Matt
“Sometimes, dead is better.”
-Stephen King, Pet Semetary
Linghun by Ai Jiang is a moving and highly creative haunted house story about grief. Ai was kind enough to provide me an eARC to read and review, all opinions are my own. Set in a mysterious town in Canada known as HOME, residents desperately seek to take advantage of the neighborhood's quirk: the tendency for each house to become haunted by the spirit of the departed. Unlike most conventional haunted houses stories where ghosts are entities inspiring fear, in Linghun the ghosts are vehemently desired. Wenqi's family moves in hoping to reconnect with her brother, but what may happen when a life is haunted by grief to the point of never letting go? Fundamentally, Jiang has written a profound novella exploring a deeply meaningful idea through a unique approach to the concept of a haunted house. I loved the way she revealed information throughout the book and found this work, at times, reminiscent of Shirley Jackson, Catriona Ward, and yet completely and utterly unlike anything else I had ever read. Jiang's prose is frequently excellent and incredibly readable. This is a fast read that will linger with you after the final page. With that said, I found the plot to be a little bit disjointed, especially toward the end. I kind of felt like this was a book about ideas, symbols, and characters more than plot...though the story was by no means bad. Still, overall this was a very good read that I would recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I really enjoyed Run Time. I previously listened to Catherine Ryan Howard's COVID lockdown thriller 56 Days and I knew I wanted to check this one out based on how much I liked it. Run Time did not disappoint. I throughly enjoyed the unique structure of this novel, interspersing sections of screenplay between chapters of regular narrative prose. A truly fresh take on the alternating timelines/POVs I often find tiresome in other books. Although a few minor aspects of the reveal/twist seemed strained to me, I nevertheless enjoyed the story very much. I've found that I enjoy listening to Irish crime novels, and other books set in locations removed from my own personal experience, far more that I enjoy reading them with my eyeballs due to the additional layer of detail and immersion added by the narrator. The readers for Run Time do not disappoint, making the Audible edition superior to the print in my personal opinion. I highly recommend Run Time to fans of thrillers and the film industry.
Thanks to IDW and NetGalley for the eARC. EARTHDIVERS VOL 2 is the second story arc for Stephen Graham Jones' speculative comic series. Following Tawny's journey to the ice age, I found this storyline a lot more enigmatic than the prior volume. Readers of SGJ likely know his prose is often as difficult as it is elegant, but I found the transition from volume 1 to 2 very confusing. I was initially unsure what was going on and it connected to earlier issues, despite having read volume one pretty recently. Overall I struggled to connect with Tawny and her plot line, and found this arc less compelling than the first. The art is beautiful and I think it's worth reading for fans of the series, but it felt like a step down to me.
Wrath is a terrifying sci-fi horror thriller. Exploring themes of genetic engineering, biological uplift, and community. Wrath is perfect for fans of Jurassic Park, M3GAN, Nick Cutter, etc. not for the squeamish, some of the most potent horror in this book is gross body horror involving rats. The narration was occasionally a bit over-the-top, but generally good. The plot was slow to start, but once it got going, it was fantastic!
The Yanthus Prime Job is a Pepper Melange novella, and part of Robert Kroese's Starship Grifters series. I did not know this book connected to any of Korese's other books, and am now eager to check them out. I had previously read the author's books The Big Sheep and The Last Iota, which I loved, and had high expectations for this story. For the most part, it delivered. I think readers of John Scalzi, particularly fans of Fuzzy Nation (his adaptation of H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy), will find a lot to love in this heist story. Pepper Melange is a loveable protagonist. The book definitely has a pulpy feel, sometimes in both good and not so good ways, and if I'm going to be totally honest I didn't feel like there was anything terribly original here. With that said it was an enjoyable and short romp that's a fun listen for genre fans. The audiobook narration is serviceable. J.D. Ledford did a great job with the protagonist and some of the supporting roles, but made bold choices with others that sounded annoying in this listener's opinion.
