My 2025 Year in Books

According to Goodreads, I read 22 books in 25. That's not bad. A few less than I read in 2024, but still a good amount. My goal was 18 and I exceed that.

Here are the books I read in 2025 from latest to earliest. If you want to connect with me on Goodreads, click here.     

Veil of Eden: Expired
Larkin, Andra
Fiction, Dystopian
5 of 5 stars
Finished Dec 31, 2025

Destined for Destiny: The Unauthorized Autobiography of George W. Bush
Scott Dikkers

3 of 5 stars
read, comedy, fiction, politics
Finished Nov 23, 2025

Screaming Streets
Jensen, Stephanie E. *
5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Finished Nov 16, 2025

Dissecting House (Mina Bassey, Serial Killer)
Jensen, Stephanie
5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Nov 11, 2025

House of Sunshine
Jensen, Stephanie E.
5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Nov 06, 2025

The Kitty Killer Cult
Smith, Nick
3 of 5 stars
read, fiction
Finished Nov 01, 2025

The Man Didn’t Want This Book Published
Scrubbings, Jordi *
5 of 5 stars
read, comedy, nonfiction

Finished Oct 02, 2025

Gone to the Wolves
Wray, John
4 of 5 stars
read, fiction, metal

Finished Sep 28, 2025

 

Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed
Carbuncle, Lance

5 of 5 stars

Finished Sep 18, 2025

 

The Fall of the Roman Umpire
Luciano, Ron
3 of 5 stars
read, comedy, nonfiction, sports
Finished Sep 07, 2025

 

Tales from the Dusty Tiger
Ginsberg, Joshua

5 of 5 stars

read, fiction, horror

Finished Aug 31, 2025

How Lucky
Leitch, Will
4 of 5 stars
read, fiction
Finished Aug 21, 2025

The Killer Angels (The Civil War Trilogy, #2)
Shaara, Michael
5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, history, war
Finished Aug 17, 2025

How to Love Yankees With a Clear Conscience
Whaley, Bo
3 of 5 stars
read, comedy, nonfiction
Finished Jul 15, 2025

We Sold Our Souls
Hendrix, Grady
5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror, metal
Finished Jul 03, 2025

Blood and Honor (Honor Bound, #2)
Griffin, W.E.B.
2 of 5 stars
read, fiction, war
Finished Jun 12, 2025

Heartbeat and Other Tales of the Weird and Macabre
Jensen, Stephanie E.

5 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Finished Jun 12, 2025

Shook! A Black Horror Anthology
Barnes, Rodney
4 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Finished May 16, 2025

Goon
Lee, Edward
4 of 5 stars
read, fiction, horror
Finished Apr 09, 2025

The Motern Method
Farley, Matt

5 of 5 stars

read, business, nonfiction
Finished Apr 07, 2025

Con-thology: Stories of Convention Horror
Ford, Douglas
5 of 5 stars
Finished Mar 08, 2025

Business @ the Speed of Thought: Succeeding in the Digital Economy
Gates, Bill
3 of 5 stars
read, business, nonfiction
Finished: 14 Jan 2025

My 2025 Year in Movies

I watched quite a lot of movies in 2025. Sixty-nine (nice!) to be exact. That's a lot. I also joined Letterboxd to keep track of what I have watched. I recommend Letterboxd. It is not really a social site, but it is a great place to review the movies you watch.

In 2025, the most popular movie I watched was Sinners, by far. It was probably my favorite movie of the year. I talked about Sinners on my youtube page as well as on my tiktok. I also wrote a review of Sinners on American Blues Scene. 

But 2025 was more than Hollywood blockbusters about vampires and the Blues. It was also the year I dove into the Joel Wynkoop filmography. After discovering Joel in Clownado in the end of 2024, I watched six Joel Wynkoop movies in 2025.

• The Craiglon Incident I
• The Craiglon Incident II
• The Craiglon Incident III
• Indiscretions
• Strip Club Slasher
• Dirty Cop, No Donut 

According to Letterboxd, my favorite types of movies are: 

 

I don't disagree. Here is the entire list of movies I watched in 2025.

