience.

Am I being too grumpy because it didn’t meet my expectations? Possibly. But here’s the thing: I still enjoyed it. It just didn’t hit me with the same intensity as her previous book.

So… a mixed bag, but a compelling one.

I Bought a Haunted Christmas Tree Farm by Sam Whittaker

Haters gonna hate, unless, of course, you walked into this expecting a fun, rompy Christmas horror story. In which case… congratulations, because that’s exactly what this book is.

So what if there are typos sprinkled throughout, like those rogue strands of tinsel you keep finding weeks after the tree is gone.

So what if the story takes its sweet time and then hurls the ending at you like a runaway train, leaving an ectoplasmic smear of blood and bodies in its wake.

I still thought it was cute... a festive little horror snack perfect for a lazy December afternoon. And no, I didn't read it advent‑style. Sure, it’s a charming idea in theory, but are there reaaallly people out there who crack these things open on December 1st and then dutifully read one chapter a day all month long. Pssshhh. Couldn’t be me.

For all you holiday themed readers out there... sometimes you just want a book that’s merry, messy, and mildly unhinged. This one delivers.

The North Sun by Ethan Rutherford

Just when you think you’re settling into a run‑of‑the‑mill historical novel about a whaleship sent to locate the missing captain of another vessel lost in Arctic waters… North Sun veers gloriously off the map. What begins as a straightforward maritime rescue tilts into something stranger and far more intoxicating than I had expected.

Told in sharp, stunning chapters, the novel follows Arnold Lovejoy, a whaleman recruited by the powerful Ashley family to find their missing son‑in‑law, Leander, and retrieve a prized heirloom believed to be stranded with him on the ice. Lovejoy—hopelessly smitten with the Ashleys’ daughter, Leander’s wife—leaps at the chance to return to sea, chase a little whale, and maybe win her favor along the way.

But the farther the ship sails, the more the story mutates. What starts as a simple search‑and‑rescue spirals into a gruesome, violent, fantastical descent into the deep. Think Moby-Dick with a heavy pour of McGuire’s North Water, Rawson's From the Wreck, and Nahill’s From the Belly—a dark, atmospheric, haunting debut that only grows more feral and hypnotic the deeper you go.

By the final pages, you’re not just reading a whaling tale—you’re swallowed whole by it.

Love love love!

The Body by Bethany C Morrow

Soooo… this book. It’s totally bingeable, but wow is it triggering. Have I mentioned how much I loathe infidelity as a plot device... especially when the female MC refuses to ask the questions she needs answered and instead spirals through every horrible scenario her brain can conjure?

Raised under the thumb of strict religious parents and now terrified that her husband Jerrod might be cheating, Mavis is already mentally spiraling when she gets into a car accident rushing home to beat him there. She’s mid–panic attack, her mind a cyclone of worst‑case scenarios, desperate to get inside, shower, and start dinner, but the universe has other plans. She survives with only minor injuries, but her luck? That’s another story.

Because the accident is just the beginning. That night, she spots a neighbor in a nightshirt digging a hole in her backyard. The next day, while she and Jerrod are buying an outdoor camera, a man tries to drop a ceiling fan on her and ends up brutally attacking two shoppers who intervene. Then comes the break‑in… and… well, the hits keep coming.

The Body takes the marriage vow “till death do us part” and twists it into something more sinister — and far more deliciously unhinged. Morrow pushes you to confront the darker side of devotion, both religious and marital. By the end, you’re not sure whether to look away… or turn the page faster.

Poor Damned Souls by Charlene Elsby

It looks like I’ve accidentally signed myself up for an infidelity marathon with these last two review copies. If The Body was hauntingly religious, Poor Damned Souls is its godless, feral counterpart.

Holy hell… what did I just read? I thought Elsby’s Musos was twisted, but this one is unhinged on an entirely different level.

Honestly, men should treat this book as a cautionary tale about what can happen when you stray — especially if your spouse has access to online verification software and the instincts of a detective. Lord help you.

We follow a woman who realizes her husband is cheating. That discovery sends her spiraling into a brutal mix of self‑loathing, obsession, and very understandable rage. Yet she keeps quiet, not wanting him to change his patterns or hide things more than he already is. Instead, she becomes consumed with uncovering every detail — the how, the why, and the who.

But be careful what you go looking for, because you will find it… and what you find might shatter your spirit and scramble your sanity.

This book is a fireball of chaos. It’s triggering, visceral, raunchy, and unapologetically gory.

