Book #28: Haunted Pet Stories: Tales of Ghostly Cats, Spooky Dogs, and Demonic Bunnies by Mary Beth Crain

I was shopping shortly before Halloween and saw Haunted Pet Stories: Tales of Ghostly Cats, Spooky Dogs, and Demonic Bunnies on a table amongst other horror books. What could be more perfect for a lover of both animals and Halloween?

The book is a compilation of stories put together by author Mary Beth Crain. The stories range from animals coming back in spirit form to animals who sense spirits to animals who are possessed by demons. Some stories are modern, some take place over 100 years ago; some are told first-hand by the people who experienced the haunting and others are more legendary tales.

I really enjoyed reading Haunted Pet Stories. I liked that the chapters were made up of several short stories and they were all entertaining. It was a fun read and something that would be appropriate for adults and older children alike. I also think that it would make a great Halloween gift (if, like me, you give gifts for Halloween!).

Book #19: The Meowmorphosis by Franz Kafka & Coleridge Cook

"The Meowmorphosis" is a mash-up by Quirk Classics based on "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka. Coleridge Cook (a pseudonym used by a fantasy author) puts his twist on the classic dark novella. Instead of Gregor Samsa, salesman, waking up as a cockroach as in the original, he wakes up as a kitten. The book is essentially the same as the Kafka story, but with a section in the middle that seems to include a twist on another Kafka work (unfinished at the time of his death), "The Trial".
As much as I enjoyed the original work, I had hoped that this new mash-up would have a bit more of a change to it. Instead, it was pretty much the same story with "kitten" replacing "cockroach". I must say, though, the "biography" and Discussion Questions at the end are quite humorous and certainly worth reading!

This is a dark, rambling work that not all readers will appreciate. I'm not sure that I would recommend it if you aren't already familiar with Kafka. Then again, if you're familiar with Kafka, I don't know that it needs to be read.