An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson REVIEW

Summary:

 Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua's College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.

On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.

But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and dark magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

My Thoughts:

In contrast to the previous book I read from this author, I absolutely enjoyed this one. Laura is starting her freshman year in college, and she's even talked a professor into being able to take her senior-level course on poetry. Carmilla is enraged when Laura not only got into the class - but seemingly upstaged her on the poetry she wrote. This starts a rivalry between them. Laura notices that Carmilla seems a little too close to the professor, which ends up with her finding out that their teacher is a vampire who is using Carmilla to feed. When the professor brings back her deadly vampire ex-lover back to the land of the living, things take a dangerous turn, as the lover starts drinking students dry. Their teacher has to choose between her students or the person she's loved for over a century.

As stated above, I loved this book. I'm starting to realize that I really like dark academia. It's so interesting that the author chose dual narratives by Laura and Carmilla. The rivals-to-lovers trope is done really well, as they don't fall in love right away - it takes a while for them to get over their issues with each other. The professor is an equally intriguing character that is just as developed as our main characters. Her story is heartbreaking and really well done. I enjoyed the small glimpse into the world of other vampires, and I do wish that we got more of that in the novel. 

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes vampire stories.

My Rating: 4 stars

A Dowry of Blood by S. T. Gibson REVIEW

Summary:

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel her husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can be broken only by death.

My Thoughts:

This book is written as a confession by Constanta for what she ends up doing to Dracula. She starts off by telling about her mortal life as a peasant, and how he saved her from dying on the streets. Constanta then details certain places they went, things they did, and when she started to see him for who he truly is.

I think the format is the novel's biggest flaw. Some of the chapters are too short, and even the longer ones struggle from not having much in them. This makes it impossible for the character development of Constanta to be seen. She tells us how she started to see the lies and terrible things Dracula has done, but we the readers do not really see it happen through the storytelling. I understand the time skips from the perspective that the book is trying to cover several hundred years of her life, but they feel choppy, and we don't spend enough time developing the characters and story in each time period. I really wanted to like this book, but these issues made that impossible for me. I did like certain parts, but they didn't make up for the flaws of the rest.

My Rating: 2 stars

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami REVIEW

Summary:

A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

My Thoughts:

I am still processing this book. Aomame is a sort of assassin for hire, targeting those who have committed sexual crimes. She is approached to assassinate a cult leader, and agrees, even though she knows that she might not survive after. Tengo is a writer who gets the opportunity to revise a novel written by a teenage girl. He is hesitant at first, thinking of the moral and legal problems it may cause, but after talking to the author and being pressured by his boss, Tengo agrees. Slowly, the world starts to mirror the world of the novel, which very few people see, and these characters are drawn back together after not seeing each other since childhood. 

I really like how character-driven this story is. Murakami takes his time to flesh them out to seem like real people, and you can visualize them easily. He also points out the subtle differences between 1984 and 1Q84 very well. On the flip side, we know very little about the Little People, even at the end. It may have been intentional, but it made them seem like a smaller part of the story than they actually were. It is also very obvious that this was written by a man, due to the way the female characters are described. The book is slow-paced and hard to get into until about a third of the way in. I did like the characters and the story though.

My Rating: 3 stars

Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose REVIEW

Summary:

 After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parent’s belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

My Thoughts:

I really like the premise of this book. Beth is the only sibling that stayed home after growing up and their father leaving. She witnesses their mother's passing, and lets them know. They come out, all not having seen each other in years. Nicole has been struggling with addiction for years, and still is. Michael is married and rich. When they come across a video that unknowingly recorded their parents' cover-up of a neighbor who died, they aren't sure what to do, and more secrets come out.

I found it very intriguing that none of them seemingly know where their father ended up, and when it is revealed, it's very underwhelming. There was so much build-up to it, and it didn't seem like what happened was actually planned before the author wrote the book. The reveal of what actually happened also was not great. It happened so fast with no foreshadowing that it felt underdeveloped. While we see each character's POV throughout the book, the only one that felt fleshed out was Beth. It seemed like Michael and Nicole were assigned one trait for almost the entire novel. That being said, I did enjoy the story, I just wish it was better executed.

My Rating: 2 stars

Guillotine by Delilah S. Dawson REVIEW

Summary:

Thrift fashionista Dez Lane doesn't want to date Patrick Ruskin; she just wants to meet his mother, the editor-in-chief of Nouveau magazine. When he invites her to his family's big Easter reunion at their ancestral home, she's certain she can put up with his arrogance and fend off his advances long enough to ask Marie Caulfield-Ruskin for an internship someone with her pedigree could never nab through the regular submission route.

When they arrive at the enormous island mansion, Dez is floored - she's never witnessed how the 1% lives before in all their ridiculous, unnecessary luxury. But once all the family members are on the island and the ferry has departed, things take a dark turn. For decades, the Ruskins have made their servants sign contracts that are basically indentured servitude, and with nothing to lose, the servants have decided their only route to freedom is to get rid of the Ruskins for good . . .

My Thoughts:

Dez is a poor student on a scholarship majoring in fashion, which her mother is not very happy about - it's not a guaranteed job that will pay the bills and let them live comfortably. When Dez keeps getting rejection letters from internships she applied for, she decides to go out with Patrick Ruskin, a rich man who she would rather not be around, to try and get an internship with his mother. She gets into their family vacation, hoping to meet his mother, but things there are strange. Dez has to sign an NDA, is not allowed to speak or acknowledge the servants, and feels out of place with the odd traditions of the family. When the servants rise up against the Ruskins, Dez must make a choice - side with them or not make it off the island alive . . .

It took me a little while to get into the prose of the book, as it is very different from what I am used to reading. I like the fast-paced writing, and Dez being the reader-insert of looking into the lives of the rich. While I very much love the twists and reveals in the story, one seemed out of place - Dez's unknown father being a rich man. There is no hint towards the beginning of her not knowing her father, just mentions of her mother. There is also no part where Dez asks her mother about her father either. I think that this could have been done well if we knew more about her life before the plot of the story took place. Overall though, I would recommend giving this book a read.

My Rating: 4 stars

Resurrectionist for Hire by Victoria Dalpe REVIEW

Summary:

With the ability to restore life to the dead, "Zombie Queen" Selene Shade has earned quite a reputation. Not that it helps her get dates. Her bed may be empty but business is booming. That is, until her life is thrown into disarray when a brutal killer comes to town and all signs point to her being the next victim.

Enlisted by the police department due to her unique craft, she must make new alliances, deal with old rivals, and maybe even save the world - whether she wants to or not - all the while avoiding the gruesome allure of dark magic and the sacrificial ritual of a mad cultist.

My Thoughts:

Selene Shade has the lonely job of bringing other people back to life for a price - and if they consent to it before dying. Her business partner and only friend recently died, and explicitly did not want to be resurrected. One day, Detective Marlow walks in, begging for her to resurrect a murder victim so that they can get information on the killer. Thus begins her helping the police with the investigation, and a blooming romance with Marlow, who is secretly a vampire. She finds a replacement for her old friend's job - another young resurrectionist who may also be in danger from the killer.

