January 2019 Wrap Up

Happy New Year Readers!

Sorry to have been so MIA lately, honestly I'd love to say that I was holed up somewhere reading all the books, planning out reviews and read-a-longs, but I wasn't. I was dealing with grief, depression, holiday feels realness, and emotional stagnation. Thankfully, I'm coming out of that.

January has been a very bookish month for me. I've gotten through 12 reads, only one wasn't the best, and I'm 23% through my Goodreads challenge. Yes, this year I've only challenged myself to read 52 books, just one a week for 2019. Something I've noticed while reading my way through grief is that I will read a LOT, and listen to a LOT of audiobooks and podcasts as a way to avoid my emotions. For the past few years I've set myself up for these reading challenges, to successfully complete them, and while I have finished everything I wasn't fully enjoying the stories. I was reading to fill in the time that freed up in my life because taking care of my dying parents was no longer on my plate. I was reading to fill the hole in my chest that grief created. Yes I loved some of the books I read last year, I still can't shut up about Sadie, but I put all of this immense pressure on myself to be the book girl that I lost the fire that made me a reader in the first place. So 2019 is the year of the story for me. I'm reading books, I will always be reading books, but I'm reading them solely for the stories they contain. I'm not trying to fill bingo cards, check off challenges, or hit triple digits like I have in years past. This year, I'm just reading for the sole enjoyment of reading.

So, without further ado.....

Here are the first 12 books of 2019!

1. Essentialism by Greg McKeown 
2. Empress of the East by Leslie Peirce
3. Nixonland by Rick Perlstein 
4. Impeachment by Jeffrey Engel, Jon Meacham, Timothy Naftali, and Peter Baker
5. Playing With Fire by Lawrence O'Donnell 
6. An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen 
7. Verity by Colleen Hoover
8. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass
9. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Mass
10. Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
11. White Lies by Lucy Dawson
12. Two Can Keep a Secret  by Karen McManus

What I'm currently reading:
Queen of Shadow by Sarah J. Maas
The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker
Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Stay tuned for my RBG special, my hot take on Bad Blood, and much more this year.

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

"And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl." Sadie: A Review

Hey Readers, 

I am so ridiculously excited that it is FINALLY September! We're talking pumpkin spice lattes, we're talking cooler weather, and today we're talking Sadie by Courtney Summers. 


Let's go back in time for a beat yes? Yes. Back in May I was lucky to have gotten a copy of Sadie as an ARC. I had read the description and it sounded fun, and very much up my alley. I'd read Are You Sleeping by Kathleen Barber for the earlier this year and the mash up of podcast with novel was something I'd clearly been finding enjoyable. Y'all. I read this book in just about seven hours over the course of the weekend, with most of those hours being in one day. I couldn't stop. I tried to, I had things to take care of but damn it all this book demanded my attention. 

Sadie is the story of Sadie, West, and an entire small town. 

"Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water. 

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late."

As I said this is a story told as a mash up of podcast and novel, but I found that I could hear the subtle differences in each characters voice during the podcast sections. I felt my heart racing when the story followed Sadie. I cried when Sadie talked about Mattie. With every page, with every turn of this story my emotions were racing, my attention could be grabbed by nothing else, and I'm pretty sure there were times where I flat out wasn't breathing. To say that this is one of my favorite novels of 2018 is an understatement. While I love reading, not every book so completely grabs me. 

I did find the ending to be frustrating, but I think that was the point. In the era of #MeToo, with girls going missing, being found dead, being found worse than that, the ending was frustrating. I won't spoil it; a rarity for me, but the emotional caliber of the story would get ruined if I spoiled. This book has stuck with me for months now, and I'm sure it will continue to be in my mind. I've wanted to loan my ARC to a few people, but I spoke about it so fiercely that one of them pre-ordered it mid conversation. Even now I'm teary, I'm frustrated, I got so angry reading parts of this novel. West got on my damn nerves and I sympathized wholeheartedly with May Beth; and I maybe went a little crazy on Instagram begging Courtney Summers and Wednesday Books to actually make a podcast out of this. Actually, then ended up doing just that. A whole dramatized podcast that started a few weeks ago. The Girls: Find Sadie can be listened too through whatever platform you find your podcasts on, I personally use Podcast Addict. (Not saying that I made it happen, but I love that it did happen.) 