Here's a taste:

"I try to gauge from the volume of semen how long it's been since he's last ejaculated."

"Sometimes it's easier to get used to something than it is to change it."

"Getting to know a person as meat does not reveal thier essence... getting to know a person, on an emotional level, is also a disappointing theme park."

It will make you look at relationships — and the dark corners people hide in — very differently. If you read and appreciated Chandler Morrison’s Dead Inside, or Maude Ventura's My Husband, you’ll feel right at home here (and might want to start clearing out your browser history... just in case).

I Found Christmas Lights Slithering Up My Street by Ben Farthing

Meh. Cute idea, but the execution just fell flat for me. Honestly, as a fan of strange and bizarre stories, I’m not sure why this isn’t being marketed as a YA novel, because that’s where it feels it sits — and where it might’ve actually worked better.

I read this in one sitting yesterday evening, hoping for a fun, light Christmas horror romp to close out the holiday. Instead, I got a story weighed down by subpar writing: extremely surface‑level and repetitive, like Farthing was trying too hard to sound like a kid that it pulled me right out of the moment. The descriptions were muddy enough that I sometimes had to stop and reread, still unsure what Farthing was trying to show me.

At its core, the book follows Douglas, a young boy grieving the loss of his sister, who died the previous Christmas Eve. His parents’ holiday spirit has died with her, and he’s desperate to revive it. While he and his friends are decorating a half‑built house in the newer section of his neighborhood, he spots strange not‑red, not‑purple lights glowing from a storm drain. Thinking he’s found the perfect addition to his display, he reaches in and pulls out something far more sinister. Something dark. Something creepy. Something looking for an empty vessel… and Douglas and his neighborhood are full of possibilities.

In the end, it’s a story with a solid premise that never quite grows into the horror it promises... a spark of an idea buried under writing that is trying too hard to sound young, and feels too thin and too repetitive to truly scare. A festive fright‑lite that could’ve shined, but instead flickers out long before the final page.

The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts by Kim Fu

Never buy a house without knowing exactly what you’re getting yourself into. If The Valley of Vengeful Ghosts teaches you anything, let it be that. Unless you’ve seen The Money Pit, in which case, you should’ve learned that lesson ages ago.

Eleanor’s mother has just died, and with her last breath she makes Eleanor promise to use the money she's left her to finally buy a home. So Eleanor, who has lived under her mother’s watchful, overprotective eye her entire life and has never made a single adult decision on her own, is suddenly, naïvely tossed into the housing market.

Enter an aggressively enthusiastic real estate agent who all but shoves a pen into her hand. The house is a gorgeous model home, one of only two in a brand‑new development that won’t resume construction until next year. Eleanor falls instantly in love. She signs wherever she’s told, skips the fine print, waives the inspection, and agrees to buy it as is. And she’s about to learn exactly what 'as is' means as rain begins leaking through the windows, the walls (and the sweat runs down... oh gosh, sorry, wrong time and place lol), and inconveniently, the boundary between the living and the dead, where her mother starts dropping in for visits.

Think Julia Armfield’s Private Rights. Think Nicky Gonzalez’s Mayra. This isn’t quite horror, though it does have some eerie undertones. It’s cozy and tender until it suddenly isn’t, and you root for Eleanor to find her footing… until you’re not so sure you want her to.

At its core, this is a story about consequences — a “you get what you paid for” and “what goes around comes around” kind of tale, wrapped in ghosts, grief, and the price of wanting more than you’re ready to handle.

Scratch by Steve Himmer

Have you noticed that I tend to read in themes — even if it’s just a few books in a row? Earlier this week I accidentally paired two novels that both used infidelity as their inciting incident. Totally different vibes, same doorway in.

And now, apparently, I’m on a “new housing development in the woods with something uncanny lurking nearby” streak.

Two books ago, I read a christmas themed horror novel that took place in the new section of an already existing comminuty of homes where something evil climbed up out of the storm drain. And the last book I read followed a woman who buys a model home in a new housing development tucked waaay out of the way, complete with subtle ghostly undertones. Scratch shares that woodland‑development premise, only Steve Himmer takes it somewhere stranger, older, and far more folkloric.

Here, a developer named Martin decides to carve a neighborhood out of the woods. What he doesn’t know is that these woods already have a resident, an ancient entity known in local lore as Scratch — a shapeshifter parents invoke to keep kids from wandering too far. Scratch has been here long before humans started bulldozing their way through his home, and he’s more than a little tired of watching us stomp in, tear things up, and move on. So when Martin arrives, Scratch decides it’s time to intervene.