I really like the characters in this book - Selene and Marlow are perfectly developed and perfect for each other. They both prefer seclusion and quiet, and don't like to share their identities with others. Peter is an almost-client who is also a reporter, and despite his flaws does his best to aid in the investigation. Germaine is Selene's apprentice, who is secretly seeing a man who may or may not be the killer. I really wish that the societal acceptance of other beings was explored more, and I hope it's brought into the next book when it comes out. My only complaint was that Germaine's romance wasn't really developed enough to understand why she does the things she does for him.

My Rating: 4 stars

Survivor by J. F. Gonzalez REVIEW

Summary:

It was supposed to have been a romantic weekend getaway. Lisa was looking forward to spending time alone with her husband - and telling him that they were going to have a baby. Instead, it became a nightmare when her husband was arrested and Lisa was kidnapped. But the kidnappers aren't asking for a ransom. They want Lisa herself. They're going to make her a star - in a snuff film.

What they have in mind for Lisa is unspeakable. They plan to torture and murder her as graphically as possible, and to capture it all on film. If they have their way, Lisa's death will be truly horrifying . . . but even more horrifying is what Lisa will do to survive . . .

My Thoughts:

This book is an emotional rollercoaster. Lisa recently finds out that she's pregnant - they have been trying for a while - and plans to tell her husband on their upcoming vacation. But a terrible driver on the highway calls the police on them for a citizen's arrest. They arrest Brad, her husband, and the driver captures Lisa and takes her away. The driver tells her he is not doing this for enjoyment - it's for the money, and brings her to a secluded cabin, where she meets Al and Animal, who plan on using her for a snuff film. The driver assures her that she was picked at random, that the viewers wanted a regular, healthy person for a change. But plans go sideways when Debbie, a neighbor, happens upon Lisa and is forced to star in a film of her own so that she doesn't tell anyone what she saw. After Debbie's torture and death, Lisa stoops to a low to free herself and her unborn child - offering up someone else in exchange for her, as well as all the money in her bank account.

The novel is well-written and terrifyingly realistic. You are made to care about all of these innocent characters that get thrown in the mix, and heartbroken when some of them die. The twist ending of the father-in-law being the one to pay for her specifically on film comes right out of left field. The book assures us multiple times that Lisa was chosen at random, only for it to go a complete 180. While it makes for a good plot twist, it seems hastily thrown in. There is no suspicion for the reader to think this was so methodically planned out, and that Lisa was always the target. Overall though, things mostly stayed consistent. It's a tough read, but done in a way that isn't exploitative of the situation or victims involved.

My Rating: 3 stars

The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky REVIEW

 Summary:

New girl Rachel Chavez is eager to make a fresh start at Manchester Prep. But as a scholarship student, she struggles to fit in among the rich kids and finds herself turning to horror movies for comfort. Somehow, the stabby serial killers and homicidal dolls seem less scary than bored trust-fund babies.

Then Rachel gets caught up in a prank gone awry, going from "weird loner girl" to Public Enemy #1 overnight. To Rachel's surprise, however, the incident attracts the attention of the Mary Shelley Club, a mysterious society of students who orchestrate elaborate pranks known as Fear Tests, which are inspired by urban legends and movie tropes.

At first, Rachel embraces the power that comes with behaving recklessly, but as the Fear Tests escalate, the competition turns deadly and takes on a life of its own. When someone begins targeting the club itself, Rachel has to trach down the killer - even if it means finally confronting the dark secrets from her past.

My Thoughts:

I love the idea of meeting a final girl after she survives, and how she deals with her trauma. Rachel had a break-in happen before switching schools. The intruder wore a mask, and she killed him in self-defense. She turns to horror movies as a way of dealing with her trauma, and becomes an outsider at her new school. But when she gets on the popular girl's bad side, she finds out about the Mary Shelley Club, a group of students who play pranks and watch horror movies. Rachel joins the club, and starts to feel like she is finally fitting in and having friends - and maybe even something more  than friends with one of the members. But when students are reporting seeing a masked man and her clubmates start acting odd around her, she starts to feel uneasy and flashbacks to the break-in that she survived. 

Like I previously stated, I really enjoyed the premise and setup of this book. The main character and a few side characters are really fleshed out and seem like real people. It's a fun and easy read as well. I feel like exploring a final girl after survival isn't really explored much at all, and I absolutely love the way it was done here. The characters all seem like people you would know, and the story is really well done. The only complaint I have is that the notion of the Mary Shelley Club having different chapters at different school felt like it was thrown in as part of the twist ending. It wasn't hinted at in throughout the book, and was only briefly mentioned at the end. If the author was going to add this, it could have been handled better.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Darling Dreadful Thing by Johanna van Veen REVIEW

Summary:

Roos Beckman has a spirit companion only she can see. Ruth - strange, corpse-like, and dead for centuries - is the light of Roos's life. That is, until the wealthy young widow Agnes Knoop visits one of Roos's backroom seances and the two strike up a connection.

Soon, Roos is whisked away to the crumbling estate Agnes inherited upon the death of her husband, where an ill woman haunts the halls, strange smells drift through the air at night, and mysterious stone statues reside in the family chapel. Something dreadful festers in the manor, but still, the attraction between Roos and Agnes is undeniable.

Then, someone is murdered.

Poor, alone, and with a history of "hysterics", Roos is the obvious culprit. With her sanity and innocence in question, she'll have to prove who - or what - is at fault or lose everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts:

Roos is held hostage by a woman she calls her mother, though she has no relation to her. When Mother discovers that Roos truly does have a spirit companion, she exploits it with her seances to bring in money and hoping for a benefactor to bring them out of poverty. Agnes is a seemingly wealthy widow who recently lost her husband and attends one of their seances. She has a spirit companion too, and pays Mother to take Roos to her estate to stay with her. Roos falls for Agnes, but thinks that Agnes is still grieving her lost husband, so she tries to make him a spirit companion so that she can see her again. But Roos is wrong, and it may cost her everything.

The book alters between the past (what has happened with Roos's childhood and time with Agnes) and the present (Roos being questioned about the murder). I like the characterizations of the main characters, as there are really only three: Roos, Ruth, and Agnes. However, this book wasn't really for me. I enjoyed some parts of the story, but others left me not caring about it at all. I'm not sure what it was, as I tend to love gothic horror. It might have been that we barely get a glimpse at what is going on in the present. We know Roos is being questioned as a suspect for the murder trial, but that's all we get. Those glimpses are through transcripts of the questioning, and we don't get her inner thoughts during it.

My Rating: 2 stars 

Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite REVIEW

Summary:

To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the ambition of bringing his art to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a disolute  playboy who has pushed his art to limits even Compton hadn't previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim.

My Thoughts:

Andrew, a convicted gay murderer, escapes prison in England by faking his death. He kills a man and steals his wallet to get into the United States, where he finds himself in New Orleans. Jay is a gay murderer and cannibal living in New Orleans that has been very careful not to get caught. He mostly kills tourists to avoid the eye of the police. Tran is a young gay man who recently broke up with his boyfriend and was kicked out of his home for being gay.

