i usually enjoy anthologies and short story collections but this one did feel like a chore to get through — most of the stories weren’t that exciting i usually enjoy anthologies and short story collections but this one did feel like a chore to get through — most of the stories weren’t that exciting and i did end up skipping a few. which i usually don’t like doing. but i don’t think i’d ever have finished this if i hadn’t.
some of the stories were genuinely very good and i think id have enjoyed reading them outside of the anthology collection.
teeth by stephen graham jones unkindly girls by hailey piper cavity by theresa delucci one of these nights by livia llewellyn the donner party by dale bailey a sunny disposition by josh malerman
but as a whole i don’t think it worked for me. which is a shame because the idea behind it was really interesting and there’s a bunch of great authors in the mix.
/// ARC courtesy of tachyon publications and netgalley. ...more
This was my very first SGJ and despite having three of his books already on my shelves completely unread, because I’m clearly a loser, I couldn’t not This was my very first SGJ and despite having three of his books already on my shelves completely unread, because I’m clearly a loser, I couldn’t not apply for an ARC of I Was a Teenager Slasher — it sounded way up my alley and too good to not read in advance!
It was honestly everything I wanted in a book called I Was a Teenager Slasher. I went into it basically unaware of what to expect, but I really loved the confessional storytelling of the main character, Tolly Driver, and how he became what he became. It is very much a homage to being a teenager growing up in a small town in the 80’s, as well as a nod to anyone who loves the horror — slasher — genre. There’s lots of slasher meta in it, that makes it a fun read for any horror lover that knows their shit.
Despite the absurdity of the story, SGJ somehow still manages to make it feel very grounded, very real, and I think that’s because of the characters. I loved them all. Slasher, victims and final girl included. It hits you right in your feelings and by the end of it, you can’t help but feel for Tolly despite everything.
I Was a Teenage Slasher is the perfect autumn read and I definitely wanna re-read it in the near future. I’m also even more excited to finally start the other books that I have by him!
/// Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC....more
Izumi Suzuki is able to capture the seedy underbelly of the Japanese underground music scene of the 70s — complete with all the sex, drugs, and rock’nIzumi Suzuki is able to capture the seedy underbelly of the Japanese underground music scene of the 70s — complete with all the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll that you can imagine in her, newly translated into English, novel Set My Heart on Fire.
This is my first time reading anything by Izumi Suzuki, in fact, I’d never heard about her until now. But I simply couldn’t resist reading Set My Heart on Fire with its promise of detailing the turbulent life of a woman in her 20s in the bar and club scenes of 1970s Tokyo. The idea of struggling through your youth, with iconic music as the background, while trying to fill the void with anything from drugs and alcohol, to sex with musicians? It sounded just up my alley.
I’m not sure I loved this book, maybe I would’ve devoured it whole when I was in my own 20s more than I would now, but I was definitely unable to put it down. I’m not, as mentioned, familiar with Izumi Suzuki, so when I finished the book I took the liberty to read up on her — or as much as I could, there’s very little information available in english! — and it seems that Set My Heart on Fire is a sort of autofiction novel that is semi based on her own life? If that is the case, I do think it bumps the rating of it up a lot more for me. Seeing as it’s an exploration of her own youth, told in thirteen vignettes that stretches through her 20s and 30s. It makes it feel a lot more impactful in a way? A lot more raw and painful to read. Either way, whether autobiographical, autofiction or just plain fiction, Set My Heart on Fire is a story of a woman feeling lost in her youth and into adulthood. The feeling of losing out on life, when settling for less, and the wish to have it all back — to be young and dumb again, to not have made the mistakes you did because you didn’t think you could get better? But then again, to also not be caught in the past so you’re unable to live the future you could have.
Izumi Suzuki, despite this being written in the 80s and taking place in the 70s, still captures the worries and fears of any young person even today in 2024. The translator, Helen O’Horan, did an exceptional job bringing those feelings to life in English and it’s fantastic that the publisher is allowing for the rest of us to be able to read Suzuki’s works in English. I’m definitely curious to read her other work, which is more akin to science fiction, but which Verso has also made available in English!