Halldark Holidays, edited by Gabino Iglesias, is a fun anthology of holiday horror. I started watching Hallmark movies a year or two ago with my Mom. She likes them (okay, maybe sometimes I do too), but I always shake my head at how predictable and formulaic they all seem. Halldark Holidays is an anthology that takes the familiar tropes, themes, and images of Hallmark movies and twists them into horror stories. I love the premise of this book and found several stories to be really outstanding! I throughly enjoyed The Morbs by Greg Sisco, A Winterland Surprise by Kathryn E. McGee, A Total Super Miracle on 34th Street by Mackenzie Kiera, Holiday Traditions by Cina Pelayo, Mother and Child by Todd Robinson, and the introduction to the anthology by Gabino Iglesias. Some of the other stories were enjoyable too, though a few seemed underdeveloped. I also disagreed with the point of view that seemed to be expressed in one or two of these tales, though I suppose provoking that kind of response in me is an artistic achievement in and of itself. Overall this collection is a mixed (Santa) bag in terms of quality. The themes and tropes common to many of these stories, like the Hallmark movies they parody, get a bit repetitive after awhile. Still, this is a really fun anthology for horror fans familiar with Hallmark movies, and is a great read for the holiday season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Howls from Hell, published by the HOWL Society, is an anthology of short horror fiction not to be missed! This collection contains stories from numerous up and coming authors, some making their publishing debut and others a bit more established, and contains works spanning the horror subgenres from cosmic to sci-fi to psychological to cursed media and more! Plus this collection is blessed by a foreword by none other than Grady Hendrix (Horrorstor, My Best Friend's Exorcism, etc.). This is an outstanding collection that is a MUST READ for all fans of short horror fiction.
This book came into being in response to the horrific events of 2020. Around April of that year a Redditor posted to the /r/horrorlit subreddit (a horror literature message board moderated by Hendrix) inquiring if others might be interested in forming an online horror book club during the pandemic. Many readers and writers, eventually including myself, joined the freshly created Discord server to read and discuss books in the genre. From that day on the server has grown. Members participate in reading and discussing a book of the week, writers discuss the business and craft, and ever increasing numbers of people find channels to chat about all things horror. Over time, some of the writers in this group, The Horror-Obsessed Writing and Literature (HOWL) Society, were inspired to work together to create an anthology of original work to be published and shared with the world. Thus The HOWL Society Press and this book were born.
First, as an artist, I want to commend my fellow members for creating an opportunity to publish their own work. So many artists wait to be given permission by someone else to share their work (or even worse, create in the first place). Well, that's not these folks. They grabbed Cthulhu by the madness-inducing tentacles and held on for the ride! Through a process of group critique and editing these authors have created an anthology of outstanding new fiction.
Second, I want to urge you to stop reading this review and purchase this book immediately! Seriously, stop reading and go now. From Hendrix's heartwarming foreword (one of the best forwards I've read) through each story, this book oozes quality. If I were rating these out of 10, almost all of them would be 7+, with several 9s and 10s in the mix. One of these stories (which happened to be one of my favorites) is probably long enough to even be considered a novelette. There are some really wonderful tales in these pages!
I hope you'll check it out, I'm glad I did.
(Note: although I am a member of the HOWL Society I am not published in this collection and am in no way profiting from sales of this anthology).
The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton is an excellent short book exploring the Christmas story. It's a fantastic book to read during Advent or the Christmas season. Pastor Hamilton takes the read through the events described in scripture and fills in historical, cultural, and theological information to help contemporary readers understand the birth of Christ even better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Donut Legion is a fun Lansdale thriller. Set in East Texas, this book has everything! After a vision of his ex-wife (a ghost?) and finding her missing, Charlie sets out to find out what happened. The resulting journey involved donut shops opened by the local UFO cult, an alphabet of sexual acts, a very good lawyer, and a chimpanzee (not a monkey). Overall, this book was a lot of fun. I had previously read Moon Lake, and generally found this one to be a bit lighter and comic, while still being exciting. The audiobook is read by a cast including both the author and his daughter. It was enjoyable listening to Joe R. Lansdale read his own story, although the audio quality was not up to the level I'm accustomed to. Some of the dialogue strained believably and almost sounded like a comedic bit in a sitcom rather than a crime fiction novel, but I nevertheless found the listening experience enjoyable.