I cannot fully explain or express why I loved this book so much. Maybe because I recognized my own anger inside Sadie? Because I've wanted my own justice for so long that following a fictional journey was somehow cathartic? Courtney Summers wrote an evocative novel, a beautiful, sad, angry, breathtaking novel. I cannot thank her enough for that. 

Sadie comes out September 4, 2018, available where you buy books, and needs to be on your Goodreads TBR as soon as possible. Preferably now. 

"You owe it to yourself to dig a little deeper. Don’t decide what you don’t have before you know what you do."

Until next time, 

XoXo

BrainyHeroine

The Girl From Our Moon, or, The Author From Instagram!!!

Hello Readers, 

Sorry it's been a bit. I've been busy reading, working, and dealing with grief. (Sorry to be blunt, but it's all I've got.) 

On the fun side of things, I'm planning a whole slew of updated posts with some of my favorite ARCs that I've been sent this year; some have been released, some are up and coming, all are wonderful. 

One of the first titles I'd like to introduce to you is The Girl From Our Moon by Miss Rebecca A. Bishop. Miss Bishop is an author I met on Instagram who was offering to let followers read her title for free in exchange for reviews. Clearly I hopped on board, and while I promise not to give anything away, I will say that this book is different in a way that I am not usually a fan of. 

Her writing style is similar to Helen Oyeyemi, meaning that it is lyrical, and would make for a killer audiobook. While I love Ms. Oyeyemi's work reading it often gives me a migraine; she is simply an author I have to listen too or miss out on. I was enchanted by Miss Bishop's work, and further excited that the lyrical prose was easily consumable and highly original. 

The Girl From Our Moon is the first book in a trilogy, with book two Oscillation coming out in September of this year. (Hint. Hint. HINT!! Now is the PERFECT time to request this gem from Miss Bishop!) 

Books are available for next 3 months free of charge from @thegirlfromourmoon

on Instagram in English.

Synopsis - 

The universe’s 1st law “ask and it is given” is supposed to keep a fair balance between good and evil on Planet Earth. But neighbouring planets Venus and Mars are at battle for dominance, and over the generations demons from Mars have corrupted Earth.

Earth’s guardian angels live on Venus and they frequently visit to help humans in need, but only if humans first imagine or pray for the help.  Venus’ Angels are in harmony, and its nature is colourful and idealistic. But one comical presence that is gossiped throughout the galaxy, is stirring the pot. Angel Luna a rebel, isn’t shy of breaking the laws, to put Earth’s species first.

Her life is a performance of exciting swagger, only she can make trees blush, demons cower in fear and play with an Arch Angels temperament. But every action has a consequence. She has an unusual teenage rite of passage to share with you, warning you will cringe and you will gasp, you couldn’t expect an alien exhibitionist to live like a human without being recognised. This is a treasury tale of science and the spiritual walking hand in hand, to evolve Earth.

Luna’s charming college professor, a vegan environmentalist wants London to evolve in an eco-friendly direction. Luna who has a duty of compassion for Earth harmonises with his ideas, and Starling finds himself madly falling in taboo love with his student.

Her scientific secret could make Starling’s dreams come true, and help Earth survive against global warming. But first, can Luna convince him she is really an Angel? Or will he hand her over to evil government men and let the doctor label her insane?

Now, as compelling as I found The Girl From Our Moon I did have a few issues. 

1. This story doesn't feel finished. Granted, it is book one in a trilogy but it still feels as if there will be world building in the books to come which I am not a huge fan of. However that does increase my desire to continue reading the series. I'm left with questions that I want answers too, I'm left on an edge that is prompting that need for MORE. Which is nice. 

2. The prose is lyrical and the concept is unique, which makes this novel feel extremely ambitious and I am crossing my fingers SO HARD that Miss Bishop doesn't lose steam. 

