The nitty-gritty: A weird, thought-provoking alien invasion story, Overgrowth won me over with its ideas but suffered from inconsistent pacing. I have a lot of mixed feelings about Overgrowth, which I’ll attempt to explain below. Overall, this was one of the most unique alien invasion stories I’ve read in quite some time. Mira Grant, who […]
The nitty-gritty: A sequel that expertly builds on its predecessor, Another Fine Mess is another winning book in what’s turning out to be a can’t miss series. If you had fun with Bless My Heart, the first book in Lindy Ryan’s deep fried Southern horror romp, then I guarantee you’ll have a blast with the […]
The nitty-gritty: A most unusual haunted house story, The Staircase in the Woods is an unhinged, psychological mystery that explores personal terrors and complicated friendships. “We’re all just empty houses waiting for this monster to move in and take us over.” Chuck Wendig’s latest is a creepy, unsettling haunted house/possession story with multifaceted characters and […]
The nitty-gritty: Little Shop of Horrors meets The Ruins in this weird love story, perfect for readers who enjoy body horror and atmospheric writing. “I unfolded my green shoots and vines onto the tabletop like compassionate little garden snakes, and I wrapped them up her arms and shoulders and throat like the lover I am, […]
The nitty-gritty: An uneven but solid bunch of stories, I was ultimately won over by three that were very good indeed. This is my first time reading a collection of Amazon original stories, and overall it was a fun experience. Below I’ll give a brief review and rating of each of the five stories. Let […]
The nitty-gritty: A young boy navigates the unexpected return of his dead father in this short, sharp horror story. Mapping the Interior was originally published in 2017 by Tordotcom, and this year it’s being rereleased in a beautiful new package by Tor Nightfire. I actually own the original edition, but for whatever reason I never […]
The nitty-gritty: An emotionally charged story with plenty of surprises, When the Wolf Comes Home is Nat Cassidy’s best book yet. “Love is a shape-shifting monster, she thinks, dizzy and horrified and exhausted and devastated. A werewolf with a bottomless stomach.” The cover of When the Wolf Comes Home is a bit misleading. This isn’t […]
The nitty gritty: A woman on the run encounters mysteries and horrors on a derelict space ship, in this scary but uneven space thriller. I can’t resist a good sci-fi horror story, and once again S.A. Barnes gives her fans a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with some good jump scares and plenty of atmosphere. Although Cold […]
The nitty-gritty: A powerful and complex tale of revenge, Stephen Graham Jones’ latest is an emotionally draining but ultimately rewarding reading experience. “What I am is the Indian who can’t die. I’m the worst dream America ever had.” No one can write a raw, unflinching account of the Indigenous experience like Stephen Graham Jones can, […]
The nitty-gritty: A grim, bloody delight with pitch perfect black humor, Victorian Psycho will make you gasp and laugh in the same breath. “Mother first tried to kill me when I was thirteen months old. ‘You learned to walk so fast,’ she told me later. ‘I thought I might as well stop you while I […]