The story is told from Scratch’s perspective, in the same spirit as Henry Hoke’s Open Throat. He’s manipulative, ancient, observant, and bone‑deep weary of human disruption. Seeing the world through his eyes gives the book a wonderfully off‑kilter, uncanny tone.

And here’s the thing. Scratch is really, really good — and it’s flying under every radar. If you love folkloric fiction, creature‑narrated stories, or books that start grounded and slowly slide into the strange, this deserves a spot on your list. It’s the kind of quiet, clever weird fiction that should have a much bigger audience than it does.

You Have to Let Them Bleed by Annie Neugebauer

I’ve been really picky about short story collections this year. It’s a mood thing for me — or maybe more of a vibe thing — and when I requested You Have to Let Them Bleed on NetGalley, I wasn’t entirely convinced I’d be in the right headspace for it. Great title, great cover, great premise… but what if I just wasn’t in a short‑story mood?

Turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about.

These stories are dark, haunting, and fabulously freaky in all the best ways. Redless follows a woman who would kill — literally — to see the color red again. The Little Drawer Full of Chaos starts with something as mundane as digging through a junk drawer for a hammer and then veers into a direction that’s wildly, delightfully unexpected. Several pieces feature unseen monsters stalking you from the shadows. There’s a deeply Kafkaesque tale about a woman whose husband falls ill and begins to transform in ways that are… let’s just say unsettling. And another about a woman who wakes in the night to the sound of a crying baby — which would be fine, except she doesn’t have one.

They’re creepy and cringey in exactly the right proportions. Neugebauer is a captivating storyteller, and the imagery she conjures in just a few pages is astonishing. This collection hits that sweet spot between uncanny and irresistible — the kind of stories that get under your skin and stay there.

And that's a wrap for 2025. 139 books read in total. 

Not too shabby!!!

Top Five: Restaurants That Feed My Appetite and My Imagination

 

Top Five Restaurants That Feed My Appetite and My Imagination

There are many things I treasure in life—quiet moments with my family, meaningful conversations, the small joys that anchor us to the present. But somewhere very high on that list sits another delight: discovering a truly memorable meal. As a writer, I’ve always believed that food tells a story of its own. A restaurant can be a doorway into a culture, a mood, a memory. So when I was invited to share a personal “top five,” I immediately knew I wanted to celebrate the places that have fed not only my appetite, but also my imagination. These are the restaurants that linger with me long after the last bite—a blend of flavours, people, and moments that feel, in their own way, like chapters worth rereading.

 

Here they are in no particular order.

 

1- Tony’s diNapoli, 147 W 43rd Street, NYC, USA

 

Tony’s diNapoli on West 43rd Street holds a special place in my heart, not just because I’ve been there many times, but because every one of those visits—at least five so far—has been unfailingly excellent. It’s rare to find a restaurant where the quality is so consistent, where each dish arrives just as delicious as you remembered it the last time. I’ve tried a wide range of their menu over the years, and somehow every plate has turned out to be memorable. If you ever go, don’t miss the Alfredo or vodka pasta, or the chicken pizzaiola—comfort food elevated to the level of something quietly extraordinary. For me, Tony’s has become a New York ritual, a place where great food reliably turns an ordinary evening into a cherished memory.

 

 

 

2- The Street Burger Bistro, Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC

 

When it comes to burgers, nothing has ever topped my experience at The Street Burger Bistro in Prague. It’s the kind of place you discover almost by accident and then spend the rest of your trip talking about. What makes it my favourite isn’t just the perfectly seasoned patties or the way each burger feels crafted rather than assembled—it’s the surprising sense of care behind every detail. The flavours are bold without being overwhelming, the ingredients fresh, and the balance impeccable. I’ve had countless burgers in my life, but there’s something about this little spot in the heart of Prague that lingers with me: the warmth of the staff, the laid-back atmosphere, and that first bite that makes you pause and think, Yes, this is how a burger is supposed to taste. It’s a reminder that sometimes the most unforgettable meals come from the places you least expect.