3. Miss Bishop is currently in the process of shopping the novels around. Which is amazing, but also a lot of work. So I'm hoping that this series doesn't get lost among publishing houses and left to the way side for a significant amount of time. Personally, I am a voracious reader and I tend to get impatient with authors who take to long to put out novels. *cough* *cough* Patrick Rothfuss *cough* *cough*

When all is said and done, Miss Bishop truly delivers something passionate and new. I cannot thank her enough for the opportunity to read her work. 

To learn more about Miss Bishop and her novels check her out on Instagram HERE or check out her site HERE. 

Until next time, 

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

The Museum of Mysteries: Blog Tour, Excerpt, and Review!!

 

Cassiopeia Vitt takes center stage in this exciting novella from New York Times bestsellers M.J. Rose and Steve Berry. THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES is now available! Check out the tour below, and pick up your copy of THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES today!

 

THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES Synopsis:

In the French mountain village of Eze, Cassiopeia visits an old friend who owns and operates the fabled Museum of Mysteries, a secretive place of the odd and arcane. When a robbery occurs at the museum, Cassiopeia gives chase to the thief and is plunged into a firestorm.

Through a mix of modern day intrigue and ancient alchemy, Cassiopeia is propelled back and forth through time, the inexplicable journeys leading her into a hotly contested French presidential election. Both candidates harbor secrets they would prefer to keep quiet, but an ancient potion could make that impossible. With intrigue that begins in southern France and ends in a chase across the streets of Paris, this magical, fast-paced, hold-your-breath thriller is all you’ve come to expect from M.J. Rose and Steve Berry.

 

Grab your copy of THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES here!

Amazon | iBooks | B&N | GooglePlay | Kobo

       

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

EXCERPT: 

My visit today had a dual purpose since Nicodème had told me that he’d acquired some exquisite 15th century tiles that he thought might be perfect for one of the buildings. He’d helped me many times over the years with the castle. I appreciated his interest as his suggestions were always on target.

“What is this?” I had asked, pointing to the wooden box on the counter before Hildick-Smith arrived. “It looks like something my father would have loved.”

“He would have. The box itself is medieval, probably 13th century. But what’s inside dates back much further. It’s filled with ancient potions used by healers.”

“Witches,” I’d whispered.

The wise women had always interested me—maligned by men who didn’t understand their talents, sexuality, or intelligence. Not witches. Merely observant experts in the healing arts, which had far more to do with chemistry than magic. I’d borrowed a few books from Nicodème’s shelves over the years about the dark arts and its various practitioners. What was the most common charge form the time? As a ghost, they appeared and disappeared.

Just like Hildick-Smith.

What was happening here? That wooden box? Elixers?

“This could be a most important item,” Nicodème had said to Hildick-Smith, touching the lid of the intriguing box.

“I heard you acquired it a few years ago. So I came to see if you would sell it to me.”

“I’m afraid not.”

“I’ll double what you paid for it.”

“It is not for sale.”

A moment later Peter Hildick-Smith drew a gun, took the box, and fled the shop.

Now he was gone.

     

Steve Berry & MJ Rose’s THE MUSEUM OF MYSTERIES – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

July 18^th

Book Junkie Reviews – Excerpt

Literature Goals – Review & Excerpt

July 19^th

Clarissa Reads It All – Review & Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt

July 20^th

Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

July 21^st

Ginreads – Review & Excerpt

Simply Crystal – Review & Excerpt

July 22^nd

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Wild and Wonderful Reads – Review & Excerpt

July 23^rd

Puja Mohan – Review

We do what we want Book reviews and more – Review & Excerpt

July 24^th

A Book Nerd, a Bookseller and a Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt

Rachel Loren’s Love of Reading – Review & Excerpt

July 25^th

Book Lovers Hangout – Review & Excerpt

CJR the Brit – Review

KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt

July 26^th

Forward Writes – Review

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

July 27^th

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Shelf_Life – Review

    About Steve Berry: STEVE BERRY is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of fourteen Cotton Malone novels and four stand-alones. He has 23 million books in print, translated into 40 languages. With his wife, Elizabeth, he is the founder of History Matters, which is dedicated to historical preservation. He serves on the Smithsonian Libraries Advisory Board and was a founding member of International Thriller Writers, formerly serving as its co-president.  