TL;DR this book captures all the emotions of being young and dumb, making mistakes, and sitting with those feelings when you’re older. Izumi Suzuki is such an interesting person, I can’t help but want to read more by her!
Grey Dog is a literary horror that explores womanhood and queerness in the early 1900s. What it is to be a woman full of trauma, rage and grief — and Grey Dog is a literary horror that explores womanhood and queerness in the early 1900s. What it is to be a woman full of trauma, rage and grief — and to feel longing for another woman but unable to act on it.
It’s absolutely beautifully written. It’s atmospheric, and despite being written like journal entries, it still manages to make you feel present in the story. It’s as if you’re there, with Ada, experiencing it all first hand.
There’s so many things I loved about this and it’s one of those books you just gotta read to fully experience it. It starts off slow, but it’s very intentional, and it makes the story so much more impactful as you follow Ada into her madness without realising it.
I would absolutely recommend it for people who’re into literary horror, sad queer stories and The Witch (2015) vibes.
/// Thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for the ARC and to Elliot Gish for writing something that hits you so deeply. ...more
i didn’t absolutely love this but i also didn’t dislike it, i think i would’ve liked this more in a short story collection?
but it was well written, ii didn’t absolutely love this but i also didn’t dislike it, i think i would’ve liked this more in a short story collection?
but it was well written, it dealt with topics on grief and death mixed with a little bit of eco horror! it felt pretty unique to me in that sense and i think if you love to grow your own vegetables you’ll love this horrifying tale ...more
This was definitely not at all what I had expected since I’d imagined a Korean-American female serial killer a la American Psycho style book but this This was definitely not at all what I had expected since I’d imagined a Korean-American female serial killer a la American Psycho style book but this was so much more than that!
The Eyes Are The Best Part isn’t just your regular ol’ gory horror with no substance. You’re able to clearly see the threads of Ji-Won’s mental health as it spirals out of control not only from trauma and grief, but also from the constant fetishisation and sexism that surrounds her as a Korean-American woman.
It shows perfectly where her rage comes from, where her obsession with biting into salty blue eyes comes from, and what effect the manipulation and neglect of the men around her has on her mind. I can’t speak on the fetishisation of asian women, but I do think the parts that clearly shows the sexism at work was masterfully done and oh so accurate. Geoffrey and his nice guy attitude absolutely triggered something in me and I c haven’t been able to stop thinking about all the manipulative guys like that I’ve met.
This is honestly an amazing book and it’s perfect for anyone who sometimes likes their horror to have some depth. Or anyone who’s obsessed with women’s rights and wrongs — because honestly, Amy from Gone Girl has got nothing on Ji-Won.
/// ARC courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. ...more
i really liked this and the strangeness of it all, but calling it “literary horror in the gothic tradition” does it a huge disservice.
this has horrori really liked this and the strangeness of it all, but calling it “literary horror in the gothic tradition” does it a huge disservice.
this has horror elements such as dreams and people who haunt the main character, who are so eerily described but that’s about it. this is much more literary fiction on generational trauma, identity and war.
i don’t know much about the south korean and north korean war, nor about korean culture and identity, but i felt this book described it so vividly you get a very close idea of the trauma that’s endured by its people. the story feels haunting in its depiction of the older generation, how they’re marked by the war, and that it shapes their every action and inaction. there’s also a clear gap between that generation and the younger one. one which the main character is a part of. she is also haunted by her ancestors trauma, but in a completely different way.
there’s honestly a lot to unpack with this book and so much to think about. i honestly wished i had buddy read it with someone so i could talk about it!
but tl;dr don’t go into this thinking it’s horror or gothic horror. you’ll be disappointed and the story doesn’t deserve that. if you’re intrigued by trauma, family relations, dealing with grief and finding your own place in a horrible world. then you’ll find this book is the perfect companion.
// thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read the arc through netgalley! ...more
Your Shadow Half Remains is a tense and claustrophobic post-apocalyptic novella about trauma, fear and isolation, and how it all subtly affects your mYour Shadow Half Remains is a tense and claustrophobic post-apocalyptic novella about trauma, fear and isolation, and how it all subtly affects your mind and perception over time. It's about the loneliness and intense need for a human connection even if that connection might be the end of you and others. It's also about not knowing whether the madness has consumed you whole, if it's been with you this whole time, waiting, or if this is how it was always meant to be.
It's a lot of things. It's also an extremely intense, sitting at the edge of your seat and can't put it down, kind of read that's impossible to not read in one sitting. I love the portrayal of this intense need to be known to others, to be seen and to see, but not being able to because it could mean the end of you. That despite of that, small risks are taken, bringing the madness closer.
The way this was written was claustrophobic and terrifying, and it feels like a post-apocalyptic zombie film without the zombies. It's giving 28 days later with its vibe with London being replaced with a house in the middle of nowhere and Cillian Murphy was a queer woman intrigued by an unknown new neighbour. I loved the zombie-not-zombie vibes, the fact this was AFTER the virus and it shows a world semi working in a way, and that it's a potentially unreliable narrator and a queer relationship - it's also so much more than a romantic relationship as well with so much depth (and again, did I say it was queer! I think Ellis is genderqueer or at least their gender isn't known? That's really cool).
The ending of this was absolutely amazing. I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it did make me feel some kind of intense emotions. It's definitely a highlight of 2024!!
// ARC courtesy of Tor Nightfire and NetGalley....more
In Excess of Dark is a dark and disturbing novella that explores loss and grief as the main character struggles with whether her own imagination causeIn Excess of Dark is a dark and disturbing novella that explores loss and grief as the main character struggles with whether her own imagination causes horrible things to happen to the ones she loves.
This very much gives off The Babadook vibes when it comes to manifestation of grief and I liked the way the author portrayed depression and loss within the genre of horror. It’s morbid and disturbing and a perfect read for anyone who wants a horror novella centred on grief!
While I absolutely devoured this in no time and was completely hooked from the beginning, the writing sometimes felt very juvenile to me. I’m not sure if that was on purpose specifically with the main character and her relationship with her mum, but it did make it feel like a rather dark YA horror which I’m not sure was the intention? Either way, it was still really good and I enjoyed it!
// ARC received from DarkLit Press and NetGalley. ...more
maybe this isn’t a straight out 5 star read re: the strength of the believability of the plot BUT i absolutely had a blast reading it and i barely wanmaybe this isn’t a straight out 5 star read re: the strength of the believability of the plot BUT i absolutely had a blast reading it and i barely wanted to put it down until i’d finished it! so in that sense it’s getting a five star rating for entertaining me fully and for having a main character that i absolutely adore.
i thought vesper was the perfect main character with her own little flaws and Childhood Trauma™️ with her difficult relationship with her mother, constance, who i was super intrigued by. i won’t go into detail because it’s all plot relevant, but i loved them both and their messed up relationship.
black sheep was so so good and rachel harrison is quickly become an author i just have to read everything by now that ive read this and such sharp teeth. will definitely have to read her other books on my tbr!
thank you to titan books for the arc on netgalley! ...more
Whisper of the Woods is a super short and somewhat creepy graphic novel about Adam trying to find his friend who has gone missing in a small Romanian Whisper of the Woods is a super short and somewhat creepy graphic novel about Adam trying to find his friend who has gone missing in a small Romanian town. When Adam arrives it's clear there's something different about this town and sure enough, there's talks of a mythical creature called the iele that stalks the town's men at night...
I'm always up for stories on mythical creatures and lore from other cultures than my own and this was definitely interesting! What's not to love about feminine mythical creatures luring men in at night? My only issue with Whisper of the Woods is that it is far too short. You don't get to be invested enough in the characters and it ends far too abruptly (with a small twist though, which is neat). But otherwise I think it's well worth the read!
// Thank you to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for the ARC....more
Let Me Out is a great mix of 70s satanic panic, queerness and small town spookiness.
I REALLY loved the character designs and the art style over all. Let Me Out is a great mix of 70s satanic panic, queerness and small town spookiness.
