If you've been on the hunt for collection of short stories with a pretty unique take on the horror genre, look no fuNarration: 5 Stars Overall: 4 Stars
If you've been on the hunt for collection of short stories with a pretty unique take on the horror genre, look no further than Rachel Harrison's Bad Dolls - what a great collection! Since there were only a handful of stories, I thought the best way to do this review would be to break it down into a bunch of mini-reviews per each story, & then give ya'll my overall thoughts on the collection as a whole!
Reply Hazy, Try Again: This was a great way to open the collection, "Reply Hazy, Try Again" hits you with a big dose of nostalgia for Magic 8 Balls (maybe not this Magic 8 Ball, though). This story strays the farthest away from traditional horror, it was almost more of a relationship drama with a dash of fantasy, but it worked for me! (4 Stars)
Bachelorette: Easily my favorite out the collection, "Bachelorette" really, really played on a lot of my own personal anxieties with lifelong friends & friend groups, in general. This story made me genuinely uncomfortable a handful of times & I was really surprised with the turn it took, definitely didn't see that coming at all! (5 Stars)
Goblin: If you have any kind of aversion or triggers towards dieting & eating disorders, stay away from "Goblin" - this one really got to me, too. As someone who's been on a weight loss journey for quite some time now, this played into so many inner fears I have with fitness. & this had such a satisfying ending! (4.5 Stars)
Bad Dolls: Out of the entire collection, "Bad Dolls" serves up the best dose of traditional horror - can't ever go wrong with a creepy porcelain doll! I really liked how Harrison tackled grief with this one, & dolls will never fail to freak me the hell out. (4.5 Stars)
Overall, I had a great time listening to this & think it'll be perfect for spooky season! I desperately need to dive more into Harrison's backlist, really looking forward to Such Sharp Teeth! ...more
If you're a fan of R.L. Stine or were a reader of Point Horror books from back in the day, you've got to put Victoria Narration 5 Stars Story: 4 Stars
If you're a fan of R.L. Stine or were a reader of Point Horror books from back in the day, you've got to put Victoria Fulton & Faith McClaren's Horror Hotel on your radar - this was a lot of fun!
I highly recommend going with the audiobook for this - it was a full cast & each performer really delivered, it was a very cinematic listening experience. Think a modern teen version of Ghost Hunters meets AHS: Hotel meets a serial killer murder mystery. Sometimes I think YA books that have an emphasis on social media can be a little cringe, but I thought it was done really well here. I'm a huge fan of paranormal videos on YouTube, myself (Nuke's Top 5, anyone?), & would most definitely be a Ghost Gang subscriber. The pacing was nice & quick, I loved that we got a full diverse cast (great queer rep, ya'll know I love spooky with a dash of romance), & I can't emphasize this enough - it was just a lot of fun! This was easy, breezy, light horror that really reminded me of spookier books from when I was a teen, not necessarily the twistiest book in the world but something that's highly entertaining & had a very satisfying ending.
All in all, I had a great time listening to this, definitely recommend if you're in the mood for something quick & enjoyable! & thank you so much for the free audiobook @prhaudio! ...more
If you're like me & you've been itching to dive into some spooky season reads, you've got to pick up Danielle ValentinNarration: 5 Stars Story: 5 Stars
If you're like me & you've been itching to dive into some spooky season reads, you've got to pick up Danielle Valentine's How to Survive Your Murder - this is how you write a slasher!
My expectations going into this were high considering it's being marketed as a mix between two of my favorite horror franchises - Scream and Happy Death Day - & I'm happy to report that this blew me away! Fast-paced, fun, & vicious, Valentine didn't hold back whatsoever when it came to the body count & gore. If you're going to write a slasher, you've got to go for it, & let me tell ya'll, she went for it - can we give it up for there being actual stakes?! Some of the kills were just brutal! I absolutely loved Alice & her love of horror movies, the references in this were *chef's kiss* amazing, & I really enjoyed the different takes the book presented with the whole final girl trope. Valentine did such a great job of keeping you on your toes as to who the killer is, & while my suspicions were proven correct, I will say this - I did not see that ending coming whatsoever, seriously holy shit! That's what really elevated this story to the next level for me. & I've got to give a shoutout for our audiobook narrator, Valerie Rose Lohman, she did such an amazing job & gave a highly believable performance.