Website | Facebook

About M. J. Rose New York Times bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it. Please visit her blog, Museum of Mysteries at http://www.mjrose.com/blog/ Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Wall Street Journal, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com Rose lives in Connecticut with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield.

Website | Facebook

MY REVIEW!!! 

I have loved these two authors separately for years now; so getting to read a joint work of theirs was an amazing experience! This novella takes you right into the middle of the story from the first lines, and Cassiopeia is a heroine that any modern girl can relate too. I so desperately want this landscape and Museum to be real, and I so desperately want to lose myself among its exhibits. I was swept away by the writing, and this is an easy one day read that doesn't need much background given. Additionally, I would like to thank the authors for their dedication to this history; the research, the meticulous and careful writing, the originality of the story, and most importantly, for the Kings. 

I'll Be Yours and You Will Be Mine...Release Time!!

Happy Friday Readers!

As many of you may know You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston has come out into the literary world and I want to scream about it from the rooftops.

YOU WILL BE MINE 

Author: Natasha Preston

Release Date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

 ABOUT THE BOOK 

Love turns deadly in a new, heart-pounding thriller from Natasha Preston, author of the runaway bestsellers The Cellar and The Cabin.

ROSES ARE RED,

VIOLETS ARE BLUE,  

WATCH YOUR BACK,

I’M COMING FOR YOU...

 Lylah and her friends can’t wait to spend a night out together. Partying is the perfect way to let loose from the stress of life and school, and Lylah hopes that hitting the dance floor with Chase, her best friend, will bring them closer together. She’s been crushing on him since they met. If only he thought of her the same way…

The girls are touching up their makeup and the guys are sliding on their coats when the doorbell rings. No one is there. An envelope sits on the doormat. It’s an anonymous note addressed to their friend Sonny. A secret admirer? Maybe. They all laugh it off.

Except Sonny never comes home. And a new note arrives:


YOUR TURN
Goodreads - http://bit.ly/2DUXcNm
Amazon - http://amzn.to/2DVlEhv
iBooks - https://apple.co/2DVSCyy
B&N - http://bit.ly/2DY0Ztd
Kobo - http://bit.ly/2DX1sMz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

UK native Natasha Preston grew up in small villages and towns. She discovered her love of writing when she stumbled across an amateur writing site and uploaded her first story and hasn’t looked back since. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, gritty Young Adult thrillers and, of course, the occasional serial killer.

Website - http://www.natashapreston.com/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/natashavpreston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/authornatashapreston/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/natashapreston5/
Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/user/natashapreston/

EXCERPT 

I breathe in deep through my nose and out through my mouth—an exercise my therapist taught me when I started to feel like I was going to fall apart. I can slowly feel myself start to relax when the doorbell rings.

Sighing, I get up. My housemates must’ve forgotten their keys or be carrying too many bags to unlock the door.

I glance through the window, but no one is there.

Another doorbell ditch? 

My blood runs cold as I open the door.

An envelope is sitting on our mat. The world turns mute as the blood rushes to my ears. Bending down, I scoop up the envelope. It’s addressed to Isaac. And it looks like exactly the one that came for Sonny.

No…

I turn it over and pull out the note. My hands are shaking as I read:

YOUR TURN

“Isaac!” rips from my throat.

“What?” he calls from his room down the hall. My voice is trapped in my throat as I look up and down the street. There are still a few folks leaving flowers, looking at the makeshift memorial in front of our house. Did one of them do this? Did one of them see who left the note? I feel so exposed. Vulnerable.

I draw back inside and shut the door, trembling.

Isaac’s footsteps thud from his bedroom into the foyer. “Lylah, what?” His face falls and his eyes widen as he sees what’s in my hand. “Is that another note?”