• Hologram Man (1995) ★★
• Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) ★★★★
• FX's A Christmas Carol (2019) ★★★★
• He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985) ★★★
• Escape from Angola (1976) ★
• Assault of the Killer Bimbos (1988) ★★★
• Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003) ★
• The NeverEnding Story (1984) ★★★★★
• Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964) ★★★★
• The Dark Crystal (1982) ★★★★★
• Poster for Rock Star (2001) ★★★★
• Nuremberg (2025) ★★★★★
• From Justin to Kelly (2003) ★
• Shaft (1971) ★★★★★
• Fart: A Documentary (2016) ★★★
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985) ★★★
• Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street (2019)  ★★★★
• Devil's Partner (1961) ★★★
• Santa Jaws (2018) ★★★★★
• Dante's Hell Animated (2013) ★★★
• Mahakaal (1994) ★★★★
• Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) ★★★★
• Strip Club Slasher (2010) ★★
• HIM (2025) ★★★
• Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College (1990) ★★
• Grunt! The Wrestling Movie (1985) ★★★★★
• Laserblast (1978) ★★
• Electrocuting an Elephant (1903) ★
• Waitress! (1982) ★★
• Monster (2008) ★★
• The Devil's Advocate (1997) ★★★★★
• Happy Gilmore 2 (2025) ★★★★
• Suburban Commando (1991)  ★★
• Gone (2002) ★
• Satyr Monks (1994) ★★★
• 5-25-77 (2008) ★★★★★
• Shaolin Iron Finger (1977) ★★★
• The Craiglon Incident III: Annihilation (2022) ★★
• The Craiglon Incident II: Aftermath (2021) ★★★
• The Craiglon Incident (2021) ★★★
• The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974) ★★★★
• Indiscretions (2009) ★★
• Cloak & Dagger (1984) ★★★
• Werewolves on Wheels (1971) ★★★
• Warlock: The Armageddon (1993) ★★★
• Fanboys (2009) ★★★★
• The Beast Comes At Midnight (2023) ★★★★
• Warlock (1989) ★★★★
• Sinners (2025) ★★★★★
• Nothing But a Man (1964) ★★★★★
• Desperate Cargo (1941) ★★★
• Robo Vampire (1988) ★★★★★
• Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers (2024) ★★★★
• Blackenstein (1973) ★★★
• Disorderlies (1987) ★★★★
• Dirty Cop No Donut (1999) ★★★★
• I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) ★★★★
• Eephus (2024) ★★★
• Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. (1990) ★★★★
• Studio 666 (2022) ★★★★
• Bloody Murder 2: Closing Camp (2003) ★★★
• Deathgasm (2015) ★★★★★
• Ernest in the Army (1998) ★★
• Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) ★★★★
• Paganini Horror (1989) ★★★
• The Devil's Nightmare (1971) ★★★★
• Zombie Strippers! (2008) ★★★
• Freak City (1999) ★★★★
• Wizards (1977) ★★★★

Book Review: Beyond the Crossroads - The Devil in the Blues Tradition by Adam Gussow

 

With the release of the blockbuster movie Sinners, Beyond the Crossroads is a must read for anyone who wants to know the story beyond the story. Gussow thoroughly dissects the use of the term Devil in blues music from the earliest days before Robert Johnson, through Johnson's career, through the movie Crossroads, and into the 2000-era explosion of blues tourism in Clarksdale, MS. The book is split into several essays exploring the aspects of the devil and his association in the blues. Even though I thought I knew a lot about the subject, I learned a lot. Gussow is very, very thorough.

That said, Gussow writes like an academic. It almost too thorough. Beyond the Crossroads is not a quick read. The comparative theories and analysis create drag in the narrative. This is a book for the hardcore fans and academics, not for the casual blues fans. Even though the casual blues fans are the ones who probably need to read it.

Artificially Intelligencing the cover of Curveball at the Crossroads

 

The AI craze has taken over. Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. Even places where intelligence has never been. AI is lurking in the dark, about to steal your job, your life, and your lady. It knows all, sees all, and will be all up in your face like a can of mace.

I'm not one for AI'ing, but my good friend the Snowman of the Afro-Squad is. He is covertly trying to reprogram the algorithms one byte at a time. How many bytes does it take to get to the center of the algorithm? The world may never know.

While plugging away deep in the brain of our omnipotent algorithmic overlords, Snowman fed the program the cover my novel Curveball at the Crossroads. AI is trying to get on my good side, because this is a sweet alternative cover. I dig it. I'll never put it anywhere near my novel, but it is fun to look at. I like the increased fire around home plate. And those crossroads are mighty spooky.

Support real artists and real writers, folks. AI art is a fad. 

Not so Serious Movie Review: From Justin to Kelly

 

My latest not so serious cinematic misadventure: From Justin to Kelly (2003)

I have been putting this movie off for years. The time wasn't right.

But there is never a good time for this movie. Ever. According to the internet, forcing someone to watch this is punishable in 47 countries. Any viewing is considered cruel and unusual punishment in Rwanda, Singapore, and Turkmenistan.

This movie makes the Star Wars Christmas Special look like Casablanca.

Grade: 1 sunburnt generic bikini song of 5