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Play Nice
Rachel Harrison
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A woman must confront the demons of her past when she attempts to fix up her childhood home in this devilishly clever take on the haunted house novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Black Sheep and So Thirsty.
Clio Louise Barnes leads a picture-perfect life as a stylist and influencer, but beneath the glossy veneer she harbors a not-so glamorous secret: she grew up in a haunted house. Well, not haunted. Possessed. After Clio’s parents' messy divorce, her mother, Alex, moved Clio and her sisters into a house occupied by a demon. Or so Alex claimed. That’s not what Clio’s sisters remember or what the courts determined when they stripped her of custody after she went off the deep end. But Alex was insistent; she even wrote a book about her experience in the house.
After Alex’s sudden death, the supposedly possessed house passes to Clio and her sisters. Where her sisters see childhood trauma, Clio sees an opportunity for house flipping content. Only, as the home makeover process begins, Clio discovers there might be some truth to her mother’s claims.
As memories resurface and Clio finally reads her mother’s book, a sinister presence in the house manifests, revealing ugly truths that threaten to shake Clio’s beautiful life to its very foundation.
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Posts about this title from Madisoncanread
Madisoncanread\ \ Madison\ \ • Aug 31 2025
21 books
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Posts about this book from across Bindery
Two Stories Bookshop\ \ Queer-Owned Shelves🌈\ \ • May 21
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[While The Return is Rachel Harrison's debut, it was not the first book I read that she'd authored. That distinction belongs to So Thirsty. I have now read three of her books (including Play Nice) and am in the midst of reading her upcoming release Kiss Slay Replay so let's talk about what worked in her debut, what didn't, and her evolution as a writer.\ \ WHAT WORKED (for me anyway):\ \
- Tone\
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- It was eerie, it was full of dread, and I ate it up. Think like the same sort of odd dread from Twin Peaks? Or the vibes of Haunting of Hill House (show, not book).\
- Setting\
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- A rural bed and breakfast with creepy ass vibes? SIGN ME UP.\
- Horror elements\
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- Gross depictions of standard horror imagery, the came back wrong trope, and man I swear I could physically smell some of those scenes.\
- General plot\
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- Came back wrong will always work for me as well as grief horror.\ \ WHAT DIDN'T (again, for me!):\ \
- Pacing\
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- Most debuts struggle with pacing, so I can't really fault her here. It felt like it could have been tightened up in a few places, but wasn't a main detractor.\
- Characters\
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- Her characters are GOD AWFUL people. Lord I would hate to be friends with ANY OF THEM. Communication is key to any friendship, folks, and this friendship had, like, none.\ \
- Elise as an FMC was extremely relatable though! I too worry about being the odd one out on a near-constant basis lol\ \ BUY, BORROW, OR PASS?\ \ BUY. I think this is worth having on your shelves if you're a horror fan like me. Not to mention Rachel Harrison's way of writing makes you blow straight through the pages. Her momentum is great! This was a strong debut, and if I'd read it first, I certainly would have added her to my list of authors to watch. As it is, So Thirsty solidified that spot almost instantaneously. Loved it!\ \ I think her evolution as a writer clearly shows; she found her niche with horror that has a humorous touch. Her debut doesn't have this, but you'll find her later novels do and it really works! \ \ Have you read anything by Rachel Harrison? What was your favorite, if you did? If you didn't, please consider clicking the book widgets and ordering from us!\ \ Till next time!](https://twostoriesbookshop.binderybooks.com/item/qgRHYtWBEsA4YgLfmrFW/)
REVIEW: The Return by Rachel Harrison
4 books
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She's Becoming Bookish\ \ Carlie Dayle\ \ • Feb 11
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\ \ Join for free or login](https://shesbecomingbookish.binderybooks.com/item/hl1hl6QTooNwOnoRugFC/)
My Top 20 Books of 2025 (& I’d Read Every One Again)
I read 120 books in 2025—but only a handful of books earned a permanent spot in my brain. I’m counting down my Top 20 Books of 2025, ranked in order, featuring mostly historical fiction with a few genre-bending standouts that completely delivered.
These are the books that moved me, surprised me, unsettled me, and reminded me why I love reading in the first place. If you’re building your 2026 reading list or looking for truly memorable reads, this is where I’d start.