Nodding, I hand it to him.

“Jesus,” he whispers. “Who was it addressed to?”

I look up at him, my vision blurring with tears. “You.”

 

We are so excited to be sharing the release of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Natasha Preston's YOU WILL BE MINE. Young Adult and thriller fans won't want to miss this one--be sure to grab your copy today!

 

About YOU WILL BE MINE

Love turns deadly in a new, heart-pounding thriller from Natasha Preston, author of the runaway bestsellers The Cellar and The Cabin. ROSES ARE RED  VIOLETS ARE BLUE  WATCH YOUR BACK  I’M COMING FOR YOU Lylah and her friends can’t wait to spend a night out together. Partying is the perfect way to let loose from the stress of life and school, and Lylah hopes that hitting the dance floor with Chase, her best friend, will bring them closer together. She’s been crushing on him since they met. If only he thought of her the same way… The girls are touching up their makeup and the guys are sliding on their coats when the doorbell rings. No one is there. An envelope sits on the doormat. It’s an anonymous note addressed to their friend Sonny. A secret admirer? Maybe. They all laugh it off. Except Sonny never comes home. And a new note arrives: YOUR TURN

Add YOU WILL BE MINE to your Goodreads shelf here!

 

Get your copy of YOU WILL BE MINE today!

Amazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo

 

Read an excerpt from YOU WILL BE MINE now!

I breathe in deep through my nose and out through my mouth—an exercise my therapist taught me when I started to feel like I was going to fall apart. I can slowly feel myself start to relax when the doorbell rings. Sighing, I get up. My housemates must’ve forgotten their keys or be carrying too many bags to unlock the door. I glance through the window, but no one is there. Another doorbell ditch? My blood runs cold as I open the door. An envelope is sitting on our mat. The world turns mute as the blood rushes to my ears. Bending down, I scoop up the envelope. It’s addressed to Isaac. And it looks like exactly the one that came for Sonny. No…  I turn it over and pull out the note. My hands are shaking as I read: YOUR TURN “Isaac!” rips from my throat. “What?” he calls from his room down the hall. My voice is trapped in my throat as I look up and down the street. There are still a few folks leaving flowers, looking at the makeshift memorial in front of our house. Did one of them do this? Did one of them see who left the note? I feel so exposed. Vulnerable. I draw back inside and shut the door, trembling. Isaac’s footsteps thud from his bedroom into the foyer. “Lylah, what?” His face falls and his eyes widen as he sees what’s in my hand. “Is that another note?” Nodding, I hand it to him. “Jesus,” he whispers. “Who was it addressed to?” I look up at him, my vision blurring with tears. “You.”

 

About NATASHA PRESTON

UK native Natasha Preston grew up in small villages and towns. She discovered her love of writing when she stumbled across an amateur writing site and uploaded her first story and hasn't looked back since. She enjoys writing contemporary romance, gritty Young Adult thrillers and, of course, the occasional serial killer. Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Wattpad

This Poison Won't Kill You...Yet

Hey There Readers! 

On a completely different level, ready to read something that makes you question everything? Then I'd highly recommend Poison by Galt Niederhoffer. Now we all know that I am one for a well researched psycho-thriller, I mean it may be a medical condition at this point, so when I was given an ARC of this through Net Galley I was more excited than could be considered normal. 

x

Poison is a literary psychological thriller about Cass and Ryan Connor, their marriage, and a (not so) minor betrayal that leads into a cluster of catastrophic proportions, some manipulation, and more twists than Chubby Checker ever prepared you for. 

"Cass and Ryan Connor have achieved family nirvana. With three kids between them, a cat and a yard, a home they built and feathered, they seem to have the Modern Family dream. Their family, including Cass' two children from previous relationships, has recently moved to Portland --- a new start for their new lives. Cass and Ryan have stable, successful careers, and they are happy. But trouble begins almost imperceptibly. First with small omissions and white lies that happen daily in any marital bedroom. They seem insignificant, but they are quickly followed by a series of denials and feints that mushroom and then cyclone in menace." 

