Finished this last night and needed to sleep on it. A bleak and haunting story, Weird with a capital W and incredibly moving. The tone shifts wildly tFinished this last night and needed to sleep on it. A bleak and haunting story, Weird with a capital W and incredibly moving. The tone shifts wildly throughout, funny and horrifying, sometimes in the same breath. I'm sure it's been comped to House of Leaves a million times over, and the comparison isn't wrong, necessarily. But this is a much tighter, much meaner story, really digging into the scabs and sores of life, pulling the protagonist apart and looking back at the reader explicitly and indifferently. Prose is great, some incredibly interesting choices being made, and I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
Many thanks to the publisher for this advance copy....more
A beautiful little story about grief and loss and love, and what people would do to keep their loved ones alive for just a bit longer. Clay builds worA beautiful little story about grief and loss and love, and what people would do to keep their loved ones alive for just a bit longer. Clay builds worlds that feel so lived in and authentic, and I love reading his work. Trevor's illustrations here enhance the story perfectly. It's so short, I don't want to give anything away because you should just go read it. But Clay packs a giant punch in this very tiny story, giving you fully realized character and setting. It's a little creepy and unsettling, and very poignant. ...more
A really wonderful slow burn haunted house story about grief, Wilmot creates a wonderfully nuanced story here. I loved the town of Black Stone, and thA really wonderful slow burn haunted house story about grief, Wilmot creates a wonderfully nuanced story here. I loved the town of Black Stone, and the story is atmospheric and eerie. The characters were beautifully realized, and I loved how layered and genuine they felt. Lots of heavy topics in here, included eating disorders, but Wilmot handles them thoughtfully and sensitively. I think it reads a bit New Adult since the protagonist is so young, but that's not necessarily a bad thing; it feels accessible and a nice entry point for readers who are perhaps new to the horror genre. Really enjoyed this one!...more
I loved this gothic, literary horror novella. This is a tale of grief and regret, told through the eyes of Agnes, a woman living on the small ScottishI loved this gothic, literary horror novella. This is a tale of grief and regret, told through the eyes of Agnes, a woman living on the small Scottish island of Eynhallow, who is beautifully realized. Trapped in a marriage she didn't really want on a tiny island with no escape, Tim does a masterful job of pulling the reader into the story, feeling Agnes's frustration with the way things have turned out for her and the claustrophobia of this difficult life. Reading the story through her observations, asides, and insights adds a rich layer to what could easily have fallen into melodrama. I loved the setting, this harsh and unforgiving environment where the small community of families is essentially trapped, though they would never admit it. The set up is perfectly done, allowing readers to be captivated by these characters before the inevitable doom that befalls them when a mysterious stranger arrives.
I love Tim's storytelling style, and if you liked Lure, I think you will really enjoy this one as well (and if you haven't read Lure, go read that one too!).
If you don't already know where this story is going, keep it that way! I think it would be fabulous to read this without knowing anything about the big reveal, as it's very well done. Thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press and NetGalley for the ARC. ...more
Forgotten Sisters is a mystery, but not just a mystery; a love story but not just a love story; a horror story but not just a horror story. This layerForgotten Sisters is a mystery, but not just a mystery; a love story but not just a love story; a horror story but not just a horror story. This layered and lush novel about sisters, grief, murder, and Chicago drops the reader into the story just after a major trauma has occurred, and ruminates in the aftermath of that horror through the eyes of Anna. The crime podcaster lives in an old house with her sister Jennie, who doesn't seem to be doing well after the drowning deaths of their parents. The house itself seems to be grieving, and Anna is struggling to take care of her sister and herself. A string of drowning deaths in the city of Chicago sets off a series of events that pull Anna into the mystery, and her search for answers brings to light details of her own life that she isn't prepared to examine. The story switches perspectives between Anna and two Chicago detectives who are investigating the drownings, and the switch keeps the reader guessing as to who is telling the truth and who is an unreliable narrator. And the novel is very squarely set in Chicago, so lovingly detailed that you can feel the city surrounding you. Cynthia does a really wonderful job here, the writing is gorgeously laid out and the asides that are so clearly researched add so much depth to the plot. I really enjoyed this: the mystery is satisfying, the love story is sweet and hopeful, and the relationship between Anna and Jennie is so real. There are moments of dread throughout, and some supernatural elements that borrow from dark fairytales (The Little Mermaid is featured quite heavily). This is the first I've read of Cynthia and I'm eager to read more!...more
Simply stunning. I read this in a day, heart in my throat and hand to my mouth. At once an incredibly stressful thriller and a moving meditation on grSimply stunning. I read this in a day, heart in my throat and hand to my mouth. At once an incredibly stressful thriller and a moving meditation on grief and loss, Whalefall is an intricate and lyrical story of a son, Jay, coming to grips with his dad's suicide while simultaneously trying to escape from the sperm whale who swallowed him. It sounds completely wild, and it is. But Kraus has constructed a story that reads as possible and plausible, backed up by quite a lot of research to make readers trust that what's happening could really happen. The book is plotted in such a way that readers are counting down Jay's air along with him, and I felt more and more frantic as Jay's oxygen depletes. While this would be a page turner with nothing but the whale aspect of the story, Kraus's depiction of Jay's fraught relationship with his father is what really resonates. It's a moving and ultimately bittersweet exploration of family's responsibilities to one another. Go read this. I absolutely loved it. One of the best of the year for me....more
I was hooked on this book from the beginning. A retelling of Hamlet set in the distant future, telling the story of a not-so-distant future? So many lI was hooked on this book from the beginning. A retelling of Hamlet set in the distant future, telling the story of a not-so-distant future? So many layers are richly plotted and detailed in this story. I love the conceit of a far future historian recounting the tale of Hayden (the clear stand-in for Hamlet) and his father's murder. Hayden is trying to find a way to keep people from dying, and his father is killed while they are on the cusp of a breakthrough. Elsinore, the lab, is locked for security and the only people trapped inside are Hayden, his uncle, his ex-girlfriend Felicia and her father, and a lab technician. With the help of Horatio, the artificial intelligence who runs the lab, Hayden tries to piece together his father's murder and get revenge.