I REALLY loved the character designs and the art style over all. It’s what made me interested in reading it to begin with (that and that it’s queer horror) but the writing in itself and the plot really made it whole. It’s always fun reading stories with the outsiders in the centre of it all, especially when the outsiders are queer or punks. It also makes for really great designs.
The graphic novel was super diverse and inclusive, which is always a plus on my side, as it often makes for better storytelling — especially in this case, with the characters being in the middle of a small town’s satanic panic hysteria.
My only real issue with the graphic novel is that it felt too short and I can only hope there’ll be a volume two in the near future ...more
i really loved every minute of this and was barely able to put it down! the mystery of mister magic, the show and person, what really happened all thoi really loved every minute of this and was barely able to put it down! the mystery of mister magic, the show and person, what really happened all those years ago and the suspense of what’s going to happen now was utterly perfect.
i loved the circle of friends and i liked how very clearly the author shows the effect of childhood trauma and how it can affect you into adulthood. i also especially liked her end notes which gave a great insight into her mindset for writing this and i urge you to read it if you pick up mister magic.
i’m not fully sure how i feel about the ending and i don’t necessarily think this should be described as horror. it’s more of a mystery book than a horror book imo. anyway, genuinely loved this and i’ll miss reading it ...more
howls from the wreckage: an anthology of disaster horror is honestly one of the best horror anthologies i’ve read in a long long while. normally with howls from the wreckage: an anthology of disaster horror is honestly one of the best horror anthologies i’ve read in a long long while. normally with anthologies you’ll always have hits and misses but this was genuinely good all the way through — there was only one story i didn’t care much for, mostly because it’s a kind of story i rarely like, but the writing was still fully on point and on par with the rest of it.
each story in howls from the wreckage takes on different approaches to disaster horror and it was interested seeing how many different ways it could be interpreted. from hive mind tamagotchis, to kaijus questioning their destructive nature, to corruption in the hospital industry, to tornados and mysterious cellars — it has it all.
while i loved majority of the stories in this anthology i do wanna highlight my top four as they a) felt very different from each other style wise and b) either wrecked me (heh) or caught my attention 100% and are good indicators for why you should pick up this anthology:
• forever home by chelsea pumpkins
when i say this story broke me into a million pieces i’m not even exaggerating. it’s a story about a woman and her cat, and it’s a disaster story, so you’ll get an idea of the actual real terror you’ll feel reading it. it’s heartbreaking, gut wrenching and i’m literally an empty shell of human being now.
if you’ve got a cat the anxiety will be very real when reading this and it’s so worth it. but also, chelsea, you owe me a therapy session after this (jk jk i hugged my cat and all is well).
• systemic infection by michelle tang
absolutely loved this one and it’s message on corruption within the system how rot needs to be removed from within for things to get better most times. definitely emotional too!!
• the last sermon of brother grime timaeus bloom
if you like john dies at the end you’ll love this one. like, legit you should read it.
• detritus by lindsey ragsdale
this conjured up images of event horizon, dead silence and from below. think: immense dread, seclusion and lots and lots of trash. it really is such an atmospheric and dreadful story and i loved every minute of it.
—— on a finishing note, the authors and stories are super diverse, and i think it’s what makes this anthology work so well. it’s not just one perspective or one way of life that’s explored. there’s different backgrounds re race and gender, there’s queer characters and relationships, and it definitely shapes the stories and elevates the anthology as a whole because of that. i’m definitely excited to see what new authors will be in the next anthology from howl (and to see what theme it is!).
// thank you to howl society press and netgalley for the arc! ...more
dead of winter definitely reads as a classic darcy coates story — full of suspense and keeps you at the edge of the seat while you’re unable to put thdead of winter definitely reads as a classic darcy coates story — full of suspense and keeps you at the edge of the seat while you’re unable to put the book down!
the plot is pretty straight forward: a group of people who don’t know each other are going to a cosy lodge in the middle of nowhere until their bus gets stranded during a snowstorm. with nowhere to go they’re forced to hide out in an abandoned cabin until the storm is over… but one by one they’re killed off and it can only be one of the people in the cabin, so who can they trust?
it’s a pretty classic plot and it’s got all the fun little tropes, which also means that it’s pretty easy guessing who the killer is from the beginning with the motive becoming clear about halfway through. it’s one of the main criticisms i’ve seen from other reviews, but i genuinely think it doesn’t take away from the book since coates manages to keep you intrigued all the way through. she’s an excellent writer and it shows.
not to mention, the revelation of the killer and their motive really just felt like a win to me since i was trying to pick up clues along the way and being proven right is always a neat feeling.
i’ve still got a ton of other darcy coates books i need to read but so far she’s not disappointed me!