While it has been marketed as a mystery you get some serious psycho-thriller, did I read that right, vibes. Every page turned brings you both closer to the truth and further from it. Additionally, the attention to detail and accuracy that the author put into the research may make it hard to read for some. Not going to lie there were a few times I tried to skim over the scientific summaries used, that I then had to go back and read because if you don't read them you'll be lost. Actually, if you skip over anything in this novel you'll be lost. This is definitely one you need to read, word for word, and possibly in one sitting.  I felt the characters were thought out, but needed some smoother execution, a few instances are hard to believe if you apply normal logic to them. And based on the ending, I need a second book. 

Happy Reading!

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

A Book of Extraordinary Reading

Good Morning Readers,

Sorry to be so absent lately, life gets a little to real sometimes. However, I'd like to take some time today and introduce you to Ruth Emmie Lang, a woman I first met on Litsy, and the author of Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance. This is a debut novel so extraordinary that Book of the Month even made it one of their October picks, and an exclusive one at that since Lang's title was released in November. I got a copy of it through Net Galley, so I've been sitting on this gem for a while, and it is certainly a book to read when life gets a little to real.

Lang's novel is the sort of fairy tale esque novel that brings back those moments of childlike wonder. Reading it is both foreign and familiar, and somewhat spectacular. As a reader I loved how easy it was to consume; characters are well thought out and complete, the story line is tended too and blossoms brightly, and at the end of it you somehow feel as though you're a little more hopeful. By far this is one of the weirdest books I've read, but also one of the most beautiful. One aspect to the story that I found refreshing was that Weylyn isn't a character you meet through his own eyes. You meet him through everyone else, somewhat like the Little Prince, most of those you meet along the way are for brief moments, yet they leave lasting impressions. On a more personal level I found this book to be a beautiful reprieve from my real life. The magical and lyrical nature to the story made it one that stuck with me; and one that I will carry with me for quite some time. Ruth Emmie Lang has truly crafted a work of art, and it begs the question will you allow yourself to believe in both magic and possibilities?

Also, check out this book trailer! Book trailers are one of my favorite ways to get into a novel and see the world it's written in come to life.

About the Author
Ruth Emmie Lang was born in Glasgow, Scotland and has the red hair to prove it. When she was four years old, she immigrated to Ohio where she has lived for the last 27 years. She has since lost her Scottish accent, but still has the hair. Ruth currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and dreams of someday owning a little house in the woods where she can write more books. Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance is her first novel.

You can learn more about Ruth and her work right here!

I'd also encourage all of you to order Ruth's book through whichever platform you like! It's available on Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Nook, Indiebound, iBooks, and Kobo.

For audiobook lovers you can also get it on Audible!



Happy Reading!!

XoXo
BrainyHeroine

(Here's an excerpt to really get you interested!)

roa r k e

“A betting man can lose a dollar. It’s the man he bets on that can lose an eye.” My mother would say this with a confidence that sug­ gested there were no other possible outcomes, that there were thou­ sands of one­eyed boys out there apologizing to their mothers for not taking their advice.

I, remarkably, still had both my eyes despite my impulse to hurl myself off things that were often a generous distance from the ground. Some of my other hobbies included running with sharp objects, lighting fires, and lighting sharp objects on fire and launching them into the sky with my slingshot. So, naturally, when it was my turn in Truth or Dare, my friends never had to ask.

“Dare!” I hollered and head­butted a tree.

The other kids laughed. That was my favorite part.

“I dare you to . . .” Mike looked around the forest for something I hadn’t yet climbed, eaten, or peed on. One time, he puked after I made him eat a worm, so I ate ten worms and a beetle just to make him look like a baby in front of pretty Ruby S.

“This’d better be good,” Ruby said as she perched herself on a tree stump like it was box seats at the opera, pointing her candy heart nose at the ceiling as she admired the crown molding.

Mike thought for a moment longer, then flashed me a wily grin. “Did you hear about the thing that ate Gretchen’s dog?”

“Again?” I scoffed. Mike’s cousin Gretchen was always making up stories. Her most recent string of lies featuring beloved family pets meeting strange and untimely demises. She was pretty weird.