This book is more of a character study rather than much of a plot, and it was beautifully written. It takes place during the AIDs crisis, which also has a drive in the story. Most of the characters, including Andrew and Jay, are incredibly unlikeable, but it was done well, as I didn't outright hate any of them. I found Tran to be the only sympathetic character out of them all, and I felt really bad for all the things he was going through. I would recommend this book to fans of horror and extreme horror, but not for the faint of heart.

My Rating: 4 stars

It's Only a Game by Kelsea Yu REVIEW

Summary:

When Marina Chan ran from her old life, she brought nothing with her - not even her real name. Now she lives in fear of her past being discovered. But when her online gaming team is offered a tour of their favorite game company, Marina can't resist accepting, even though she knows it might put her fake identity at risk.

Then the creator of the game is murdered during their tour. The killer plans to frame Marina and her friends for the murder unless they win four rounds of a dangerous game.

A game that requires them to lie, trespass, and steal. A game that could destroy everything Marina's worked so hard to build. A game that she might not survive.

My Thoughts:

I devoured this book. Marina is running from her past, which we get snippets of throughout the novel to piece together. When she meets up with her gaming friends for a tour, it seems surreal - even more when the creator offers to pay Marina to make artwork for the game. But things go south when they hear a gunshot and discover the creator's body on their way out of the building. They are tasked with completing a game designed by the elusive online gamer Cixi - or they will be framed for the murder and their lives will be ruined.

Marina is such an intriguing character to follow. We only know bits and pieces about her, and more gets slowly revealed throughout the book. We also learn more about her online friends - Syl, Dread, and Rock. Despite this being their first in-person meetup, they hit it off immediately with each other. However, it doesn't feel rushed or unrealistic at all.

After starting the first few chapters, this novel was practically impossible to put down for me, and when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it and theorizing what might happen next. While there was one twist I did see coming, the rest I did not. I would definitely recommend picking up this book and giving it a read.

My Rating: 5 stars

Contract Bound by Elle Mae REVIEW

My Thoughts:

Sylvia hates vampires. A few years ago, she came home to find her entire family dead - killed by vampires. She joins the Order, a group dedicated to hunting them, partly for revenge and partly to pay off her family's debt to them. One day, she is given a mission to be a bodyguard to a vampire heir which will pay off her debt for good, so she takes it. Keir is the heir to a vampire clan and hates hunters. She had previously driven off all her other bodyguards, and plans to do the same with Sylvia. But the plans change when Keir takes a liking to her, despite  Sylvia's utter distaste for all vampires. Against all odds, Sylvia also develops feelings for Keir. Vampire clan leaders can only rule for a certain time, and Keir's father's time is almost up. Ruthless and unkind, he plans to not give up his position, and Keir will have to find a way to make him step down.

I fell in love with this book. Sylvia and Keir are such interesting and opposite characters, and their romance did not seem rushed at all. They were very well developed, and I even found myself loving side characters like Gillard as well. The writing is well done, and the story is captivating. I would definitely recommend giving this book a read.

My Rating: 5 stars

Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver REVIEW

Summary:

After contract killer Lachlan Kane botches a job for his boss's biggest client, he knows he'll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: hunt down a killer, and she'll secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her. And they can't stand each other.

Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine that burns through the darkness Lachlan Kane tries to hide behind. Lachlan might think Lark is just a privileged princess, but the truth is that she keeps plenty of secrets. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend's happiness on the line, Lark's willing to make a vow to the man she's determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.

As Lachlan and Lark navigate the mission that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.

My Thoughts:

It took a little bit for me to get into this one, as it is very different than the first. We first meet Lark as she is killing someone who deserves it, when she ends up needing a cleanup crew to help afterwards. This is when she first meets Lachlan, who, at the time, is in a terrible mood and is not very nice to her. They meet again at Rowan and Sloane's party, where they don't recognize each other at first and almost kiss. Lark's family is having some issues, and her parents think that Lachlan is to blame - and although Lark despises him, he is Rowan's brother, and she doesn't believe he would do that. Prompted by her Aunt Ethel, she proposes marriage to get the target off his back and to find the person who is really responsible.

I had fun reading this book. The characters are very well developed. The reader, like Lark, doesn't like Lachlan at first, and then slowly starts to like him. But my favorite character by far is definitely Aunt Ethel, who is an older lady that does not care about what anyone thinks of her, but cares deeply for her family. I do think that the antagonist is kind of underdeveloped though, as his two traits are being religious and wanting revenge for his brother's death. He seemed a little one-dimensional compared to the antagonist in the first book.

My Rating: 3 stars

Family Pack by Kali Metis REVIEW

Summary:

The novel Family Pack, written by Kali Metis (the pen name for Lisa Kastner) is the follow up novel to Cure and continues the tale of Luna Auber as she discovers her own destiny and provides the origins of the two primary lycanthropic organizations, The Lycanthrope Society which believe that humans and lycanthropes should exist in harmony while The Righteous Group believe that lycanthropes are intended to rule over all other species and Luna's battle to prevent the decimation of the world as she knows it.

My Thoughts:

Luna works at a bakery and lives with her fiance, who just proposed. She receives a call from Birger, a fellow werewolf who helped her in the past who wants her to go back and finish her training. There is also a rumor that Chago, the leader of The Righteous Group, is still alive after being thought dead. We also get flashbacks with the stories of Birger and Chago, who are both very old werewolves, and how both organizations were formed. Luna discovers how special her powers are, and helps the Lycanthrope Society try to make peace with the Righteous Group.

It took some time to get used to reading in 1st POV (it has been awhile for me). Despite Luna being the main character, she is barely in the book, as the flashbacks are more prominent in and to the story in this novel. The flashbacks were, in fact, the best parts of the book, as it was really intriguing to hear Birger's and Chago's stories of survival at a time where werewolves were treated as under humans. Luna's fiance randomly disappears in the book with seemingly no explanation, which seemed odd considering how close the two were at the beginning of the book. There were some spelling/grammatical errors, but it makes sense, considering this is an advanced copy. I did enjoy reading this, but I had to get halfway through the book for that to happen.

My Rating: 3 stars  

The Demon by Victory Witherkeigh REVIEW

Summary:

The Demon is now in full possession of the Girl's body, and she is starting her journey in Berkeley, California. She should be thrilled and ecstatic - the plan worked!

Except she doesn't remember the plan. The Demon has memories of the Girl's life and vague impressions of a deal made with the Filipino warrior LapuLapu. She reconnects with her former master, Death, and discovers that her bargain went against his will.

Death's punishment is beyond her comprehension - enduring the cruelties of morality and leaving her imprisoned in the former Girl's university life. Life experiences, toxic friendships, emotional and physical attachments, and finally, heartbreak prove sadistic even for a Demon.

Can a demon have an identity crisis? What happens when the Demon shows more independence of thought and understanding of the cycle of dependency?

Death isn't the only one waiting to find out . . .

My Thoughts:

The idea of a demon losing her memories once she possesses a human body is a very intriguing thought, and it is explored pretty well, as we follow the demon going through mundane human experiences and get bits and pieces of her memory back at a time. The memories and flashbacks are arguably the best parts of the book, as we see a glimpse of who the demon was and what her life was like before possessing the Girl's body. Instead of food, the demon feeds on portions of a person's lifetime, which is also a cool concept. Normally demons are portrayed to have to feed on souls. 