All in all, this was a horror movie lover's dream, a really fun & original take on the slasher genre that'll be perfect for Halloween! & thank you so much for the free audiobook @prhaudio! ...more
(Mini-Review) Rachel Harrison is an author who's been on my radar for a while now (I own her two novels, both sittingNarration: 5 Stars Story: 4 Stars
(Mini-Review) Rachel Harrison is an author who's been on my radar for a while now (I own her two novels, both sitting high on top of my TBR), & when I saw she'd written a 47 minute short story for Audible Originals, I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm so, so glad I did - I loved this! I thought the story itself was highly entertaining & unique - this was like light horror meets romance meets self love with a dash of fantasy. (view spoiler)[I did NOT put it together that she was in purgatory! I was like oh, this time travel/alternate reality is really cool - them being in purgatory was a really interesting spin, definitely caught me off guard! (hide spoiler)] It managed to be breezy & comedic yet poignant, but was still very much so grounded within the horror genre. The characters were well developed, especially for a short story, & I really felt for Sally. I was really curious to see what choices she'd ultimately end up making & without giving anything away, I was very satisfied with the ending - I didn't expect to come out of this feeling so empowered! & I've got to give it up for the narrator, Louisa Krause - she was fantastic! I loved listening to her, she instantly captured my attention & had me thoroughly engaged in the story the entire time. All in all, this was a quick, fun story, & I think I'm finally starting to get my bearings with audiobooks - highly recommend giving this a listen!...more
If you're a fan of dystopian stories with a hint of sci-fi & some social horror, you've got to pick up Lamar Giles' ThNarration: 5 Stars Story: 4 Stars
If you're a fan of dystopian stories with a hint of sci-fi & some social horror, you've got to pick up Lamar Giles' The Getaway - this was the perfect book to close off spooky season with!
I've seen a few reviewers describe this as Disneyland meets Black Mirror & I couldn't agree more, I think that comparison is spot on - this wasn't what I was expecting it to be at all in the best way, there's a ton of twists & turns! Giles' pacing was perfection, I was immediately drawn in & really enjoyed the way the book was structured - we get these ads & updates for Karloff Country throughout the story & I thought those were a lot of fun. Jay was a great MC & I liked that we got peeks into Connie, Seychelle & Zeke's POVs, as well! I've seen some say this isn't quite horror, but I disagree - there are some truly horrific things that happen in Karloff Country, this is absolutely social horror & pretty reflective of a lot of the views that conservative, wealthy, & (mostly) white Americans hold today. & I don't get squeamish at much, but this definitely gave me the heebie-jeebies a few times so be sure to check TWs! (view spoiler)[Cannibalism just grosses me out ya'll, you should've seen me watching that movie Fresh lmfao (hide spoiler)] I gave the audiobook a listen & I thought all three of our narrators - Karl T. Wright, Imani Parks, & P.J. Ochlan - did a fantastic job, this was such a great audiobook performance if you're an audiobook fan!
All in all, I had a great time listening to The Getaway & think it would make for such a cinematic & timely movie or limited series adaptation (you hear me Hollywood?) - highly recommend giving this a go! ...more
As soon as I saw the comp to Final Destination, one of my all-time favorite horror franchises, I knew I had to read JeNarration: 5 Stars Story: 5 Stars
As soon as I saw the comp to Final Destination, one of my all-time favorite horror franchises, I knew I had to read Jennifer Thorne's Lute - & ya'll, this lived up to that comp in every way!