// arc courtesy of the publisher, poisoned pen press, and netgalley. ...more
Girls of Little Hope is a perfect mix of Stranger Things and The Faculty (I know, I know, the description of it says The Thing but I feel like this reGirls of Little Hope is a perfect mix of Stranger Things and The Faculty (I know, I know, the description of it says The Thing but I feel like this really encompasses The Faculty’s body-snatching teen angst vibes) and it is absolutely a must-read for anyone who loves the 90s and the power of weird female friendships.
The book starts out strong with us being thrust into the story with Donna and Rae being examined by a medical doctor, seemingly out of it and confused as to where they are, with it slowly becoming clear that they have been lost in the woods for days — with their other friend, Kat, who is still missing. It then follows the POVs of Donna, Rae, and Kat’s mum, with entries from Kat’s diary and newspapers scattered throughout, while they try to uncover the mystery of their disappearance and reappearance without Kat.
I went into this book with almost no knowledge of it except it was about some missing girls and I assumed the plot would revolve around that, which it partly did, but there was so much more to the story than just that. This isn’t just your regular old ‘missing girls’ kind of story: there’s a mysterious cave, weird mould, and a strange monster in the woods — and then, of course, there’s the struggles of being a teenage girl growing up in a small town. Girls of Little Hope, while a mystery horror’ish book, is ultimately about friendship between teenage girls who wants to be more, do more, than what is possible in a small town. Who struggle with their identities, generational trauma, poverty, grief and so much more. This book does an exceptional job of not only being horror, and showing horror in the purest sense, it also is able to show the horrors of everyday life — controlling family members, insecurities and worries that come out in self-harm, and uncontrollable grief that seems impossible to overcome for someone who is just a teenage girl.
It was an absolute ride reading this. I was barely able to put it down and if I wasn’t a slave to capitalism and had to work (urgh) I would’ve definitely finished this within a day. The authors did such a good job making you really worry and care for these teenage girls, and yeah, even some of the adults too, and there were some absolutely emotional moments. I definitely shed a few tears because of Marybeth — which, I do wanna mention quickly, I also liked the subtle and not so subtle commentaries on motherhood, and the relationship between mother and daughter. How there’s this pressure as a mother to keep everything bad away from your daughter, to take all the hits and hide it all away so she’ll never know, except it just ends up causing a bigger rift between the two. It’s just so, urgh, real. There's a lot in this book that is so serious, so real, and so sad and I loved every moment of it, and I loved the characters and how their trauma and suffering shapes their choices throughout it all. I really don’t think there’s any weak moments in this and the ending, while imo sad, felt fitting because of it all.
ANYWAY, this book really is perfect for anyone that wants a strange mystery to solve that has hints of Twin Peaks, The Thing, Stranger Things, and The Faculty. If you like body-snatchers and trauma it’s a perfect read — and if you’re a fan of Parasite by Darcy Coates this may also be just your thing.
Thank you to the publisher Titan Books, NetGalley, and the authors for this digital ARC. I’ll just be over here crying over Donna, Kat, and Rae (especially Rae)! ...more
Summer Rental is a fast paced YA mystery thriller that follows Riley March and her friends as they go to Palm Key Island to have one last party beforeSummer Rental is a fast paced YA mystery thriller that follows Riley March and her friends as they go to Palm Key Island to have one last party before going away to college. Little do they realise a storm is coming towards the island, leaving them stranded as they try to figure out what has happened to two of their friends that have mysteriously gone missing.