“This one’s real!” Mike insisted. “Charlie got off his leash and started sniffing around this old cabin by the creek. She tried to call him back, but he wouldn’t come. Then like a minute later, she saw this half­man, half­spider thing looking back at her through the win­ dow, and she bolted.”

Ruby gasped and leaned forward on her stump. “She just left Charlie there?”

Mike nodded and continued, “She showed me the place. It’s creepy. Covered in cobwebs and stuff. I wanted to look inside, but Gretchen started crying ’cause she didn’t want me leaving her there by herself. She’s scared of spiders.”

“I think you’re the one who’s afraid of spiders,” I said, wiggling my fingers like they were eight hairy legs.

Mike didn’t take the bait. He leveled his gaze on me and said, “I dare you to touch it.”

“What? The cabin?”

Mike nodded, searching my face for signs of fear. “What d’ya say?

Truth or—” “Dare.”

“That’s it.” Mike pointed to a ramshackle cabin made of splintered, gray wood. The windows were dark and shrouded by cobwebs. It ap­ peared no one was home.

This was going to be easy. “So, I just have to walk up and touch it?” I asked.

Mike hesitated, clearly thrown off by how unfazed I was. “Yeah . . . but you have to keep your hand on it for at least twenty seconds.”

I almost laughed. This was weak, even for Mike.

“Guys, look,” Ruby said, pointing to a small flock of sparrows that had settled on the roof of the cabin.

“What is it?” I asked, failing to see what was so interesting about a bunch of birds.

“Just watch,” she said.

One by one, the birds beat their wings, but none of them lifted off. It was as if something was anchoring them by their tiny wishbone feet. They furiously flapped and chirped for help as their heads jump­cut from one angle to the next, searching the sky for hawks or eagles.

“Poor birds!” Ruby cared enough to exclaim, but not enough to do something about it. She turned to me. “You have to save them.”

“Yeah, Roarke. Save them.” Mike nudged me forward.

For the first time in my life, I hesitated. I didn’t hesitate when I drove my uncle’s truck when he left it running in the driveway, or when I caught that snake and wore it like a necktie. But something about this was different. My heart fluttered; my pulse raced. I was . . .

“What’s wrong? Scared Old Man Spider’s gonna eat you?” “No!” I sounded more defensive than I’d have liked. I could see

the other kids doubting me, Ruby doubting me.

I head­butted the nearest tree, took one last look at Ruby’s candy heart nose, and ran to my almost certain doom.

I slowed to a stop within spitting distance of the cabin—twenty­ three feet, my personal best. I made sure the coast was clear before I pulled myself onto the branch of a sagging elm and shimmied over to the eaves of Old Man Spider’s roof. Then I realized what was keep­ ing the birds from leaving. Most of the cottage’s roof was missing, and in its place was what looked like a tarp made of spider’s silk. I carefully placed my weight on one of the several rotten two­by­fours that remained of the original roof and went to work freeing the birds with my Swiss Army knife, cutting the threads that bound their tiny feet while being careful not to step on the sticky stuff myself.

I could see Ruby from where I was, so I decided to make a show

of it. I leaped from board to board, bird to bird, cutting them loose and throwing my arms in the air as if I had performed some kind of magic trick. Ruby’s lips were moving, probably saying something like, “Oh! Did you see that? Roarke is so brave.” When all the birds were free, I took a bow and wondered if I’d get a kiss later. Then came time for my final trick: the Disappearing Act. Like a trapdoor, the board beneath my feet gave way, and I fell.

I braced myself for the landing I had nailed a hundred times be­ fore from the tops of trees, roofs, and bridges, but it never came. I found myself cradled in a hammock of spider silk not three feet from the ground. I had fallen into Old Man Spider’s trap.

I struggled to break free but only succeeded in making myself more tangled. Where was my knife? Not in my pocket. I eventually spotted it suspended several feet above me from a single thread of silk. I could see the webbing had caught the blade, not the handle, so all I could do was wait as gravity cut through the thread and hope it didn’t land on any part of me that contained a vital organ.

