If you grew up in the 1980, then mostly likely you would remember the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell.

There are three titles in the series - Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (pub. 1981), More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (pub. 1984) and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones (pub. 1991). As of 2017, the books have sold more than 7 million copies; though that number is probably a bit higher thanks to recent release of the PG-13 film adaptation.

All three books have "retellings" of folklores and myths, but they're all written in a kid-friendly way. However, the American Library Association has challenged the books several times over the years for stories featuring nightmarish topics such as disfigurement and murder. Plus, there has been criticism over the creepy drawings by Stephen Gammell. Besides from us horror fans, the American Library Association and the The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Book have defended the books.

I remember my mother ordering all three Scary Stories books from Scholastic book flyers - you know the ones you get from your elementary classes - back when I was a little bitty kid. Many of the stories are interactive and I have fond memories of my mother reading several of the stories to me. Never once did she believe the stories were harmful. They're just stories!


Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark features 29 stories: The Big Toe, The Walk, What Do You Come For?, Me Tie Dough-ty Walker!, A Man Who Lived in Leeds, Old Woman All Skin and Bone, The Thing, Cold as Clay, The White Wolf, The Haunted House, The Guests, The Hearse Song, The Girl Who Stood on a Grave, A New Horse, Alligators, Room for One More, The Wendigo, The Dead Man's Brains, May I Carry Your Basket?, The Hook, The White Satin Evening Gown, High Beams, The Babysitter, The Viper, The Attic, The Slithery-Dee, Aaron Kelly's Bones, Wait till Martin Comes, and The Ghost with the Bloody Fingers.


More Stories to Tell in the Dark features 28 stories: Something was Wrong, The Wreck, One Sunday Morning, Sounds, A Weird Blue Light, Somebody Fell from Aloft, The Little Black Dog, Clinkity-Clink, The Bride, Rings on Her Fingers, The Drum, The Window, Wonderful Sausage, The Cat's Paw, The Voice, Oh, Susannah!, The Man in the Middle, The Cat in a Shopping Bag, The Bed by the Window, The Dead Man's Hand, A Ghost in the Mirror, The Curse, The Church, The Bad News, Cemetery Soup, The Brown Suit, BA-ROOOM!, and Thumpity-Thump.


Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones features 25 stories: The Appointment, The Bus Stop, Faster and Faster, Just Delicious, Hello, Kate!, The Black Dog, Footsteps, Like Cat's Eyes, Bess, Harold, The Dead Hand, Such Things Happen, The Wolf Girl, The Dream, Sam's New Pet, Maybe You Will Remember, The Red Spot, No, Thanks, The Trouble, Strangers, The Hog, Is Something Wrong?, It's Him!, T-H-U-P-P-P-P-P-P-P!, and You May Be Next....

Final Thoughts

Grab a book, any book.
Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it).
Post it.
 Add your (url) post below in the Linky at: www.fredasvoice.com
Add the post url, not your blog url.

When she tried to turn on the light, she would find herself holding a dead man's hand.

page 56, More Scary Stories to tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz with drawings by Stephen Gammell

  My Thoughts

Mill Creek Entertainment; Amazon

I know for a fact there are many fans of Larry McMurtry's novels, especially the Lonesome Dove series. For those of you don't already know, the 1989 miniseries adaptation of Lonesome Dove was recently released on a Blu-ray Steelbook (Not Rated; 6 hrs 13 mins; $34.98) from Mill Creek Entertainment. Additionally, it comes with a movieSPREE digital code.

Directed by Simon Wincer, the miniseries featured a star-studded cast including Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Diane Lane, Danny Glover, Anjelica Huston, Robert Urich, Steve Buscemi, D.B. Sweeney, Rick Schroder, and Chris Cooper.

Told in four parts, Lonesome Dove centers around two former Texas Rangers and lifelong friends, Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call (played by Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones), going on one last adventure together - a cattle drive from Texas to Montana.

Bonus Features include:

• The Making of an Epic
• Cast Interviews
• Original Sketches and Concept Drawings
• On Location with Director Simon Wincer
• Interview with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Larry McMurtry

As everyone who reads my blog already knows, I've been a little nitpicky about my reads this year, especially when it comes to new authors. I get many emails about upcoming book blog tours but I've been ignoring most requests because of my "no spotlights" policy that I started last year. However, I have nothing wrong with reviewing a title during one of these tours, which explains why I'm participating in "The Maine Nemesis" tour.

In the case with this title (and many other books), the art cover caught my attention right away. Now I didn't sign up to review the book based on the cover alone. I did read the blurb!

What's the book about?

Set in Wabanaki, Maine, the novel centers around best friends Skyler Moore and Brenda Braxton. While their love lives isn't exactly perfect, they are both very accomplished women with Brenda being a famous chef and owner of several restaurants and Skyler is a public relations hotshot.

The duo has to put their skills to the test when the deputy's wife is found dead inside one of the local restaurants. Murder is something that never happens in this small town so the community is shell shocked. Skyler takes charge to help the restaurant's owners by dealing with all the PR nightmare following the murder. Then she quickly turns into an amateur sleuth. Along with Brenda and a few friends, she's determined to solve the murder (and a kidnapping).


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Final Thoughts