The characters are very well developed, even the side characters that the demon interacts with. The Girl's family is pretty despicable, but the demon loves her grandmother, who is the only decent family member. The students on the university campus that the demon is around are either likable or unbearable, which is very true in real life as well.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this, and I do hope that there is another book coming out, as the ending does not seem like an ending.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix REVIEW

Summary:

High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinny-dipping goes wrong, Gretchen begins to act . . . different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening when she's nearby.

Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries - and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?

My Thoughts:

The book starts at the current time, with adult Abby seeing an article about the exorcist's death, and then flashes back to fourth grade, when she first meets Gretchen. Gretchen is the only person who came to her birthday party, and Abby reluctantly begins a friendship with her. Flash forward to high school, and Abby has two more friends: Margaret and Glee. They are at Margaret's lakehouse, drinking alcohol, when they decide to try acid. When the effects start, Gretchen wanders off to jump in the lake and disappears under water for a long time. Once she gets out, Gretchen becomes really sick. When she seems to get better, she starts acting different and mean. After a while of worrying, Abby's worst fears are realized when an exorcist confirms that Gretchen is possessed by a demon, and he volunteers to help.

I really like how fleshed out the characters in this book are. You really care a lot about Abby and Gretchen, and even about some of the other characters as well. The story itself is well-written and easy to read. However, this book was marketed more as a horror novel when most of it isn't. It's more of a coming-of-age story than horror, which is fine, but the description led me to have high expectations of the horror aspect, which in that, it disappointed me.

I would recommend this book, but be aware that it's more high-school drama oriented than horror.

My Rating: 3 stars 

Satan's Affair by H. D. Carlton REVIEW

My Thoughts:

Sibel travels around the country with a haunted house attraction, which is the scariest one in the country that doesn't let the employees touch the guests. She has a secret though - she stays behind the scenes and kills evil men who deserve to die. In Washington, she comes across a ring of men who particularly like children, and kills them with the help of a mysterious stranger named Zade, before being caught by the police.

This novella had so much potential if it was longer. There is little to no character development, no real plot, and is basically just murder and sex. Which could be fine, if there was character development or even a slight plot. The twist at the end just falls flat with no real buildup or anticipation. The book seems to be pieces of a story, and not the full story. It feels more like a draft than an actual published novella.

My Rating: 1 star 

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman REVIEW

Summary:

One June day when Mia Jacob can no longer see a way to survive, the power of words saves her. The Scarlet Letter was written almost two hundred years earlier, but it seems to tell the story of Mia's mother, Ivy, and their life inside the Community - an oppressive cult in western Massachusetts where contact with the outside world is forbidden. But how could Nathaniel Hawthorne have captured the pain and loss that Mia carries inside her?

As a girl, Mia fell in love with a book. Now a young woman, she falls in love with a brilliant writer as she makes her way back in time. But what if Nathaniel Hawthorne never wrote The Scarlet Letter? And what if Mia Jacob never found it on the day she planned to die?

My Thoughts:

This was a really interesting read. Ivy Jacob ran away from home after her parents planned to send her away when they find out that she's pregnant. The father of her child wants nothing to do with them, and Ivy wants to keep her baby. She ends up joining the Community, and marries the leader. But life with them isn't as great as it seemed. Books and art are forbidden there. When Mia joins her working a stand at the farmer's market, she is drawn to the library there. Now every time she is there, she sneaks over to the library to read, and smuggles books back home with her. When Ivy dies in a tragic accident, Mia decides to finally escape the Community that's been holding her back. With the help of Sarah, the librarian, she is able to transition into a regular life. One day, when Mia is visiting Nathaniel Hawthorne's grave, she finds herself transported back in time and meets him, and they fall in love. But this may change the course of history, and his books may never be written . . .

I was drawn in to the stories of Ivy and Mia. They are so much alike, and both are strong women. The writing was beautiful, and I found myself invested in their stories. However, the romance between Mia and Nathaniel seemed very out of place. The first half of the book is very much grounded in reality, and then all of a sudden, there is time travel, with no warnings or hints. This could have been fine, but their relationship was so underdeveloped that it just ruined the second half of the book for me. There's no chemistry between them, and it all felt so rushed. I think I would have rated this higher if the second half was more like the first half.

My Rating: 3 stars 

Gothikana by RuNyx REVIEW

Summary:

An outcast her entire life, Corvina Clemm is left adrift after losing her mother. When she receives the admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore, she accepts it as a sign from the universe. The last thing she expects, though, is an old, secluded castle on top of a mountain riddled with secrets, deceit, and death.

Vad Deverell is an enigma and enjoys being a closed book, but knows exactly everything that happens in the university. As a part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. And he knows the moment his path crosses with Corvina that she's dangerous to everything that he is.

They shouldn't have caught each other's eye. They cannot be. But a chill-inducing, century-old mystery forces them to collide. People have disappeared every five years for more than a hundred years, Corvina is getting clues to unraveling it all, and Vad needs to keep an eye on her.

And so begins a tale of the mysterious, the morbid, the macabre, and a deep love that blossoms in the unlikeliest of places.

My Thoughts:

I found myself liking this way more than I thought that I would. Corvina's mother isn't dead, she is just in a mental health care facility when Corvina gets the letter and decides to go to the school. The old castle is scary, and it's said that the woods are not safe to go into, especially at night. She ends up rooming with Jade, a girl who had previously run away and knows more than she tells of the school's secrets.

The tension between Corvina and Vad is there from the very first meeting at the school. She feels drawn to him, and he to her, but relationships between students and staff members are forbidden. Corvina makes friends for the first time in her life, as she was previously homeschooled by her mother. As she learns more about the disappearances at the school, she feels more and more drawn to the woods and to Vad, who knows a lot more than he lets on.

The writing was spectacular and the prose was beautiful. The only issue with the writing that I had was the cringe dialogue during the sex scenes and the unnecessary repeating of the phrase "this is our madness". While a lot of the mysteries came to light at the end, there were a few that did not, which was a let down. The twist towards the end was intriguing,  but it was resolved way too fast with little to no development.

Overall, I did enjoy the book and would recommend reading it.

My Rating: 4 stars

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne REVIEW

Summary:

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea while firelight drifts between the rafters. But Reyna works as one of the queen's private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn't so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she's thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility - all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra near dragon country and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm's biggest temper tantrum while these two women discover just what they mean to each other . . . and the world.

My Thoughts:

This was a really cute book. After saving the queen from yet another assassination attempt, Reyna overhears just how dispensable she is to the queen and decides to take Kianthe on the offer to run away together. They go to live in Tawney, where they open a bookstore with tea together. Suddenly, a group of dragons come to attack the village to find their missing eggs. Kianthe is able to stop them with the promise of finding the eggs, but Reyna is doomed when the queen's guards come to take her. She hatches a plan with Kianthe to pretend that she will go back to her post as a guard so that they can find a way to stop the queen from going forward with executing her for treason.