 

3- The Historic Sausage Kitchen of Regensburg, Regensburg, GERMANY

 

One of the most unforgettable food experiences of my life came from a place far smaller and older than most restaurants on my list: The Historic Sausage Kitchen of Regensburg. Long before you see the little stone cottage by the Danube, you can smell the aroma of grilling sausages drifting through the air—an irresistible invitation that explains why there’s always a line of people waiting outside. And it’s worth every minute of that wait. To this day, it remains the best sausage I’ve ever tasted. The combination of perfectly grilled meat, tangy sauerkraut, and fresh, warm bread is simple, almost humble, yet absolutely extraordinary. There’s something magical about enjoying such a timeless dish in a place that feels rooted in history—it’s as if the flavours themselves carry the stories of centuries.

 

4- Restaurant Jérôme Ferrer — Europea, Montréal, CANADA

 

For fine dining, nothing has ever impressed me quite like Restaurant Jérôme Ferrer — Europea in Montréal. It’s the kind of place where a meal becomes an event, each course arriving like a small work of art designed to surprise, delight, and linger in your memory long after the evening ends. Yes, it’s undeniably expensive—but every moment feels like a masterclass in culinary creativity. What truly elevated the experience for me was the spectacular wine pairing: each glass seemed to amplify the flavours on the plate, creating a harmony so precise and so unexpected that I found myself slowing down just to savour it fully. Dining at Europea isn’t something you do casually; it’s something you treat yourself to. And when you do, you walk away with the unmistakable sense that you’ve tasted excellence.

 

5-Tasca da Quinta, Peso de Régua, PORTUGAL.

 

The best dinner we had in all of Portugal—full stop. This warm, cozy little restaurant feels like a hidden gem. We shared an incredible pork shank and a salad whose name I can’t remember, but whose flavours I’ll never forget; everything on the table tasted vibrant, soulful, and unmistakably rooted in the Douro region. To make the evening even more special, we enjoyed a bottle from a local producer, Quinta de Tourais, who happened to be dining there the same night. It’s the kind of place you immediately want to return to, and I certainly will. Just one practical tip: bring cash, as they don’t take cards—though there’s an ATM nearby if you forget. Highly recommended in every way.

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Releasing January 28, 2026

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G3H9ZXB1

When their four-year-old son Gabriel’s leukaemia relapses, Richard and his wife are thrust back into the nightmare they thought they had escaped. Every heartbeat feels like a countdown as they beg for a miracle to keep their child alive.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in time, Bill — a young university student reeling from heartbreak — suddenly glimpses a future that shouldn’t be his to see. Horrified by the suffering that seems to await, he vows to defy it at all costs.

As both men confront what they most fear, their stories converge into a haunting clash of destiny, courage, and life-altering choices. Will the actions they take be enough to rewrite fate, or are some destinies impossible to escape?

 

Bestselling author Richard Plourde is a retired Atlantic Canadian optometrist with a genuine passion for writing captivating stories.  His two novels, originally published in French, were both critically acclaimed and were finalists for the coveted France-Acadie literary prize. Richard also published a children’s novel that was selected as a one of the top children’s book of the year by the consumer guide “Protégez-vous”. His books have been translated and published in English. Richard is currently working on his fourth novel and is also writing the screenplay for his first book.

Blog Tour: First Descent

 

When the truth surfaces in winter, it rarely comes quietly. It cracks open, sharp and sudden—pulling everything else into its wake.

In First Descent by Mike Pace, winter feels less like a backdrop and more like a living force, threading through two different worlds that seem to inch closer with every revelation. The unfolding mystery carries hints of ancient magic and modern ambition, creating a sense that the cold itself remembers what others have tried to forget.

Amazon | Goodreads

Nick Landowski has long avoided the story of his father’s disappearance—a failed Arctic expedition fueled by belief in a mythical cave of red diamonds. But when a freak mining accident splits open the strange geode his father left behind and reveals a concealed key, Nick is drawn into a pursuit marked by rising danger. His search stretches across a modern landscape where powerful factions are desperate to control the legendary Coca-Cola formula and an ancient world where winter’s oldest magic bends time and reshapes reality. As Nick follows clues hidden in both timelines, he uncovers the real reason his father vanished and the link between a global corporate secret and a force far older than Christmas itself. Enemies from both worlds want the key for their own ends—and the closer Nick gets to the truth, the more he realizes that the season’s survival may depend on what he chooses to unlock.

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Excerpt

Seventy minutes later, his lungs about to burst, Virgil clawed his way to the top of a rocky ridge and found himself standing on the edge of a clearing. The impossible sun had long since disappeared. No moon or stars; the sky hovered tight overhead like a suffocating black blanket. He glanced again at his watch. Deadline approaching fast. He needed to reach the center of the clearing quickly.   