Interesting novella
The Return of the Sorceress is an interesting fantasy novella from the author of Mexican Gothic and The Gods of Jade and Stone. In this tale the former mistress of the sorcerer's guild juggles revenge, justice, and her very survival as she tries to set things to right and regain her power. Haunted by her past, this protagonist is a complex character marked by the human capacity for temptation, corruption, and redemption. Moreno-Garcia has a great concept, but this story might have benefitted from a greater word count. I kept feeling as if I was entering this story after having missed a previous installment. Additionally the pacing of plot seemed a bit too rapid. If Moreno-Garcia writes a full length novel set in this world I would be very interested in reading it, but this work just lacked the fullness and complexity I was hoping for after being so impressed with her smash hit novel last year, Mexican Gothic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fables Vol 7 is another excellent installment in the Fables series. I was a bit unclear about the motivations of certain characters, and I hope that is cleared up in a future installment.
Fables Vol 6 Homelands is another great collected edition in the Fables series. We finally learn some secrets about the Adversary and the Homelands. I really enjoyed this one!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Good story in the Murderbot Diaries. It's an excellent stepping stone from Exit Strategy to Fugitive Telemetry, but at the same time it's hard not to feel that it's unnecessary for readers of the sixth novella. It's an interesting change for Wells to write from the prospective of a character other than Murderbot, but I might have enjoyed reading a voice even more distinct from SecUnit's. Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Brilliant! It's very difficult to give a synopsis or even a review of this book for fear of spoiling it, but I'll simply say that this book is genuinely full of twists and turns. It's creepy, thrilling, and more! Probably the best book I've read this year so far. Amazing! Mysterious, creepy, and intriguing. 5/5 Stars, READ IT!
THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is the second book I've finished by this author, and it did not disappoint. Like his masterpiece Between Two Fires this book takes place in a world clearly modeled after medieval Europe, but unlike that book this novel clearly belongs to the genre of fantasy and is set in a richly developed land of imagination. The world-building, a land at precarious peace after the ravages of the Goblin Wars, is truly incredible and rivals that of George R.R. Martin and other titans of the genre. Buehlman also triumphs in character development, especially with his protagonist Kinch Na Shannack - debtor to the Takers (thieves) Guild - who becomes embroiled in quest and conspiracy taking him across a world filled goblins, giants, assassins, witches, and more. #theblacktonguethief blends action, humor, introspection, and spectacle and is a novel not to be missed.
Ring Shout is an outstanding dark fantasy/alternative history/horror book. At times this book reminded me of Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country. Yet this work truly stands on its own. Ring Shout weaves together a fantastical alternative history with incredible heart, magic, and more! 5 stars!
This wasn't the book I was expecting, but it was still a decent read. In comparison to SGJ's other books, especially his recent novel The Only Good Indians, I felt like this novella fell flat- but taken objectively by itself it was still kind of fun. The book is set in a town near to where I grew up, so it was fun to see North Texas represented in horror fiction! SGJ also did a great job of expressing character in his quick paced and sometimes rambling writing style in the voice of a teenage narrator, in someways this book reminded me of his earlier work, Mongrels, but with more of an edge. I also appreciated seeing anxiety and saviorism taken to an extreme in this psychological horror, albeit I felt like the book really stretched my suspension of disbelief to the breaking point several times. I think my expectations for this book were perhaps too high, but I still mostly enjoyed this tale.
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir is a multi-genre adventure combining a dark fantasy, science fiction, and horror with an amusingly crass protagonist. It's funny, it's gay, it's suspenseful, and it's a novel of truly epic proportions! Gideon lives in the Ninth House, known as the shadow cult and keepers of the Locked Tomb, as an indentured surf of sorts. On the very day she's plotted to escape and enlist in the military her hated archrival, the necromancer Reverend Daughter Harrowhark Nonagesimus, announces that she and her Cavalier will travel to the First House to undertake a trial so she may become an immortal Lyctor in service to the God-Emperor. Except the Cavalier has fled (in the very shuttle Gideon planned to steal to get off-world), and now Gideon must assume the role in exchange for her freedom. Of course, things do not go as planned. Intrigued? Confused? Me too. Overall I found this book to be really exciting. I loved Gideon as a character and was really into her witty quips and irreverent temperament. I was also drawn in by the epic nature of the story and found many sections to be highly suspenseful and compelling. Unfortunately I did have a bit of a tough time tracking who was who and sometimes what exactly was going on. To be fair, Muir did provide a Dramatis Personae section at the beginning of the book, but nevertheless I just found this volume to be a little bit confusing. Muir chose to reveal information in a way that left the reader in the dark about a number of things until fairly late in the book. I can respect this as a storytelling device, but once again I simply felt confused or as if I had “missed something” throughout sections of the book. Despite these criticisms I enjoyed this book and hope to read the sequel soon. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Such a Pretty Smile by Kristi DeMeester is a genuinely horrifying novel about the myriad ways women must fight to be seen and accepted for who they are. Caroline, an artist, worries for the safety of her daughter Lila as girls begin to go missing or show up dead. Could an serial kill have returned? Soon strange things start to happen as past and present collide. Will the men in Caroline and Lila's lives believe them? Overall DeMeester has written a really sharp novel critiquing many ways women are disbelieved, dismissed, belittled, objectified, and otherwise marginalized in society. The book explores the impact of patriarchy, generational trauma, and systemic inequality (with particular attention to gender and sexual orientation). DeMeester's themes are crystal clear and she has composed so many scenes that had me squirming, cringing and really just absolutely horrified. The power of this book is in the truth it reveals. With that said, I think it could be argued that the plot was secondary to the themes at times. It seemed like it took awhile for the plot to really get going, and there were times where it seemed like a lot of information or time was explained to the reader. Finally, I found the narrative nature of the antagonist to be slightly opaque. This character seemed more firmly rooted in symbolism than in the world building of the story. Still, DeMeester did such an amazing job writing about the marginalization of women and did so through some really viscerally impactful scenes. The events of the plot are compelling, even if the book wasn't as clear and as consistently action oriented as I might have wished. I would definitely recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lost Village is the story of a documentary crew, a ghost town, and perhaps also the pain of abandonment
and mental illness. I partially predicted one of the “twists” in the book and found the ending somewhat lackluster. Overall I would call this 4/5. It's decent enough combination of folk horror and mystery, and there were some genuinely tense sections.
Original Review
Ninth House is a great new adult dark academia horror book. Featuring hauntings and magic and a mystery, this is the story of an Ivy League college student who's found her way into a world she never imagined. It's a fun book, although the ending left something to be desired. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1/31/23 Update
I re-read Ninth House, doing the audiobook this time, to refresh my memory before reading Hell Bent. I really enjoyed it, maybe even more than the first time. I love this dark academia story and the blending of the supernatural with real aspects of New Haven and Yale's history. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last Iota by Robert Kroese and read by P.J. Ochlan is a great follow-up to The Big Sheep. Picking up where the previous book left off, Kroese delivers another sci-fi mystery for Fowler and Keane to investigate, this time revolving around a cryptocurrency known as the Iota. The book ties up some loose ends from the previous installment, while leaving the door open for more. Ochlan did a good job narrating, although I am not generally a fan of audiobook series' changing narrators from one book to another. Perhaps the most egregious shortcoming of this audiobook is that at least one name was pronounced differently in The Last Iota than in The Big Sheep. I consider a lack of continuity between installments in an audio series to be a cardinal sin in this medium, and I'm frustrated it has been committed here. If Kroese writes additional books in this saga, which I sincerely hope he will, I fervently wish that the publisher will hire Fred Berman or P.J. Ochlan for the remainder of the series, rather than changing narrators again. Overall, I enjoyed it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ararat is a creepy and thrilling novel at the intersection of faith, archeology, and adventure. A new site is discovered in Turkey- could it be Noah's ark? Within it is a strange and ancient corpse...with horns. Is it human, demon, or something else? As evil is uncovered on the ark the explorers must confront darkness both on the mountain, and within themselves. Ararat is suspenseful and keep me interested despite not normally being a huge fan of this kind of horror. I did feel that it dragged a bit, but not so much as to lose me. Additionally some characters felt underdeveloped and at times Ararat felt like a later book in a series, rather than the first. I had a sense that I was missing information, or relationship, with some of the characters. Overall I enjoyed the book and plan to read the next installment in the Ben Walker series, but I'm glad I checked this one out from the library instead of buying it on Audible. I doubt I'll read it again.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (audiobook read by Jon Lindstrom) is a thrilling sci-fi novel resonating with themes of identity, family, and really weird physics. I almost don't want to give a synopsis, as I think this is a book best experienced with as little foreknowledge as posible, so I'll just say it's the best book of its sub-genre I've read in awhile, and the infinite possibilities contained within managed to keep me intrigued and surprised throughout. While a few elements of the book were a bit predictable, Crouch's character development and other innovative choices really make Dark Matter something unique. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️