The book started out really slow, and it only got interesting around halfway through. When the action finally picked up, the book ended. The writing was pretty good though. I really wanted to love this book, but I almost put it down for good. While I'm glad I didn't, I'm not sure I will be picking up the next book in the series. 

My Rating: 3 stars

Serpentine Valentine by Giana Darling REVIEW

My Thoughts:

This book made me feel things. Lex Gorgon is a student at Acheron University who loves literature and women. When she starts a friendship with Professor Morgan, things go downhill. Luring her with the promise of an assistantship next semester, he drugs and assaults her in his office on Halloween night. Lex reports this, but her accusation is dismissed pretty much immediately. The president tries to kick her out, but she threatens to sue them because they have no reason to. Lex, it turns out, came back to campus for revenge. Practically no one believed her, and she vows to make Professor Morgan and the president pay. She gets close to Luna, the president's daughter, who she planned to use to get revenge. But Lex starts falling for Luna, who is also falling for Lex.

The characters are very believable, although the romance seems a bit rushed in the beginning. At the heart of this story is a retelling of Medusa, and the book deals heavily with the topic of sexual assault and the healing process. It hits you right in the heart. Luna helps Lex see that vigilante justice isn't always the right way to go, but she never outright stops her, instead letting her find that out for herself. The romance is also a huge part of the book, and deals with sexual exploration and homophobia. The steamy scenes are well written and captivating.

This novel makes you smile, cry, and laugh. It brings out all of the emotions very well. I would be lying if I didn't say this book changed my life. Very few books have actually made me cry. I definitely recommend this book, however please make sure you are comfortable reading about the subject matter before you do.

My Rating: 5 stars

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver REVIEW

Summary:

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive - the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers.

From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.

But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun story. The book starts with Sloane being stuck in a cage after killing someone for three days, only to be rescued by Rowan, another serial killer looking to kill the already dead guy. She starts a reluctant friendship with him, that turns into them having a yearly game of who can kill the picked serial killer first. They know each other's darkest secrets and they text each other every day. Sloane and Rowan start catching feelings, and before they know it, they are dating.

I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, and the love story feels right and not at all rushed. Rowan catches feelings first, but waits until Sloane confesses so that their friendship doesn't become awkward or ruined. They are also believable as serial killers. The hunting scenes are fun and dark, and well descriptive. The characters do eventually have sex, and it is also descriptive.

Overall, this was very enjoyable to read, and I look forward to reading the next books.

My Rating: 4 stars 

The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry REVIEW

Summary:

Harry Adams has always loved horror moves, so it's not a total coincidence that she took a job cleaning house for movie director Javier Castillo. His forbidding greystone Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled from top to bottom with terrifying props and costumes as well as glittering awards from his career making films that thrilled audiences - until family tragedy and scandal forced him to vanish from the industry.

Javier values discretion, and Harry tries to clean the house immaculately, keep her head down, and keep her job safe - she needs the money to support her son. But then she starts hearing noises from behind a locked door. Noises that sound remarkably like a human voice calling for help, even though Javier lives alone and never has visitors. Harry knows that not asking questions is a vital part of working for Javier, but she soon finds that the sinister house may be home to secrets she can't ignore. 

My Thoughts:

The book starts off a bit slow, setting the scene of the mansion and how particular Javier is about how the cleaning is done. Harry is a single mom providing for her son who wishes she could make more money so that he can have a normal life. She came from a very conservative household and doesn't speak to her parents or any of her family, but she had loved sneaking horror books and magazines into her room as a child. Harry enjoys the quiet of her job - until she thinks she sees a prop move and starts hearing voices behind a door that is never opened for her to clean.

When a death occurs at the mansion after a dinner party, the circumstances change. Harry and her son get evicted from their apartment due to the building being sold, and Javier offers to let them stay until they can find a new place. But things in the mansion seem weirder and weirder, and Javier starts acting strange. Harry isn't the only one hearing and seeing things.

I really like Harry as a character. She is likeable and somewhat relatable with her love of horror. Javier starts off with very little development, but ends up being likeable as well as creepy. Toward the middle, things got really interesting, and it was so hard to put down. However, the ending feels extremely rushed. It feels like there was a chunk of the book missing before the ending sequence, which lowered the rating. Overall, I did like it though.

My Rating: 3 stars

The Eyes Are the Best Part by Monika Kim REVIEW

 Summary:

Ji-won's life tumbles into disarray in the wake of her appa's extramarital affair and subsequent departure. Her mother, distraught. Her younger sister, hurt and confused. Her college freshman grades, failing. Her dreams, horrifying . . . yet enticing.

In them, Ji-won walks through bloody rooms full of eyes. Succulent blue eyes. Salivatingly blue eyes. Eyes the same shape and shade as George's, who is Umma's obnoxious new boyfriend. He brags about his puffed-up consulting job, ogles Asian waitresses while dining out, and acts condescendingly toward Ji-won and her sister, as if he deserves all of Umma's fawning adoration. George doesn't deserve anything from her family. Ji-won will make sure of that.

For no matter how many victims accumulate around her campus or how many people she must deceive and manipulate, Ji-won's hunger and her rage deserve to be sated.

My Thoughts:

I ate this book up in two days. It may be my favorite book of the year so far.

Eighteen-year-old Ji-won and her family are reeling from their father's departure from their lives. She has to comfort her mother, who swears that he'll come back, even though he won't. She has no friends at college, and her friends from high school abandoned her. During this time, Umma is obsessed with eating fish eyes, saying that it brings good luck, hoping that appa returns. He doesn't, but Umma gets a new boyfriend, George, who fetishizes Asian women and culture under the guise of appreciation.

Ji-won makes a couple friends at college, but her grades start spiraling due to her family problems and is put on academic probation. She and her sister despise George and want him out of their lives, but also care about their mother's happiness. When is is announced that they will be married, Ji-won spirals. Her nightmares seem more and more real, and her craving for blue eyes increases exponentially. Dreams blur with reality, and she starts acting erratic. 

I loved the slow burn of Ji-won's unravelling sanity and growing rage towards the men who ruined her family and those like them. It isn't sudden at all, and slowly creeps up on her. Despite knowing she's in the wrong for murder, the reader can't help but understand and feel sympathetic towards her. Everything is so believable due to the fantastic character development. This has got to be the best horror novel I have read this year, and it's the author's first one! I will definitely be looking out for Monika's future work.

My Rating: 5 stars

Katie by Michael McDowell REVIEW

Summary:

When Philo Drax receives a letter from her wealthy grandfather saying he fears for his life at the hands of the vicious Slape family, she rushes to the rescue. But too late! Katie Slape, a monstrous girl with psychic powers and a penchant for smashing skulls with her hammer, has already finished him off and gotten hold of his cash.

Determined to track down the murderers, Philo hunts Katie and her family through the streets of 1870s New York, where the Slapes' coffers are filling up with money as their cellar fills up with corpses. But going after the Slapes might be the worst decision of Philo's life, for no one escapes the bashing of Katie's hammer!