The story is told in fragments from various sources, including Horatio's logs, Felicia's memoir and interviews, and various footnotes and asides that flesh out the world. The details are immersive and while you may think you know the story of Hamlet, Em X. Liu's take is both fresh and exciting. A highly enjoyable story on a mystery level, as well as a rumination on what it means to be alive. The characters are all both familiar and new, with Horatio being a standout for me. I love the idea of Hamlet's (or Hayden's in this case) best friend being a construct, as well as being an intimate partner in Hayden's plan to expose the murderer.
This is an innovative and interesting story and I very much enjoyed reading it....more
Thanks to Tenebrous Press for sending this debut from Colin Hinckley. The Black Lord is a cosmic folk horror story told through multiple points of vieThanks to Tenebrous Press for sending this debut from Colin Hinckley. The Black Lord is a cosmic folk horror story told through multiple points of view, and centering around the disappearance of Eddie's baby brother. The opening of this book is highly effective, full of dread and really bringing to life Eddie's fear and confusion when faced with a monstrous, malevolent being. As the story progresses and we are introduced to the rest of Eddie's family and the secret that his father has been hiding for years, the true nature of the Black Lord is revealed.
I really enjoyed this one. The writing is great, and I especially liked the slight shifts in time as different characters take over the telling of the story. A very atmospheric and creepy story full of characters that feel real and heartbreakingly flawed. Looking forward to reading more from Colin! This is an excellent debut and as always, Tenebrous is championing some very fresh and interesting talents. ...more
Utterly fantastic. Clay McLeod Chapman writes books that just work for me. I adored Ghost Eaters, and I was hopeful that What Kind of Mother would be Utterly fantastic. Clay McLeod Chapman writes books that just work for me. I adored Ghost Eaters, and I was hopeful that What Kind of Mother would be equally good. I was not disappointed. Madi is a woman who comes back to her hometown after some hardships, and she's holed up in a motel, doing palm readings to make ends meet. She reconnects with her high school sweetheart, Henry, who's been keeping to himself after a family tragedy. I won't spoil anything here, but suffice to say that pretty much nothing is as it seems in this story. The book begins as kind of a small-town family drama, with a few elements of folk horror or creepy moments peppered in a larger story about a small town where most folks derive their living from the river surrounding them. The setting and the people living here feel fully realized, and Chapman's prose is great, of course. I felt as though, as I started reading, I was really pulled into this town and these characters, riding with them in a boat down the river, slow and safe. Then all of a sudden the water gets deep and you're drowning in a nightmarish horror novel. Twice when I was reading I needed to take a break, I had been so engrossed in the story and was struck by utter dread as I realized this was going in a much worse direction than I had originally thought. Chapman pulls the rug out from the reader so deftly by the time you realize what's going on, you're in too deep. Sometimes, you find an author whose writing resonates with you in such a way that their stories really sing. I think Chapman is one of those authors for me. His writing just works for my brain in such a satisfying way and I'm so thankful I got the chance to read an early copy of this (thanks to Clay and to Quirk for the eARC). Disturbing and heartbreaking, I highly recommend this book....more
This book starts out incredibly well with a scary set piece, and keeps up the frenetic pace throughout. Focusing on Rachelle, her son Rory, and her frThis book starts out incredibly well with a scary set piece, and keeps up the frenetic pace throughout. Focusing on Rachelle, her son Rory, and her friends, Lauren Bolger effectively sets up a story of hauntings and possession, and the key to everything is a mysterious radio made by Rachelle's ex-boyfriend. There is mystery, humour, romance, and of course horror, in the form of some very creepy set pieces. Lauren deftly weaves back stories and memories into the fast-paced present-day story. Highly enjoyable!...more
What a book. I'm late to the party, I know, but so glad I finally got around to reading this one. Langan is incredibly good, and The Fisherman straddlWhat a book. I'm late to the party, I know, but so glad I finally got around to reading this one. Langan is incredibly good, and The Fisherman straddles the line between literary and genre fiction in a polished and craftsmanlike way that really worked for me. At once a study of grief in its various forms and stages and a weird, cosmic horror tale within a tale, this book is haunting and atmospheric. The setting shifts but retains its grounded nature throughout, and the prose is beautiful even when it's describing terrible things....more
Thanks to Tenebrous Press for the ARC. This is a haunting, scary, disorienting read. A meditation on the trauma, guilt, and anger that survivors hold Thanks to Tenebrous Press for the ARC. This is a haunting, scary, disorienting read. A meditation on the trauma, guilt, and anger that survivors hold onto when bad things happen to other people. And about the ties that bind family together, for good or ill. Aggie lost her sister Joanne 20 years ago when Joanne vanishes in the woods. Twenty years later, her brother thinks he may have found her. So against her better judgment, Aggie joins her older and younger brother on a trip to see if they can find more clues and get some closure. The trip brings long-simmering pain, anger, and guilt to the surface, while the siblings must also deal with a forest that isn't quite as it seems, full of malevolent forces, time slips, and perhaps their missing sister. Laura writes sharp, incisive prose, insightful and layered characters, and scary, suspenseful plot details. The result is a creepy and devastating story that will leave you wanting more. Loved this. Highly recommend! ...more
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