Time for another horror novel folks, and I have to say this one left me in a bit of a tizzy. Slewfoot, by Brom, is a slow burn historical horror that captures Puritan culture vividly, but falters when delivering on the horror and its themes. Slewfoot is the story of Abitha, an Englishwoman sold as…
The Last Graduate, by Naomi Novik, is one of the best books of the year for many readers. I don’t think that will surprise anyone who has read A Deadly Education, which was one of my top picks of last year. The Scholomance series stands out from the pack with a unique narrative experience, fabulous setting,…
Halloween is upon us, and that means it’s time for the spooky and the ghoulish to come out and play. I decided to dive deep this year and breathe in the musty air that the dark basements of abandoned homes have in copious supply. The first book is truly a delight, with everything the casual…
Continue reading ➞ The Last House on Needless Street – Don’t Ding Dong Ditch This Book
When I picked up Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley, I expected a fairly tried and true fantasy/mystery thriller based on the back of the book. What I got instead was a mix of horror, profanity, existential crises, and a tried and true fantasy/mystery thriller. The book is profound in that it manages to both be…
Unfortunately for you, the book I am about to review doesn't come out for a couple weeks. But, I am so excited to talk about it that I had to make sure it didn't fly under the radar. It's one of our Dark Horse debuts of the second half of the year and you should…
Continue reading ➞ We Have Always Been Here – And So Shall They Remain
I prefer to get weird with my reading sometimes, and often that can be hard when there are so many releases. Especially when those releases fit into nicely worn grooves, adding to a genre or subgenre I feel immersed in. I am obviously more comfortable reading science fiction, especially if it's a space opera, near…
Continue reading ➞ The Space Between Two Deaths – Uncomfortably Enjoyable
The Helm of Midnight, by Marina J. Lostetter, is a book with a lot of ideas. The first entry in The Five Penalties series, I find myself at a loss as to whether to recommend it or not. On the one hand, Lostetter has built a world just brimming with interesting rules and magic. On…
Continue reading ➞ The Helm Of Midnight – A Steep Hike With A View
Beneath the Rising was one of the early Dark Horses of last year, and boy, oh boy did it pack a punch. I wasn’t expecting a sequel, but Premee Mohamed decided to grace us with one anyway. If her debut novel had my curiosity, the follow up has my attention. A Broken Darkness is a…
Continue reading ➞ A Broken Darkness — When the Light at the End of the Tunnel is But a Candle
I am a latecomer to Welcome to Night Vale, much to my shame. If you are unfamiliar with the famous podcast by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, it’s a humor-based series about a small American town replete with supernatural happenings. The character who narrates the series is a small local radio jockey who does his…
Continue reading ➞ Mostly Void, Partially Stars – Shines Bright In The Dark
I hate missing books. Sometimes they just come out during a crowded release season, or I’m feeling too burnt out to give the book its proper due. Whatever the case, there is a satisfaction you feel when you finally get to it regardless of the book's quality. However, there are those perfect moments, when your…
Continue reading ➞ The Outside – Seeing the Forest Over the Trees