My Thoughts:

This book was a ride. Philo and her mother live in New Egypt, and are very poor. Her mother is a seamstress, and one day Philo discovers that her grandfather had written them a letter. We learn that he practically disowned her when she married a very poor man, and that they haven't spoken since. Despite this, Philo volunteers to go help him, and her mother holds on to the hope that he'll help them with their financial situation. He is already sick when Philo arrives, and not long after, he is killed by Katie. The Slape family rushes off, leaving Philo as the main suspect in the murder. When she finally returns home to her mother and goes looking for a job, Katie reappears to kill Philo's mother. Orphaned, she has no choice but to leave New Egypt and live elsewhere, hoping that she'll come across the Slape family again to stop them from killing for good.

Philo is a very well-developed and likable character. She deeply cares for her family and is devastated when they are murdered. When she leaves for New York, Philo later is asked to be a secretary for Mrs. Maitland, the aunt of their snobby neighbor Jewel in New Egypt. Mrs. Maitland cares for Philo as if she was her own daughter and is a generous and kind woman. Her son, Henry, falls in love with Philo and they get married at the end of the book. John Slape is killed by hanging for his crimes, Hannah Slape dies from rabies, and Katie dies from running away from Philo.

This book started off slow, but was very enjoyable. The writing was well done, and the characters were believable. If you like murder mysteries, you would definitely like this book.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

The Others by Evette Davis REVIEW

Summary:

Much as she wishes otherwise, superstar political consultant Olivia Shepherd was born a powerful empath. It's a legacy she walked away from long ago - but when she wakes up one morning to find Elsa, a tenacious time-walker, standing in her kitchen, she realizes she can no longer ignore her gifts. She is quickly plunged into the hidden world of powerful "Others" and drafted to work for the Council, a shadowy organization that summons the fog to San Francisco to obscure their involvement in human affairs.

Complicating matters further is Olivia's new love interest, William. A centuries-old vampire, William is far too jaded to take an interest in human affairs - but Olivia no longer has the luxury of remaining impartial. As shocking details from her own past emerge and her role in the Council begins to take shape, will she rise to the challenge of her destiny?

My Thoughts:

I could barely put this down. 

Olivia is a successful career woman in politics who is experiencing some hardships against her rival. When Elsa appears in her life suddenly, she learns her rival has sold his soul to the devil, and that in order to keep being the best at her job, she must shape her abilities in order to stop the demon from interfering in her life. When she reluctantly decides to do so, she realizes just how many Others are in the world alongside humans, and what they do. Olivia accepts the offer of a job at the council, which would have her run the political campaign for Levi Barnes. She even meets and falls in love with a vampire named William. 

I really love the characters in this book. Even minor characters seem to be fully-fleshed out and are either likable or unlikeable. The author does a fantastic job building in how the Council and the Others fit into the world of humans. I enjoyed reading this novel so much that I was disappointed when I finished. I will definitely be checking out the rest of this series when it comes out, and also other books by this author.

My Rating: 5 stars

American Narcissus by Chandler Morrison REVIEW

Summary:

The American dream is dead, and Los Angeles is burning.

Stoned and porn-addicted Baxter Kent is terrified of women and anxious to make things work with a sex robot. Acid junkie Arden Coover has a useless philosophy degree and a doomed relationship he believes might save him. His younger sister Tess is considering, or resisting, a convenient but loveless marriage to a wealthy, narcissistic novelist. Richard Richter, an alcoholic insurance executive with too much money and too few scruples, is seeking toxic solace in the arms of a dangerously unhinged subordinate.

As wildfires rage, this lost and hopeless cast makes their way through the embers of Los Angeles and beyond in a desperate search for meaning and connection in a world without a future.

My Thoughts:

I really love Morrison's writing, so I jumped at the opportunity to get this book. I was not disappointed in his writing.

Baxter is probably the least developed character in this book, so I never really cared what happened to him. But the rest of the characters are more developed. The second least developed character is probably Arden, but I do care about him. He is in a sort of relationship with Rebecca, who begrudgingly tolerates his addiction, but often makes comments that if he keeps going, she won't stay. He keeps going, and she does leave, but Arden is a likeable character, so it feels crushing when it happens. Tess has a boyfriend, but she doesn't love him and considers leaving him to find actual love. However, when she finds out he cheated on her, and on top of that her mom cheated on her dad, Tess decides to end it all. Her brother is the one who finds her. Richard is a lonely guy with no friends but Lyssi, who he's sleeping with. His ex is extremely sick, and his family hates him for moving to LA and leaving her. Lyssi seems nice at first, but she's definitely not well mentally. After Richard finds his ex in the hospital with her name carved in her arm, he finds that she planted a camera in his house and ruined his car.

While most of the characters are unlikeable, Tess and Richard really stood out to me as the ones I cared the most about. No characters are perfect, and no characters are happy.

My Rating: 4 stars

 

The Waters of Mars by Phil Ford REVIEW

Summary:

November 21st 2059, and Bowie Base One - the first human colony on Mars - is destined for destruction in a nuclear explosion. This tragedy is a fixed point in history. The Laws of Time dictate that it cannot - must never - be changed.

The Doctor arrives just as a viral life-form escapes from the Martian ice into the base's water supply. A single drop can transform a human into a terrifying monster with the power to infect others. History records that the threat is destroyed along with the base and every human in it. But as his darkest hour comes calling, the Doctor resolves to break the rules as he never has before . . .

My Thoughts:

I remember watching this episode for the first time when I was in middle school and being scared out of my mind - I refused to touch water for about a week. As an adult though, this has become one of my favorites.

I love the look into the Doctor's inner thoughts and feelings that we never see in the episode itself. The book reveals that his reason for going to Mars is to be alone and contemplate Ood Sigma's words of his song ending soon. But the TARDIS had other plans.

I also love that we get to know more about Adelaide Brooke. We learn more about her family, and her thoughts and feelings. We also get a look into the thoughts of those infected, which we don't get in the episode at all.

I'm really glad I chose to pick up this novelization, as it definitely made me appreciate the episode even more than I already do.

My Rating: 5 stars

The Great & The Small by A.T. Balsara REVIEW

 Summary:

Ananda is a troubled teen who feels like a misfit at home and at her new school, and her unusual ability to connect with animals makes her feel like even more of an outsider. Still raw from the death of her grandmother, Ananda's dreams are haunted by a long-buried memory that causes her to push people away.

Fin is a Tunnel rat who lives in the passages beneath the city, in the dark places humans overlook or despise. Orphaned as a pup, he is the nephew of the Tunnel's charismatic leader, the Beloved Chairman, and is willing to do anything to please his uncle, including becoming his lead henchman.

The worlds of humans and rats suddenly collide when Ananda protects Fin during a chance encounter in the market. Neither can foresee how their lives will forever be inextricably linked, but as the Chairman launches a plague war against the humans, both Fin and Ananda wrestle with secrets so terrible that they threaten their very existence.

My Thoughts:

The chapters go back and forth between Fin and Ananda's stories. Fin is a very likeable character. He cares about the other rats, and generally has a positive outlook on life. However, he does hate humans because of what they have done to his kind, and wants the torture and killing of rats by humans to stop. Fin will do anything to help his uncle save the rats of the world, so he is ecstatic when his uncle comes up with a plan to bring back the plague, letting rats live in peace. But things change when he meets Ananda for the second time and he sees the potential good in humans. He can't tell his uncle though, as Wreckers (traitors) are disappearing.