Expecting the level terrain to ease his journey, he set out. Almost immediately he sank thigh-deep into the powdery snow and struggled to move. Before departing from Nevada he’d considered bringing snowshoes, but his boots had been too bulky to fit into the bindings. Again, the trade-off had been warmth over nimbleness, and he’d chosen warmth. In retrospect, given that his lack of cleats had almost cost him his life and now without snowshoes the whole purpose of his mission could dissolve because he would be delayed crossing the clearing, a big mistake.

He’d had some experience traveling across rugged terrain in Siberia for the company, but that had been a well-provisioned expedition. Here, he’d had to depart quickly with no time for planning or training in order to reach his destination on the precise date and at the exact time. And, according to the rules, he had to complete his journey alone. Rules? Set by whom? The guide who’d somehow convinced me he was much more than a guide? Too late for second thoughts. Too late to turn back. Either the guide’s fantastic story was true, or in a matter of minutes Professor Virgil Landowski, who was supposed to be one of the smartest geologists in the world, was going to die a complete fool.

He felt the snow harden. If he didn’t move he’d be locked inside an icy tomb. So close now, he couldn’t give up. Drawing on a last reserve of energy he didn’t know he possessed, he bent over and plowed ahead, wading through what now felt like thigh-high wet cement. 

Finally, he stumbled to the center of the plain and stopped, gasping, his lungs screaming for oxygen. 23:59—I made it with a minute to spare! He slowly turned full circle.

Nothing. 

The GPS coordinates were spot on. The timing was perfect . . .

Where is it?

Like a blindfold had been removed, his stupidity, his foolishness, his bull-headed pride were revealed to him. All that time, all that energy, wasted. His crowning achievement, the gift he’d wanted desperately for his son—for the world—was all a cruel hoax. The weight of disappointment crushed his body. His shoulders sagged. He staggered and swayed like a drunk trying to remain upright, fighting the wind’s attempt to tumble him into a white grave. 

How could I have believed him? I was such a—

The wind stopped. 

Completely. 

Like someone had flicked a switch. 

He gazed up to see stars now sparkling through the black like millions of pinpricks. The Aurora Borealis appeared and draped the entire sky with a curtain of brilliant cherry-red light.

A deep noise. The wind? No, something different. A moment later the sound increased to a guttural rumble. The ground vibrated, then trembled. Then shook violently. The rumble increased to a deep roar. 

At the far end of the clearing the earth cracked open, and the jagged gouge rushed toward him through the deep snow as if some unseen hand pulled open an invisible crooked zipper. He turned to run, but more cracks in the field targeted him from all directions.

He attempted to zig-zag through the thick snow with little success, hoping to dodge the fissures, and bounced hard against huge chunks of ice ten feet high now suddenly shooting up from the surface all around him. The rising slabs moved, encircling him, closing in like converging soldiers. He tried to break through the tightening circle, but the slabs ricocheted his body back and forth like a pinball. Tighter and tighter. Herding him to a single spot. 

He fought to keep his balance, but the violent shaking knocked him to his knees.  

Before he could climb to his feet a giant crevasse split open beneath him, widening like 

hungry jaws. He dropped instantly—

“AAHHHH!”

Then, silence. 

The earth had swallowed him whole.

The shaking stopped. The red glow faded. The storm returned. The wind swept away his footprints.

It was as if Virgil Landowski had never been there. 

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Thriller author Mike Pace has spent his entire life weaving stories across an extraordinary range of experiences. One of his earliest creative memories is helping write his fourth-grade Christmas play in Pittsburgh, a spark that carried him to the University of Illinois on an art scholarship, where he earned a BFA. He later taught elementary school in Washington, D.C.’s inner city, filling his classroom with imagination games and daily storytelling as “Mr. Paste.” While teaching by day, he attended Georgetown Law at night and went on to serve on the editorial board of the Georgetown Law Journal, clerk for a federal judge, and prosecute major felony cases—including murder—as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. After serving as general counsel for a national environmental services company, Mike shifted his focus to his first love: creative writing. He has written for stage and screen, earning praise from The Washington Post, and is an active member of the International Thriller Writers and the Maryland Writers Association. Outside of writing, he enjoys painting, skiing, golf, the Baltimore Ravens, and learning new skills such as the soprano saxophone. Learn more at his website.