I have to start by saying the audiobook was absolutely fantastic - Victoria Blunt, you did that, one of my favorite audiobook performances ever, a truly cinematic listening experience from start to finish! As with most horror, I'd highly suggest going into this as blindly as possible, so I'll keep all of the details relatively general. The way Thorne built suspense was so well done, I loved the way this book was structured - a few days leading up to "the day", & then the actual day itself, split up into different hours throughout the day. I was on the edge of my seat so many times, & the last 20% had me audibly gasping & yelling in my car - I'll reiterate, this completely lives up to its Final Destination comp through & through. Nina was the perfect protagonist to follow with a story like this, I was fascinated with her journey & personal progression as "the day" went on, & I think the way everything ultimately played out, especially with her character, strikes up a lot of interesting philosophical discussions. This was such a great blend of horror, fantasy, & hints of a domestic thriller (& some slight romance/steam), & it ultimately had a lot to say, particularly about community & duty.
I highly recommend grabbing a copy of this & giving the audiobook a listen, this is the perfect spooky season read/listen! & thank you so much Jennifer Thorne, NetGalley, & Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for a honest review! ...more
This was the queer 90's teen horror movie of my dreams!
Andy Mientus, what an absolute knockout! Mientus' writing was Narration: 5 Stars Story: 5 Stars
This was the queer 90's teen horror movie of my dreams!
Andy Mientus, what an absolute knockout! Mientus' writing was really strong, especially for a debut - the characters all acted & sounded like teens in the 90's, but the book itself read like more of an adult dark academia story, so if you're not too big into YA, don't fret! We get three POVs - Zooey, Daniel & Leo - & I loved that each character had their own distinct voice, this was great at spotlighting many different types of queer men (Leo was my favorite). The first half of this read like a queer coming of age story with slight witchy undertones, & then once the witchiness gets fully introduced, well - shit hits the fan & it's near impossible to put down. This gave me major The Craft vibes, but make it queer! & I thought this had a ton of really important discussions about issues still prevalent within the queer community, like code switching, racism, & toxic masculinity, to name a few. Mientus doesn't shy away from the AIDS crisis, either, given that the book takes place during the 90's, & I thought those aspects of the story were heartbreaking yet extremely powerful. & I've got to give it up to all three of our narrators - the author himself, Kyle Beltran & Daniel K. Isaac - they did such a phenomenal job, this was an incredible audiobook! I was living for the vibey music in between each chapter!
All in all, I had such a blast listening to Fraternity & think more people should be talking about this - I would give (almost) anything for an adaptation! & I really hope Mientus keeps dabbling around in queer horror, this was such a gem!...more
Personally, short story collections can be very hit or miss for me - more often than not, I find that I don't vibe with at least a handful o4.5 Stars
Personally, short story collections can be very hit or miss for me - more often than not, I find that I don't vibe with at least a handful of them, throwing off the collection as a whole. As a big fan of V. Castro's work, however, I decided to give Mestiza Blood a go, & I'm so happy I did - this is easily one of the best short story collections I've come across, not a single story in here was a miss!
V. Castro is an expert at weaving together horror, mythology, & social commentary, & every story featured within Mestiza Blood, no matter how big or small, had something to say. Her writing is truly hypnotic, & the stories are incredibly diverse & unique. The standouts for me were "Cam Girl Sally", "Dancehall Devil", "Street Fighter", "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", "Truck Stop", & "The Final Pornstar" (slasher fans, you need this collection purely for that story alone), but my favorite was easily "The Cold Season" - what an incredible story! Probably the most sci-fi out of the collection, it revolved around the idea of being able to extract your consciousness/soul out of your old & dying body & planting it into a clone of yourself to be reborn, living a fresh, new life but with all the knowledge you've gained in your previous life. I thought it was incredibly fascinating & well done, very Black Mirror-esque, & really made me take a second to think.
