The nitty-gritty: Crazy connections, cool aliens and plenty of mystery make this series starter a fun but convoluted romp through space. “There are many, many things at play. You will never understand every single one.” That quote pretty much sums up this book. I’m not sure I’ve ever used the phrase “cuckoo bananas” in a […]
The nitty-gritty: With a strong beginning and a thrilling ending, I enjoyed parts of House of Hunger, especially the darker horror elements, but overall it turned out to be a mixed bag for me. Of this I am utterly certain: I will never again know peace. —VANESSA, FIRST BLOODMAID OF THE HOUSE OF HUNGER House […]
The nitty-gritty: Monsters, magic and murder take center stage in this trio of wild, weird and bloody stories. I love a good weird western, and I have to say these stories scratched that itch for me. West of Hell contains three short novellas written by three different authors, and while I didn’t enjoy all of […]
The nitty-gritty: Alan Baxter’s latest delivers chills, gore and a cast a colorful characters in this carnival thrill ride-like tale of otherworldly revenge, perfect for horror fans seeking a fun summer read. Alan Baxter really knows how to write small town folk horror, and Sallow Bend has all the markings of a good one. With […]
The nitty-gritty: The Book Eaters is a delicious, dark surprise, strange and compelling and utterly original. “A moment of perverse beauty: one child holding another, with Cai’s mouth on the baby’s ear. Almost a kiss, almost a cuddle. It was love and it was death and Devon thought that, for her, those things had become […]
The nitty-gritty: Evocative writing, authentic historical details and complex characters make Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s latest a must read. “Montgomery was like a chipped piece of pottery. She couldn’t imagine he’d ever been whole, and his eyes, when they glanced at her, were watery gray. Not green and lush and full of promise like Eduardo’s, but the […]
The nitty-gritty: A creepy and atmospheric retelling that pays homage to the original story while adding many unique elements, What Moves the Dead induces both laughter and dread, often in the same paragraph. “The mushroom’s gills were the deep-red color of severed muscle, the almost-violet shade that contrasts so dreadfully with the pale pink of […]
The nitty-gritty: Killer dinosaurs and Old West shootouts come together in this bloody and highly entertaining story. One of my favorite fantasy subgenres is “weird western,” and I can definitely say that Pteranodon Canyon fits the bill if you enjoy weird westerns as well. And what could be weirder than an alternate universe set in […]
The nitty-gritty: Even though the story didn’t feel as polished as his others books, Upgrade has some nail-biting action scenes and plenty of emotional moments. Blake Crouch’s Recursion and Dark Matter were both five star reads for me, and so I was expecting and hoping to love Upgrade just as much. Maybe it’s because it […]
The nitty-gritty: Eric LaRocca’s strange brand of horror is in full force in We Can Never Leave This Place, an emotional and at times upsetting glimpse into a young girl’s dangerous world. If there’s one thing you can count on with an Eric LaRocca book, it’s to expect the unexpected. We Can Never Leave This […]