The nitty-gritty: A dark homage to Peter Pan, Nowhere Burning explores the terrors of childhood and the uncertainty of growing up. “Change means fear and loss,” Noon says. “But it is the only way.” She leans in and embraces Riley. “Children are sacred,” she murmurs. Every hair on the back of Riley’s neck thrills. “Growing […]
The nitty-gritty: A killer is on the loose in a retirement community in Philip Fracassi’s latest, a “slasher light” serial killer story with unexpected heart and humor. Who would think that a serial killer story set in a retirement home would work, but Philip Fracassi has proved the universe wrong and written a tense, horrifying […]
The nitty-gritty: Chuck Tingle mixes absurdity and heartfelt emotion in this story about saving the world, a weird (and sometimes confusing) mash-up of sci-fi and horror. Chuck Tingle always comes up with unexpected ideas, and Lucky Day might be his most original and unusual book yet. First a confession: I nearly set this book aside. […]
The nitty-gritty: The dark academia trope is turned on its head in Cassandra Khaw’s latest, a bloody feast with Gothic imagery, lush prose and ravenous characters. “Oleander and nightshade grew in pastel eruptions, Rosary peas sprawled everywhere, ladybug-patterned in their gray husks, vivid as a fresh heart. No small amount of the school’s namesake bloomed […]
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 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 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 […]
The nitty-gritty: A perfectly paced page-turner that will keep you guessing, The Night Guest is a small gem of a terrifying story. The Night Guest is written by Icelandic author Hildur Knútsdóttir and translated by Mary Robinette Kowal, and even though I don’t read a lot of translated fiction, it’s one of the best I’ve […]