I highly recommend picking this up, along with all of V. Castro's other work - you definitely want to keep an eye on her! Thank you so much V. Castro, NetGalley, & Flame Tree Press for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!...more
There's just something about an abandoned amusement park that makes it the perfect backdrop for a horror novel, & Kiersten White truly hit it out of tThere's just something about an abandoned amusement park that makes it the perfect backdrop for a horror novel, & Kiersten White truly hit it out of the park with Hide!
The initial setup does require a little bit of patience - there's a pretty large cast of characters (14 competitors alone including Mack, the MC), & while I was initially worried about keeping track of them all, White did a really fantastic job of making sure each had their own, distinct personalities. There was some great character development for such a big cast & a shorter book, you really came to care about (& loathe) a handful of them by the end - Mack, Ava, LeGrand & Brandon (my favorite) were truly the stars of the show. (view spoiler)[I won't even lie, I actually teared up a little bit when Brandon died, & I just thought Mack's entire backstory with her dad & sister was so, so effective. Ava's was definitely effective, too, but I wish we got a little more out of hers, especially since she was one of our two queer MCs! (hide spoiler)] This isn't the type of book that grants you answers right away - you're kept in the dark as to what's going on for a majority of the time & there aren't any actual reveals as to what's really happening until you're over halfway in, but I found that to be incredibly effective. Trust me when I say it's worth the amount of times you'll be asking yourself "what the hell is going on?" (view spoiler)[I mean, a Minotaur?! I sure as hell didn't see that coming, I knew they were being eaten by something but a Minotaur?! I'm not well versed in Greek mythology though, so take that for what you will, lol. Rich white people making sacrifices to keep their wealth & prosperity in tact just really isn't far off from some of the vibes we've got going on in 2022, that's for sure. (hide spoiler)] & while this does go into full-blown horror territory, I wouldn't say this is too scary by any means for those who're hesitant to pick up the genre - there is some gore though, so fair warning! I would've liked just a little bit more out of the ending, but all in all I was really satisfied with how everything wrapped up.
This was highly original & I just had so much fun reading it from start to finish - I've really got to make it a priority to dive into White's backlist, & I can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Thank you so much Kiersten White, NetGalley, & Del Rey Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!...more
"I've always found sunsets to be rather melancholy," Mike says. "You? Shocking. Why?" "They're reminders that no mattNarration: 5 Stars Story: 4.5 Stars
"I've always found sunsets to be rather melancholy," Mike says. "You? Shocking. Why?" "They're reminders that no matter what, inevitably, our day will come to an end too. No matter who we are, how we spent every hour, lived every second, eventually night will fall and that black tide will wash over every one of us just the same. And tomorrow the sands will be scrubbed clean, as if we were never here at all."
K.C. Jones' debut novel Black Tide was such a wild ride, I had a blast listening to this - if you've been looking for something in the vein of A Quiet Place, you've got to put this on your radar!
Jones' writing was phenomenal, I can't believe this is a debut! This was a very character-driven story, one that takes place in the same setting for a good 90% of the book, but Jones' pacing was perfection - you get just the right amount of introduction & setup before all hell breaks loose. I loved Beth & Mike, both very complex protagonists haunted by their own demons, & Jake, easily one of the best fictional canine heroes I've come across. (view spoiler)[& Natalia, OF COURSE - I can't tell you how shocked I was that she was alive the entire time, I was really curious where the story would go with the two of them left in a sinking Subaru & then SURPRISE! That was a solid twist! (hide spoiler)] For such a contained story (& one full of nightmarish creatures & quite a few other surprises), this had a lot to say - about life, our pasts & how they shape our present selves, grief, letting go of guilt; this was really poignant at times, even making me misty eyed on more than one occasion. & speaking of the creatures, I thought Jones did a fantastic job describing everything - when I tell ya'll my skin was crawling, I can't stand bugs of any kind! I'm not too squeamish, but this definitely gets gory & gross, so be sure keep that in mind if that's not your cup of tea! & I have to give it up for both of our narrators, they did such an amazing job of selling the story, there were so, so many times when I was on the edge of my seat.