This book is full of classic slasher movie tropes: suspicious boyfriends, cops that suspiciously show up out of the blue, that one creep that’s super obsessed with horror films, and obviously the innocent final girl. Not only this, it also takes place in a summer rental that is supposedly haunted and with a terrible past that the locals only eerily hints at. It’s basically got everything, if you’re into the classic teen slashers from the late 90s and early 2000s.
Overall, I enjoyed this a lot. I do think it’s relatively slow paced in the beginning when you’re introduced to Riley and her not so nice friends. There’s little that shows something is off, and it isn’t until the half mark where it really takes off and the teens start realising something is wrong. Then it becomes fast paced and an almost non-stop page turner as they try to uncover the mystery of where their friends are. I enjoyed the horror movie references (Jonathan, you may be a creep, but you are a FUN little creep) and trying to guess who the killer would be among their small friend group — and I enjoyed the killer's reveal AND all the messy gorey kills. That’s always a plus in my books.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t such a huge fan of most of the characters and while I fully understand that their personalities and how awful they are, is an important aspect of the plot and to contextualise who these people really are, it became so so frustrating to sit silently while Riley accepted it all. Like god, girl, please love yourself. I’ve never been a huge fan of “teen drama” and there was a little bit too much of that for my taste, but it was also important to the plot so I can’t really say there should’ve been less of it. It’s difficult! However, I do think it all, as the author intended, does show how clearly women are pitted against each other and how cruel they can be — so cruel that there can be unimaginable consequences to these actions. I can only respect wanting to write a teen slasher with a message like that. So, all in all, despite me not being super into teen drama, I did think Summer Rental was worth the read and I’m definitely curious to read Ski Weekend too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. ...more
Such Sharp Teeth very much feels like a “what if Hallmark made a werewolf film” and I’m 100% behind that idea. It’s definitely very cosy horror and loSuch Sharp Teeth very much feels like a “what if Hallmark made a werewolf film” and I’m 100% behind that idea. It’s definitely very cosy horror and low-stakes, but I also think that that’s exactly what this book needs to be. It was a super quick and fun read, and while I didn’t love all of it, what I did love really did make it a solid read for me.
I definitely think if you’re into horror and you often read extreme or dark horror, and need something lighthearted in between your other reads, that this is perfect for that.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC!...more
The Salt Grows Heavy is by far one of my favourite re-tellings of The Little Mermaid now. As someone who grew up in Denmark, I’ve definitely read and The Salt Grows Heavy is by far one of my favourite re-tellings of The Little Mermaid now. As someone who grew up in Denmark, I’ve definitely read and watched my fair share of Danish and international re-tellings but this is by far the best. I’m obviously a sucker for horror so that plays a big part in why I love The Salt Grows Heavy but horror can, obviously, not just exist on its own and be good. It also demands one hell of a storyteller and Cassandra Khaw is exactly that. Their prose is truly amazing. They’re able to take you on a linguistic journey which, while it may sometimes be an arduous journey, is so so rewarding. I just am absolutely in love with their writing and for every novella I’ve read by them I’m amazed more and more. I really cannot wait to continue following their literary journey.
I should’ve honestly written down all my thoughts right after I read this to sound more coherent and Smart™️ but the TL;DR of the matter is that I loved the writing, I loved the unique voice and I really really loved the relationship between the mermaid and the plague doctor. It was tender, respectful and beautiful.
The choice to include The Saints and the children playing a dangerous game of murder and immortality helps solidify what kind of people the mermaid and the plague doctor are, in this new world, and it also creates genuine suspense and worry. All in all, very good. I only have a digital ARC of this so I MUST go buy a physical copy and preferably the other cover version cos that’s my favourite ...more
Oh I definitely need part two ASAP. I really loved the art of this, it was so so gorgeous! The world the characters inhabit seems so interes*4.5 stars
Oh I definitely need part two ASAP. I really loved the art of this, it was so so gorgeous! The world the characters inhabit seems so interesting, I really loved the mix between the older and the newer, nature and machinery, which was all beautifully created. Most definitely an interesting concept that's well done so far.
// ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Europe Comics....more
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