Ananda is an introverted teen who was forced to move with her family for her father's job. On top of that, she had recently lost her grandmother, who she was very close with. Her relationship with her parents is strained, and she can't help but feel alone. Ananda loves animals, and can telepathically communicate with them somehow.

This book was really interesting. I loved the look into the politics of the Tunnel rats and Fin the most. While I liked Ananda, it seemed like she was less developed character-wise than the rats, and it made me feel less connected to her. The "secret" Ananda has buried never really comes to light at all, which felt like a let-down considering it was supposed to be a big part of the plot.

Overall, the book was good, but it wasn't really my cup of tea.

My Rating:3 stars 

A Lesson In Vengeance by Victoria Lee REVIEW

 Summary:

Felicity Morrow is back at Dalloway School - the centuries-old, ivy-covered campus that was her home until the tragic death of her girlfriend. She even has her old room in Godwin House, the exclusive dormitory rumored to be haunted by the Dalloway Five - a group of students who all died mysteriously. Some say the girls were witches.

It's Ellis Haley's first year at Dalloway. A prodigy novelist at seventeen, she's eccentric and brilliant, and Felicity can't shake the pull she feels to her. So when Ellis asks Felicity to help her research the Dalloway Five for her second book, Felicity can't say no.

But Felicity knows better than anyone how dangerous ghost stories can be. And when history begins to repeat itself, she will have to face that there's a darkness in Dalloway - and in herself.

My Thoughts:

The book starts off a little slow, describing the atmosphere of the setting, but then it gets really good. Felicity isn't sure that going back to Dalloway was a good idea, and she keeps thinking her dead girlfriend, Alex, is haunting her in Godwin House. She has a hard time making new friends at first, as all her previous ones graduated last year, but eventually begrudgingly befriends Ellis and a few other girls.

Felicity believes in magic - why wouldn't she, when she and Alex tried communicating with the Dalloway Five - and she thinks she unleased the spirit of one of them. Ellis is the complete opposite, and she tries to convince Felicity that magic doesn't exist, and that the deaths of the Dalloway Five could have been of non-magical means. The closer they get, the more Felicity falls for Ellis, and the more she remembers the trauma that happened the previous year.

I love the character development in this book. Not only do you get to know Felicity and Ellis, but some of the side characters as well. The element of does magic exist/does it not was done very well in a believable way. The ending was a rollercoaster, and I had to sit for about ten minutes in silence to wrap my head around it. I can't remember the last time a book did that to me.

I would definitely recommend giving this book a read.

My Rating: 5 stars

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides REVIEW

 Summary:

Alicia Berenson's life is seemingly perfect. Until one night, when her husband, Gabriel, returns home late from work, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never speaks another word.

Alicia's refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into a mystery that captures the public imagination. And she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids at the Grove, a secure psychiatric unit in North London.

Criminal psychotherapist Theo Faber is captivated by Alicia's story and jumps at the opportunity to work with her. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband will take him down a path more unexpected and more terrifying than he ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book. The story is from the point of view of Theo, a therapist who recently took a job at the Grove. He is fascinated by the unknown story of Alicia's crime, and does everything he can to get her to trust him, so that she can hopefully tell him her story. However, he is the only one at the Grove who thinks he can do it . . . and possibly the only one who even thinks it is worth it. Theo's boss begrudgingly lets him try, but even he is skeptical.

Most of the book takes place in the Grove, with alternate chapters being snippets from Alicia's diary, and we also get a small glimpse at Theo's personal life. For most of it, the pacing is well done and builds up to the end, but the ending does feel very rushed. I think the book should have been slightly longer, because the rushed ending messes up the great pacing that the majority of the book had.

Overall, I would definitely recommend giving this book a try.

My Rating: 4 stars

Remedial Magic by Melissa Marr REVIEW

Summary:

Ellie loves working in her local library, baking scones, and investigating the mysterious in her spare time. And there is nothing more mysterious and captivating than the intriguingly beautiful, too properly dressed woman suddenly sipping tea in her library. The pull between them in undeniable, and Ellie is not sure that she wants to resist.

Prospero, a powerful witch from the magical land of Crenshaw, is often accused of being . . . ruthless in her goals and ambitions. But she is driven to save her dying homeland, and a prophecy tells her that Ellie is the key. Unbeknownst to Ellie, her powers have not yet awakened. But all of that is about to change.

My Thoughts:

I couldn't put this book down. 

Ellie is a quiet, introverted librarian until a gorgeous woman shows up in her library and captivates her. They share a kiss, and then the woman disappears. Later, while driving, Ellie swerves to avoid a collision but wakes up in Crenshaw, a land for witches, where she is told that she must attend a school for witches. Ellie wants to go home to her aunt, but Prospero being there makes her unsure whether to go or stay.

There are also other characters, like Maggie and Dan, who were also brought to Crenshaw around the same time. Although they aren't main characters, they are very well developed and likable. 

While I'm not usually a fan of romance, this book is definitely an exception. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy with a bit of romance.

My Rating: 5 stars 

Dalek by Robert Shearman REVIEW

Summary:

The Doctor and Rose arrive in an underground vault in Utah in the near future. The vault is filled with alien artifacts. Its billionaire owner, Henry van Statten, even has possession of a living alien creature, a mechanical monster in chains that he has named a Metaltron.

Seeking to help the Metaltron, the Doctor is appalled to find it is in fact a Dalek - one that has survived the horrors of the Time War just as he has. And as the Dalek breaks loose, the Doctor is brought back to the brutality and desperation of his darkest hours spent fighting the creatures of Skaro . . . this time with the Earth as their battlefield.

My Thoughts:

I loved this episode of the show, so I was excited to pick up the novelization of it, hoping to see more characterization of the background characters. I was not disappointed.

This was not just a play-by-play of the script. You learn the background of Henry van Statten, which gives you a small bit of sympathy for who you might call the real evil of the story, but still hate him throughout the book. You learn a bit of the backgrounds of Adam and Goddard, one of the soldiers.

Overall, this was a nice glimpse into some of the characters that you would never see in the episode itself, but it did feel lacking in the pacing. The way the author split the present with the flashbacks was odd and did more to confuse the reader more than anything.

My Rating: 3 stars 

The Age of the End by Tim Facciola REVIEW

Summary:

The flood of blood drowns New Rheynia, but the Age of the End is only just beginning. Though the traitor God within Valencia has been exposed, and Zephyrus and Threyna wield the artifacts of long dead deities, the way to the divine realm is blocked. The Harbinger has ascended to slaughter the Gods and leave the mortal in ruins. But Zephyrus, Laeden, Vykinallia, Iylea, and Threna have even more pressing concerns.

The Skeleton King has come to New Rheynia's shores. Empowered by cursed magic, he and his legions will stop at nothing to consume every soul in the mortal realm in service to the One True God. Regardless if they're Valencian or Celestic, Rheynians or Helms, free or enslaved - everyone must join together if they hope to outlast the apocalypse. Even the worst of enemies.

Bonds of friendship and love will be tested.

