The nitty-gritty: A mysterious tower is the setting for this entertaining sci-fi/fantasy tale, made better by Dan Hanks’ emotional themes. Dan Hanks takes a familiar idea—the survival game—and twists it into something new and exciting. The Way Up is Death is a fast-paced thriller with horror elements and a bit of a LitRPG feel to […]
The nitty-gritty: A bold, violent and sometimes shocking possession story, Wake Up and Open Your Eyes is light on plot but impossible to forget. Clay McLeod Chapman isn’t afraid to take risks with his writing, and he’s embraced that completely in Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, a unique take on the possession story. Chapman’s […]
The nitty-gritty: Grady Hendrix’s latest takes a more serious tone as he explores heavy topics like teen pregnancy in this emotion-packed story of friendship and self discovery. Power cannot be given, it must be taken. It is the ability to enact your will upon the world and it must be earned by the spilling of […]
The nitty-gritty: A well written story with plenty of unsettling and scary moments, The Return is an excellent and entertaining debut. I’m catching up with Rachel Harrison’s backlist, and I decided to try her debut horror story. The Return is super creepy and weird, and while it’s not my favorite of her books, I had […]
The nitty-gritty: Mystery and horror combine with gothic literary elements in this excellent, atmospheric tale. If you haven’t discovered Christa Carmen yet, now’s your chance. In Beneath the Poet’s House, Carmen sets her literary, gothic mystery in Providence, Rhode Island and centers it around 19th century poet Sarah Helen Whitman’s famous house at 88 Benefit […]
The nitty-gritty: The Birds and Alien but with giant cicadas, The Swarm is not for the faint of heart and should be read indoors with all the windows firmly closed. If you’re not a bug person, you might want to think twice before picking up The Swarm. On the other hand, if you’re a fan […]
The nitty-gritty: A creepy, tension-filled story that will keep readers turning the pages, Snow Drowned was a pleasant surprise. I’ve been lucky with YA books lately, and I’m happy to report that Snow Drowned is yet another one I can recommend (with a few caveats). Jennifer D. Lyle knows how to create tension, and I […]
The nitty-gritty: A twisty, bloody tale, Rest Stop is a delightfully gruesome surprise. Rest Stop is a short and extremely twisted novella, and it has firmly cemented Nat Cassidy as a must read author for me. This is a wild, bloody adventure—or should I say “misadventure”—involving an ill-fated convenience store stop, a deranged killer, and […]
The nitty-gritty: Nicholas Pullen’s dark historical horror novel is bleak but well written, with interesting characters I came to care for. The Black Hunger is a very slow-paced, complex historical horror novel, and I thought about putting it down at times. But ultimately I’m glad I pushed through. There is something very compelling about Nicholas […]
The nitty-gritty: A young girl navigates a terrifying world in this dangerous and bloody story, full of thrilling adventure and unforgettable characters. “HOW TO RECOGNIZE THE LAST MOMENTS BEFORE THE WORLD ENDS: You won’t.” Spoiler ahead for dog lovers. I’ve been lucky enough to read a handful of exceptional books this year, and I’m happy […]