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Chanterelle Solace\ \ Sabie\ \ • Dec 19 2025
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Get a Rec from me & What my Taste in books look like
What are some books that represent your taste overall and do we have any in common? 👀
Before we dive into this, Bindery now has an option to request recs and you can go to the 🔗 in my bio and click “Get a Rec” and ask for details of what you’d like from the books I’ve read! I’m also making lists of 2026 releases in fantasy, romance and horror so far so happy to share some of these early on with you guys (these will be recs of what I’m looking forward to rather than what I’ve read) so GO GO GO 🤎
As for my taste in books, I’m never going to be the type that picks only 5 top books for the year guys and I’ve learned to accept it because honestly, what do you mean my top 5 books in one year? I would have to host a meeting with myself for a whole month to decide that 😭 So instead, you guys get my taste in books throughout various sub-genres that I yap about all the time!
Here is a list of the books (if you prefer to read through it or for accessibility needs)🤎: Cottagecore: 🍄 Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries 🍄 After the Forest by Kell Woods 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Love and Poison by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 The Geographer’s Map to Romance by India Holton 🍄 The River has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar 🍄 An Arrow to the Heart by K.R. Bacher
Cozy Fantasy: 🍄 The Baby Dragon Cafe by Aamna Qureshi 🍄 Legend & Lattes by Travis 🍄 The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong 🍄 The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong 🍄 Watermoon by Samantha Sotto Yambao 🍄 The Spellshop by Sangu Mandanna
Witchycore: 🍄 The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright 🍄 House of Frank by Kay Synclaire 🍄 The Lone Wolf Cafe by Sydney Wilder 🍄 The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 🍄 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna 🍄 Best Hex Ever by Nadia El-Fassi
Retellings, Fairy Tale & Historical Fantasy: 🍄A Sorceress comes to Call by T.Kingfisher 🍄 What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez 🍄 Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 🍄 We Shall be Monsters by Tara Sim 🍄 The Briar Book of the Dead by A.G Slatter
The rest is in my pinned comment!
#fantasybooks #topbooksof2025 #favoritebooks
74 books
1
ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Dec 5 2025
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\ \ Welcome back to another author interview! Today, I'm featuring an amazing horror writer that may be flying under your radar! Viggy Parr Hampton is the author of three published novels--with number four releasing in January.\ \ \ \ Hampton's books are A Cold Night For Alligators (Outbreak, Urban exploration, Abandoned amusement park), Much Too Vulgar (Dark Academia, Unhinged female, Dark humor), The Rotting Room (Nuns, Possession, Historical), and her book releasing in January, A Veritable Household Pet (Sisterhood, Lobotomies, Loss of autonomy).\ \ Let's dive into the interview!\ \
1. Use this first question as an introduction. Tell us a little about you and your books.\ \ I’m Viggy Parr Hampton, and I’m an epidemiologist, host of the podcast “Horror Humor Hunger,” and the author of four horror novels: A Cold Night for Alligators, Much Too Vulgar, The Rotting Room, and A Veritable Household Pet. I’m drawn to stories where the characters—especially the villains—have a lot of depth and moral ambiguity, and I definitely don’t shy away from some medical and body horror!\ \ 2. You're the author of four books now (with A Veritable Household Pet coming out in January). What has been your favorite part of your writing journey? The hardest part?\ \ My favorite part—which is also the hardest part—has been finding my voice as an author. When I was first starting out, I spent a lot of time writing short stories and practicing. It took me a few years to find my unique voice, instead of trying to write in anybody else’s style. As I continue to practice and hone my skills, I’m finding it easier and easier to tell the stories I want to tell in a way that feels most authentic to me.\ \ 3. I absolutely love how different each of your books are. What have been some of the biggest inspirations for your novels?\ \ So many of my books have been inspired by real history or my own personal experience. For example, A Cold Night for Alligators was borne out of my experience as a student research epidemiologist at the CDC; Much Too Vulgar came from my time as an undergraduate at Georgetown University; The Rotting Room was inspired by an actual room called a ‘putridarium’ from the 17th century; A Veritable Household Pet is all about the very real—and very horrifying—practice of transorbital lobotomy. I love when I can weave in as much truth as possible into a book—it makes it that much more real, and that much more terrifying!\ \ 4.While I'm not asking you to pick favorites, has there been one novel that you've written that resonated with you more?