The nitty-gritty: Unsettling and atmospheric, I loved some of the elements, but the author’s writing style kept me from completely enjoying this story. “Hope has no place on this vessel of death and disease, aimless and everlasting in its path.” This is an odd one, folks. Flowers for the Sea is an atmospheric, angry tale […]
The nitty-gritty: Despite a couple of intriguing mysteries and an atmospheric setting, Summer Sons ended up being a disappointing read. The description and early blurbs for Summer Sons promised a queer, spooky, Southern Gothic ghost story, and the creepy cover made it even more appealing to me. And while it’s unabashedly queer and creepy and atmospheric […]
The nitty-gritty: A clever and surprising mystery steeped in myth, Comfort Me With Apples is told in Catherynne M. Valente’s unique style. If there’s one thing I can count on with Catherynne M. Valente, it’s that she always surprises me. Her stories are not your normal, run of the mill variety. Rather, she creates scenarios […]
The nitty-gritty: A fun, laugh-out-loud contemporary take on Sleeping Beauty, with a feminist sensibility, that made me cheer. I’m a huge fan of Alix E. Harrow’s novels, so I was quite curious to see what she would do with the novella format. And I’m happily surprised by how much I enjoyed this! A Spindle Splintered […]
The nitty-gritty: A bloody homage to the slasher film, My Heart is a Chainsaw is a slow build tale with an over-the-top ending that ultimately won me over. This is my fourth Stephen Graham Jones book, and I can now say without a doubt that even when he writes a book that doesn’t completely work […]
The nitty-gritty: The Offset presents a grim future, but gives readers plenty of food for thought. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book, but it ended up surprising me in many ways. This is a dark, gritty look at a future where things are so bad that extreme measures […]
The nitty-gritty: Kira Jane Buxton does it again in this funny and poignant follow up to Hollow Kingdom, a unique genre mash-up that made me laugh and cry. I had been wrong to call Dee a flower. Dee was not a flower; she was a fucking weed. Beautiful and tenacious as a tiger. Misunderstood and […]
The nitty-gritty: A suspenseful thriller set in the Grand Canyon, Getaway is equal parts tension and solid character development. This is my second book by Zoje Stage, and she’s become a “must read” author for me. Getaway was not quite what I expected—and that’s OK. I enjoy the fact that Stage always seems to surprise […]
The nitty-gritty: A creepy, disturbing tale perfect for fans of twisty, psychological horror. I couldn’t put it down! All storytellers are liars, but Catriona Ward is a particularly good one. I have been lied to in the best possible way and I enjoyed every single moment. The Last House on Needless Street is surrounded by […]
The nitty-gritty: Fragments of an old, dead world become something quite new in this emotional and surprisingly hopeful post apocalyptic tale. Catherynne M. Valente is truly one of a kind. I have never read another author that comes close to matching her whimsical writing style, so when I picked up The Past is Red, I […]