As my eyes adjusted to the dark, my surroundings revealed themselves. The room itself was spartan—the only pieces of furniture were a kitchen table and a sofa bed with springs sticking out of the mattress. It was what was above eye level that was cluttered. Spoons, toothbrushes, socks, tweezers, tennis rackets, and other household miscellany hung suspended in long, sticky tendrils that dangled from large sheets of cobweb on the ceiling. It was as if all those items had gotten stuck at some point and whoever lived here just hadn’t both­ ered to cut them down.

I heard a shuffling noise behind me. My heart raced as I imag­ ined a giant half­man, half­spider pinning me down with its hairy arms as it prepared to devour me headfirst. Luckily, the thing that found me was no mutant human­spider hybrid, but entirely man: two legs, two arms, two eyes, hair mostly concentrated on his scalp. He also had two pant legs and two sleeves—both of which were soiled and frayed—and a long, salt­and­pepper beard that he most likely used as a napkin from the amount of food particles that were nestled

in it. I guess he wasn’t so much old as he was dirty, although I could see how it might be hard to tell from a distance.

“What’s this?” His look of surprise suggested he had never seen a child before.

“Get away from me!” I shouted and struggled against the web­ bing that bound me.

“You’ll pardon my asking, but this is my house. Why do you ask that I remove myself from it when you are the one dropping in unannounced?”

“I’m not scared of you!”

The man once again looked surprised. “And why should you be?” “Because! You . . . you’re a villain!”

“A villain?”

“You trap animals in your web and eat them!” I said bluntly.

“I think you have me confused with someone else. Have you tried Myra Oswald on South Street? She’s an odd one.”

“What about . . . kids?”

“Of course not! Eating children is a ghastly business.”

My muscles relaxed a little. “Then why do you live in this creepy place?”

“Because I needed a place to stay and it was available. The roof needed some patching­up, so my eight­legged friends offered to fix it for me. Would you like something to eat? Cheese? Watermelon?”

I liked both cheese and watermelon, and Old Man Spider didn’t seem so bad, but I wanted out of that web. “No, thanks. Could you help cut me out? My knife got stuck.”

He gazed up at the hole in his ceiling. “What were you doing up there, anyway?”

I told him about the birds, the bet, and Mike.

“I tell them not to land on the roof, but they keep doing it. You could say they’re a little flighty.” He paused like actors do in sitcoms after they’ve told a joke, only I had no idea what the joke was. “Never mind,” he added flatly.

“Can you get me outta here or not?”

“Of course, of course!” Old Man Spider went to work untangling my mess. “This might take a while. As you can see, when things get caught, I usually just leave them where they are.”

I glanced at a cheese grater hanging not ten inches from my face and wondered if he just stood in the middle of the living room to grate his cheese.

“What is your name, young man?” “Roarke.”

“Roarke, Roarke . . .” The man ran off and rummaged through a kitchen drawer. He pulled out a leather­bound book and flipped through it. “Rachel, Randy, Reginald, Ronald. No Roarke. You’re the first!” He excitedly scribbled something in the book. “I try not to repeat names. You don’t know how many Johns I’ve told to skedad­ dle! My goal is to know one person of every name. I haven’t met another Weylyn, yet. That’s my name—Weylyn Grey,” he said, shaking my hand. His name suited him. He had gray eyes that shone like fish scales in the light.

The web was starting to make my skin itch. “I really gotta go home.”

“Of course. My apologies.” Weylyn got back to work.

I hoped my mom had bought more chocolate  milk.  Maybe she’d let me have some after she made me try on that eye patch again and asked me how I’d like to have one of my own.

“So, what’s a smart boy like you doing climbing on people’s roofs? You could’ve hurt yourself.”

“I’ve done much crazier stuff than that.”

I told him some of my best stories: the one about the sewer and the train tracks and the neighbor’s dogs. Weylyn seemed un­ impressed.

“What? You got something better?” Weylyn smiled. “I was young once, too.”