Chains of guilt and disdain will come undone. One way or another, the scales will be set right, and nothing will be the same again.

My Thoughts:

I'm really sad to see this story go. This is probably the best trilogy I've read in a long time.

I have to say that my favorite parts in this book happen to be Danella's character development. She really changes as a person to become someone better, even unrecognizable from the person she was in the first book. And it's believable, even though it technically happens in a short amount of time. Danella realizes that she's on the wrong side, and not only switches sides, but gives her all in helping the characters.

Fenyx probably is my second favorite in this installment. His parts were really interesting, and his development was great to see.

Threyna and Vykinallia become reluctant friends, as Threyna has to help train her to use her new abilities. Laeden grows as a person even more somehow.

Zephyrus was also a great part of this book (he's the main character, so he has to be, but still). He definitely grows even more as a fighter. We also get to see him meet his mom.

Overall, I loved reading this, and I was melancholy when I finished it. I don't think there can be another trilogy as amazing as this one.

My Rating: 5 stars 

The Breaker of Chains by Tim Facciola REVIEW

 Summary:

New Rheynia has woken from peace's slumber to a nightmare. Denied the nightly rains, crops fail, people divide, and revolution blooms between every crack in the kingdoms' failing foundation. King Varros - supposedly dead. Laeden, the traitor, a fugitive. And the Uprising's patience has ended. Following Zephyrus's open defiance of the crown, war has come. No one will emerge unscathed.

While Danella directs Damascus to finish the war her father started, Laeden frees gladiator slaves to raise an army against them. With New Rheynia burning, Vykinallia, a prisoner of the Uprising, attempts to prove herself more valuable than a king's ransom. And Iylea, after skirting death to become a servant in the divine realm, learns of a treacherous plot amongst the Gods with Zephyrus at the center of it all. Now, with the aid of Iylea in the divine realm and Laeden in the mortal, Zephyrus must claim the lost relics of long dead Gods if he has any chance of facing the traitor God and breaking the chains that bind all of humanity. But plans are in place . . . The Age of the End is coming.

My Thoughts:

Never in my life have I ever read a sequel that was even better than the first book - but here we are - this was somehow even better than the first book. I loved the fleshing out of the characters, especially smaller ones from the first book like Fenyx. Vykinallia's stoy arc in this made me like her even more, as did Laeden's.

Laeden is not only freeing the slaves to raise an army, but he's giving them a choice to join or to try to live out their lives peacefully. While on the journey, he runs into his father, King Varros, who isn't actually dead and tries to convince Laeden to choose peace instead of joining the war. While Laeden wants peace, he knows that his stepmother Danella and King Damascus will never go for that, and the war is an essential part in not only bringing peace, but bringing much needed change to the kingdom. Varros also tries to convince Danella, but she refuses to stop the war

Iylea is brought back by the Gods to break the chains, which will supposedly help the world. But while being there, she discovers that one of the Gods is actually plotting to end the world.

Zephyrus is sent on a journey to collect lost relics so that he can do his part in the war, but finds obstacles along the way. He also goes home to try to find his family with no luck - they've all disappeared.

The book ends with the Traitor God finding someone human to help him with his plan.

I loved this novel, and I didn't want it to end. I am very excited for the next one though!

My Rating: 5 stars

Recreational Panic: Stories by Sonora Taylor REVIEW

 Summary:

Fear is so much a part of our lives that instead of running away from it, we're finding ways to relax with it. Could it be through a true crime obsession that leads to stalking, or a camp song sung with murderous intent? Maybe it's better suited in an unwieldy email chain, or making crafts with materials dug from the grave. It could even be as simple as petting a kitten - whether it's truly a kitten remains far from simple . . .

My Thoughts:

I flew right through this book. A collection of short stories is a hit or miss, and this was definitely a hit. 

While a couple stories fell flat to me, the majority were intriguing and fun to read. My favorites were definitely "Harvey Carver", "Easy Bake", "Laughter in the Night", "From Scratch", "Bones Into Blood", and "Salty Air".

Sonora Taylor does a fantastic job with her writing. The vivid imagery is arguably the best part of these stories.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this anthology to any horror fan.

My Rating: 5 stars

In the Valley of the Headless Men by L. P. Hernandez REVIEW

Summary:

Nahanni National Park is one of the last truly wild places on earth. Accessible only by plane, and only when the weather cooperates, it's the perfect place for estranged brothers Joseph and Oscar to have an adventure following the death of their mother. Gillian, Joseph's first love, invites herself along in the spirit of friendship.

The park is much more than beautiful. It's mysterious. Legends of giants and hidden prehistoric animals. And among its few visitors, an outsized number of violent deaths inspiring it's second, more seductive name.

While dreaming of the future, the group will find themselves confronted by the past. Far from home and far from help. In the Valley of the Headless Men.

My Thoughts:

This was such a good read. It pulls you in through the emotions of the grieving brothers at the beginning when they are going through their mother's things at her home. 

The idea of the trip comes from letters Oscar found from Joseph's dad that his mother had kept. His parents had separated, and the longer they were separated, the longer time was between his father's visits, which eventually stopped altogether. Having a different father who was also abusive, Oscar was never close to his brother, and suggests they take a trip to Nahanni after reading about it in a letter from Joseph's father. 

The trip itself was uneventful, but the place starts to fuck with their heads. Oscar is reliving memories of his terrible father, while Gillian is reliving her pregnancy that ended in a still birth. Joseph seems to be the only one not effected - until they meet a stranger who is also wandering the area. He takes them to his cabin, and Joseph starts reliving some of his past memories. But the stranger isn't normal - he's been dead for decades, and he urges the group to travel to the heart of the valley.

I love the raw emotions and realism that this novella exudes, but I can't help but wish it was longer. The ending seemed rushed and unfinished - although maybe that's how it is supposed to feel. Gillian never returns at the end - leading me to think she is dead or she became one with the valley - although maybe that's the same thing.

My Rating: 4 stars

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix REVIEW

Summary:

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they'll patrol the empty Showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstor is designed to retain its luster and natural appearance for a lifetime of use. Pleasingly proportioned with generous French flaps and a softcover binding, Horrorstor delivers the psychological terror you need in the elegant package you deserve.

My Thoughts:

Amy is the main character, and what a character she is. She's semi-unlikable, and the embodiment of every customer service worker in existence. She does her job, overworked and underpaid. Her manager is constantly pissing her off, and she's worried she'll be fired and unable to pay rent. Amy thinks she's fired when she is called to the manager's office, but instead is asked to work overnight to find the culprit of the break-ins with a coworker and her boss.

It's creepy at night, and they think they've found the culprit, only to find a harmless homeless man and a couple co-workers eager to go ghost-hunting. Orsk was supposedly built where a 'rehabilitation' center used to be - and not the helpful kind.

I went into this with high hopes - and boy was I satisfied. The moment I picked it up, I could not put it down. It isn't super complicated or heavy, but it's a lot of fun. The characters, as annoying as they can be, are well written. My only complaint is that there wasn't a whole lot of the backstory of the haunting. I think it could have been better if the chapters alternated between the past and the present.

I would definitely recommend reading this.

My Rating: 4 stars