\ \ Until recently, I would have said Much Too Vulgar, simply because my main character, Keely, is a mouthpiece for all of the nasty thoughts I’ve ever had (but never acted upon!). Now, I would have to say A Veritable Household Pet, because the process of researching and writing that narrative was so surreal, so urgent, and so heavy. The subject matter is dark, but the characters are so multi-faceted that I couldn’t stop—and still can’t stop—thinking about them.\ \ 5.Do you have any writing routines or rituals that help you get in the zone?\ \ I love to listen to ASMR videos while I’m writing! Something about those ambient background noises really helps me focus.\ \ 6. 2025 has been a big year for horror. What have been some of your favorites this year?\ \ This is such a hard question! If I had to name a few, I’d say When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy, The Lamb by Lucy Rose, The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy, and This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud (I read this as an ARC, so it doesn’t actually come out until 2026!).\ \ 7. Any novels you're eager to read in 2026?\ \ So many! The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton, Headlights by CJ Leede, Play Nice by Rachel Harrison, Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang, and Slashed Beauties by A. Rushby.\ \ 8. If any of your books got adapted into a film, which one would you love to see on the screen? Do you have a dream cast?\ \ I would love to see Much Too Vulgar adapted for the screen! I think Mia Goth would make an excellent Keely, Brooke Shields would be a great Ellen Rexroth (Keely’s mother), Hailee Steinfeld could be Erica, Steve Buscemi would be Father O’Meara, and Lili Reinhart would be a great Airhead Ani!\ \ 9. Are you working on any other projects at the moment?\ \ Yes! My fifth novel, Ripped Up the Middle in Two, will be published in the fall of 2026. It’s a sort of motherhood creature feature about a postpartum mom who starts to wonder if there’s an evil fairy living in the woods that wants her baby, or if it’s all in her head.\ \ 10. Out of your four novels, which character did you connect the most with?\ \ Definitely Keely from Much Too Vulgar. But I promise I’m not nearly as mean as her!\ \ Anything you'd like to add? Drop it down here. I can't thank you enough for agreeing to this!\ \ I also have a podcast called“Horror Humor Hunger,” which is about all things horror. Each season revolves around a short story or novel of mine, and the finale is a recipe inspired by that story! I've interviewed everybody from bestselling authors and psychics to exorcists, filmmakers, jelly artists, and tabletop game developers.\ \ I’m also part of the Purgatory Media team, and I have a segment on our YouTube channel called “Tag Team Tales of Terror,” where I challenge fellow authors to create a story with me in 30-second increments based on a prompt I pull out of a hat. Here’s a recent one with Rachel Harrison! https://youtu.be/wvwJ2JhowCI\\ \ Join for free or login](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/NvdaFzYBh13Amuy2Gqhe/)
AUTHOR INTERVIEW: VIGGY PARR HAMPTON
13 books
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Mollie Reads \ \ book club gal\ \ • Oct 2 2025
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2 books
Laura Rae Says\ \ Laura\ \ • Sep 24 2025
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1 book
Kurryreads\ \ Kerry\ \ • Sep 11 2025
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Ranking Author Books: Rachel Harrison 📖📚 #booktok #booktoker #rankingbooks #bookranking #rankingauthorbooks #rachelharrison #rachelharrisonbooks #blacksheep #cackle #sothirsty #thereturn #suchsharpteeth #books #horrorbooks #horrorreader #arc #arcreader #bibliophile #bookish #weirdbooks #girlypophorrorbooks #ranking #kurryreads #funhorrorbooks
6 books
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Madisoncanread\ \ Madison\ \ • Aug 31 2025
21 books
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Kurryreads\ \ Kerry\ \ • Aug 14 2025
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Ultimate Guide to Spooky Season Reading v2
Replying to @Kerry | Booktok 📖 Ultimate Guide to Spooky Season Reading - Version 2 📚👻🔪 Timestamps: 00:28 Stranger Than Fiction 00:39 Witchy 00:47 Creature Feature 1:03 Dark Past-Potentially Paranormal 1:14 Possession 1:19 Slashers 1:32 Haunted House 1:42 Eco Horror/Plant Horror 1:48 Supernatural 1:57 Demonic/Occult 2:06 Cosmic 2:13 Folklore 2:26 Speculative 2:35 Young Adult 2:46 Paranormal 2:55 Psychological 3:03 Crime 3:13 Historical Fiction 3:29 Cult 3:43 Vampires 3:51 Weird Girl/Feminine Rage 4:00 Sci-Fi 4:08 Cannibalism #guidetospookyseasonreading #spookyreads #horrorbooks #cultbooks #paranormalbooks #hauntedhousebooks #possessionbooks #creaturefeature #booktok #booktoker #bookrecommendations #whattoread #vampirebooks #speculativehorror #youngadulthorror #folklorebooks #ecohorrorbooks #scifihorrorbooks #slasherbooks #scarybooks
55 books
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Kurryreads\ \ Kerry\ \ • Jul 9 2025
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Preorder or wait for the Library Hold: Part 8 📚📖
Preorder or wait for the Library Hold: Part 8 📚📖 #upcomingbookreleases #whattoread #supportyourlocallibrary #preorder #newbooks #thrillerbooks #horrorbooks #buyorskip #bookworm #bookishthoughts #bookish #bookworm #bibliophile #reader
12 books
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