Tag: Gothic Lit

Book Challenges, Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism

Film Review: Wuthering Heights

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Film Review: Wuthering Heights

Life has been lifeing lately on this blog! While I still find time for the occasional new book and book review, my life has largely been taken over by soccer and mom life things these last couple of years so posts about book reviews etc have been scarce. That doesn’t mean I have abandoned my blog or reading by any means…..it just means pressing pause for now on some things and focusing on this new soccer mom season of life. 

But that said, you know I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to do a quick review on the new Wuthering Heights film! If you have been around a while then you will know just how much I love this classic. I used to re-read it every single Thanksgiving break and while it’s been a while since I have done that, I am still a HUGE fan of anything Wuthering Heights and when I saw this new film was coming out…..I couldn’t WAIT to watch it. 

I watched a few interview with the director, Emerald Fennell, and knew that it would be a loosely based remake. I assumed there would be a lot of creative license and differences from the book although I wasn’t expecting so many changes. I am not familiar with any of Fennell’s previous films so I went in not knowing what to expect but I did assume that it would be more of an ‘artsey’ film just based on some of the trailers etc. But I wasn’t ready for just how different this film would be.

From here on out there might be spoilers so please consider this your warning. 

Let’s start from the beginning. 

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke

I randomly watched a show on National Geographic about Sir John Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition days before I was pitched this book. I was fascinated by the lost expedition and when this book made it onto my desk for review immediately following the show, I was super intrigued and couldn’t WAIT to read this one! I was so excited to read a new ghost story and one that featured shipwrecks, questions, and a rugged landscape that takes on a life of its own within the story.

I have really been on an Arctic kick lately, the Franklin expedition show was just the start, I got hooked on more series featuring Arctic climbing in Greenland and other extreme mountain sports shows on National Geographic. From the time I was a kid, I have been fascinated by Iceland and Greenland, these locations hold a certain amount of mystery simply for their remote locations and I am so here for it—it appeals to the adventurer in me! There aren’t many books that feature this kind of unfamiliar setting so when I saw this one I jumped to review it and the location did not disappoint!

This book is definitely more of a horror book than historical fiction, though there are elements of historical fiction and the Gothic but I felt like it was more horror in nature but because it included elements from other genres, I think it will appeal to more readers but just know when you pick this one up you are picking up more of a ghost story/horror novel than historical fiction! Side note, this book did make me go down a complete rabbit hole about whaling and Arctic exploration which both were fascinating to research!

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Books, Reading

Special Feature/Excerpt: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature/Excerpt: The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

If I was just looking at this book cover I would have thought two things—-it was set in France and it was a historical romance novel. Well I am semi right, it is a historical romance BUT it also has some Gothic elements with a bit of mystery. Though it is not set in France as I suspected but rather a Wisconsin castle. Random.

I haven’t really been to the Midwest and it’s decidedly not the setting I was expecting or can even wrap my mind around but here we are. Even if the setting sounded a bit random for me, I was excited about this one all the same. If for nothing else—-the Gothic elements. This book sounds like it has that in spades and I thought it sounded compelling to have two story lines, one from the past and one from present day. Plus I am open to exploring new settings and I love old dilapidated castles so how could I pass on this one?!

I couldn’t fit it into my review schedule but I definitely have it on my TBR for this fall! This book is right up my alley in terms of content just my calendar was full for the spring. So instead I opted to do an except and I am already loving the tone and mood of this book! If you are a fan of Gothic romances I think you are going to enjoy this book! I am a big Victoria Holt fan so this book is giving my all the Victoria Holt vibes and I am here for it! This author is a new to me author but she has written a number of other Gothic historical mysteries/romances which all have rave reviews, I cannot wait to check this one out! Keep reading to see the excerpt and try before you buy!

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Special Feature/Excerpt: The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature/Excerpt: The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

I always love a good old fashion Gothic ghost story. It’s one of my favorite genres to read, especially if it has a romance and some history to it. I read Paulette Kennedy’s debut novel, Parting the Veil, and it was pretty good which made me excited to check her latest novel out. Unlike traditional Gothic novels, this one isn’t set on the moors of England but the Ozarks which made me excited to check it out since the setting would be so different.

Plus time time period was intriguing to me—-the Depression era instead of the Victorian age. I love when authors take classic troupes and change it up by doing a different time period or setting—-in this case both! The only thing I am sad about is that I couldn’t fit this one into my review schedule for January, but I was thrilled I could offer you guys an excerpt instead! This book is a standalone so you don’t need to read Kennedy’s first book in order to enjoy this one.

Early reviewers have been really enjoying this atmospheric read and I cannot wait to check it out later this year. This excerpt today promises an intriguing book with lots of characters and a truly haunted atmosphere. I am super excited to share this excerpt with you guys, so keep reading to enjoy a tease from the book! This book promises it all—-magic, cults, witchcraft, atmosphere, and of course some creepiness! Be sure to get this one on your TBR list today!

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Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Curse of Morton Abbey by Clarissa Harwood

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Curse of Morton Abbey by Clarissa Harwood

This book has been sitting in my Amazon cart for well over a year! I had it in my cart as a paperback and just never could decide if I wanted to pull the trigger to not. This book sounded like something I would like but it was also kind of off the beaten path and from a smaller press and if I was going to spend $14 on it, I wanted to make sure I was 100% sold on it. But then one night while I was sitting with my son, waiting for him to fall asleep, I was bored looking for something new to read.

Suddenly buying the ecopy for $10 sounded like a good idea and the moment felt right. I was instantly glad that I pulled the trigger! I was sucked into this one almost immediately and by the time I was done, I was kicking myself for not buying it sooner! If you are a Victoria Holt fan or Julia Klassen, then you are not going to want to miss this one! This has all the things I love about Gothic romances! Ambiguous characters, haunted castles, and of course romance!

This one absolutely drew me in and captivated me for a few days. I found myself spending longer and longer in my son’s room well after her went to sleep just so I could finish ‘one more page’! If you love Gothic mysteries with some romance you are not going to want to miss this one. Or maybe you have this book in your Amazon cart like I did and just aren’t sure if it’s worth it—well the answer is YES! Absolutely worth it!

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