All in all, this was exactly what I was looking for (& then some), there's nothing like a good creature feature to kick off the summer - I can't wait to see what Jones comes up with next! & thank you so much K.C. Jones, NetGalley, Tor Nightfire & Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC & ARC in exchange for a honest review!...more
If you've got a thing for apocalyptic horror, Jeremy Ray's The Gatherings is the short story for you! Talk about a genre departure from the adorable TIf you've got a thing for apocalyptic horror, Jeremy Ray's The Gatherings is the short story for you! Talk about a genre departure from the adorable The House Plant!
In all honesty, I've been kind of hesitant with this subgenre lately because it's a little too close to COVID for my own liking, but this was so out there & phantasmagorical at times that I had zero issues whatsoever. I'm a big fan of survival horror & I liked that this was basically part-apocalypse/part-survival horror. I was getting major Hands Across America vibes from the gatherings themselves, & anything cultish automatically gives me the creeps (& Us did Hands Across America absolutely no favors in that regard, lol). I love that Jeremy just leaned into full blown horror tropes here - the imagery was really something else! I want to keep things relatively general because I was pretty surprised at how this all played out, but know it's definitely horror & borders on creature feature territory. This was definitely one of the most unique apocalyptic tales I've ever read!
If you're looking to read something quick & spooky, I highly suggest checking this out! I've been really impressed with Jeremy's short stories & I can't wait to see what else he has up his sleeve!...more
This has to be one of the most layered possession stories I've ever read, a very original & unique take on the trope that read like a modern spin on TThis has to be one of the most layered possession stories I've ever read, a very original & unique take on the trope that read like a modern spin on The Craft told through a Latinx lens.
At its core this is a feminist coming-of-age story about a group of five young, Chicana women living in Texas, & I loved the many ways V. Castro examined topics of female empowerment, identity, & sexuality through a horror lens. This was really creepy & dark, yet also very beautiful & inspiring - I love when horror is multifaceted & trust me when I say Castro will have you going through a ringer of emotions. A lot of the horror found within these pages is tied into real world issues faced by areas close to the border, & I thought Castro did a fantastic job of juxtaposing reality with the supernatural. Fernanda's transformation as a character was so fascinating - I don't want to give away anything, but I'll reiterate this isn't your typical possession story.
Even if you're not a fan of novellas, I'd encourage you to pick this up - what begins as a séance gone wrong morphs into a tale of so much more with a very impactful message. I'm really looking forward to checking out more of V. Castro's work!...more
If you've been in search of a wholly original & unique spin on the classic haunted house story, look no further than S.A. Barnes' Dead Silence - what If you've been in search of a wholly original & unique spin on the classic haunted house story, look no further than S.A. Barnes' Dead Silence - what a book!
Event Horizon is one of my favorite movies, & this gave me major Event Horizon vibes while still being its own distinctive story. This took a ton of twists & turns I wasn't expecting, at all - I don't want to give anything away, but I'll say that not everything is as it seems & I really like when horror makes you question whether or not paranormal forces are present. All of the characters were great, but particularly Claire - I appreciated the focus on past trauma & how that doesn't necessarily define what you are or aren't capable of as a leader. I really enjoyed Barnes' use of alternating timelines here - most of the horror takes place in the past, but that didn't deter from the creepiness that was persistent within the present portions. & let me tell you - this was creepy! Barnes' writing was so cinematic & detailed, & some of the descriptions she used really made my skin crawl. Also, I've got to say, I loved (& was pleasantly surprised by) the commentary on corporate competition & greed - it's almost eerily similar to the beginnings of this new space race we've got going on, & it definitely gave me something to think about!
All in all, I loved everything about this, & I've got to give it give it up to Barnes for being able to get me out of a month long slump - highly, highly recommend putting this on your TBR lists! I can already tell this is going to be an early contender as a 2022 favorite! & thank you so much S.A. Barnes, NetGalley, & Tor Nightfire for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!...more
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