{Sunday Post} — Creepers, Fear Street, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?

4/5/24 - Hello, bookworms! I have some exciting news to share. I have decided to revamp my 'Sunday Post' outings and created a brand-new banner, which you can see above. If you're wondering how I made it, I used an AI image creator instead of spending tireless hours creating it myself. I'd love to hear your feedback on the new banner, so please leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Song of the Week

What the Heck Am I Reading?

As some of you may know, I haven't been able to prioritize reading much this year. Therefore, I have been taking my sweet time reading ARCs. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that I'm still reading the same book I was last week: "The Making of the TV Series Star Trek." More specifically, I'm currently on page 150, and I am not in any rush to finish it. To put it bluntly, it's a dry read. Although it is interesting, it's a bit outdated and quite dry.

The Book That Returned from the Twilight Zone

On March 26, I was supposed to receive an ARC of Greatest Hits by Harlan Ellison through UPS overnight delivery. However, the book got lost in transit and went into limbo somewhere in New York, causing a delay of almost a week. Fortunately, the publisher had given me an eGalley copy the day before, which allowed me to read it and prepare my review post on March 28th. On April 1st, the ARC was finally scanned in California, and it eventually arrived at my doorstep on April 3rd.

Outlandish Finds

I went to an antique flea market and found two books in the Lord John series, Lord John and the Private Matter and Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. I purchased each book for $4.50. I had to get the Private Matter book since my old copy was missing the jacket cover, and I had previously bought it from a thrift store a couple of years ago. I have already donated the old copy and won't be left with a duplicate. Additionally, I bought The Outlandish Companion (Volume One) from the same store, and it cost me a little more at $8.

At another antique flea market, I found a 1940 hardback edition of The Last Trail by Zane Grey for just $5. Additionally, I purchased a hardcover copy of Tom Clancy's True Faith and Allegiance by Mark Greaney for only $2. Although not pictured, I also obtained a brand-new, unopened copy of Logan's Run on Blu-ray for just $2.

What Made Me Buy These?

"Why would I pay full price for a paperback when I recently bought the same title on Kindle for a cheaper price?" I thought to myself. However, as soon as I laid my eyes on One by One by Freida McFadden at Walmart, I couldn't resist the urge to buy it. I knew I already had the eBook version on my Kindle, but there's something about holding a physical book that can't be replaced digitally. Maybe it's the scent of fresh paper?

Earlier, I had seen Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Tale of the Gravemother was on a shelf at Walmart, but I stopped myself from looking at it. Then, that weird voice in my head convinced me I needed it, so I bought it. Although it was published last year, it took this long for the local Walmart to get it. It looks like a fun and creepy read.

I have a list of books on my phone, but I often forget to bring my phone along with me while shopping. This always leads to a problem because I can't recall which books I already own. For instance, I recently bought A Gambling Man by David Baldacci for ten cents at a thrift store, only to find out later that I already had a hardback copy. Similarly, I already had a copy of Michael Connelly's The Poet but bought another one just because it had an introduction by Stephen King. While browsing, I also found paperbacks of The Eyes of the Dragon and Dolores Claiborne, which I already owned but in different editions.

I need to create a list of Bourne books on my phone so I don't have to wonder whether I already have a specific title. Last week, while browsing at the thrift store, I came across The Bourne Imperative by Eric Van Lustbader, which I recognized from the title and cover. However, I wasn't sure if I already owned it, so I purchased the hardcover for ten cents. Even if I already have a copy, it would likely be a paperback, so I upgraded. Moreover, I also picked up After the Red Rain by Barry Lyga, Peter Facinelli, and Robert DeFranco. Although I'm unfamiliar with the authors and don't know what the book is about, I now own it.

Perhaps someday, I'll finally find the time to read through my collection of Lisa Jackson thrillers that I have been accumulating. Though I appreciate the idea of keeping them forever, I want to read them and donate. Recently, I have added 'Deep Freeze' to the collection. Additionally, I picked up a Hard Case thriller titled 'Fake I.D.' by Jason Starr.

I Can't Pass Up a Good Bargain

I can never resist buying a book for just $1.25 at the Dollar Tree. However, if the rumors are true that the prices are increasing by a quarter soon, I may need to stock up on some books while I still can. This past week, I purchased a few books from Dollar Tree, including a thriller that caught my eye called "The Lies I Tell" by Julie Clark.

Have you heard about the horror book series for children called Creepers by Edgar J. Hyde? I hadn't either until I stumbled upon them at Dollar Tree and picked up five: Mirror, Mirror; Doctor Death; The Gravedigger; Cold Kisser; and The Scarecrow. The creepy covers remind me of Goosebumps. They are relatively new books with a publication year of 2024.

I recently bought three Westerns from Dollar Tree. I plan to read them on a cold and rainy day in the future. The books are Where There's Fire, There's Smoke by William W. Johnstone, Last Stage to El Paso by J.A. Johnstone, and Dead Time by J.A. Johnstone.

I recently paid a visit to the local humane thrift store and managed to find some great books at very affordable prices. I found a Western novel titled The First Mountain Man: Preacher's Purge by J.A. Johnstone for only fifty cents. In addition, I also managed to snag two Orson Scott Card paperbacks - Ender in Exile and Children of the Mind - for the same price of fifty cents each. Lastly, I picked up a well-worn hardback copy of Star Trek Memories by William Shatner and Chris Kreski for two dollars.

My Kindle Library Continues to Grow

I bought To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei during the monthly Star Trek 99-cent eBooks sale. I also got The Star Trek Book for $1.99, Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 for $2.51, The Omen by David Seltzer for $1.49, and Marvel Year by Year: A Visual History for $1.99.

What's up with all the old Fear Street books; there were quite a few of them on sale on Kindle, and I grabbed the ones I didn't have on paperback. The titles are Bad Dreams, Bad Moonlight, Party Summer, All-Night Party, Fear Hall: The Beginning, The Best Friend, and Night of the Werecat (Ghosts of Fear Street).