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To love is to devour: Reviewing House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. I’m coming back with yet another horror novel. I know I should save these for fall, but I’m in the mood for something a little spooky. It has been a while, but I have reviewed a different novel by Alexis Henderson. If you want to, feel free to check out my review of The Year of the Witching. But now, let’s talk about House of Hunger

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Sexual Content, Explicit Language, Substance Abuse, Abusive Relationships

Marion Shaw has spent her entire life struggling to survive. Her menial job as a housemaid pays next to nothing, and her brother spends what little he earns on drugs. One day, Marion spots the opportunity to change her life. She decides she will become a bloodmaid, a young woman whose only purpose is to provide her blood to nobles. In exchange, a bloodmaid gets to live a life of luxury. Marion seizes the offer and travels to the North. When she arrives, she meets the mysterious Lizavet, the Countess of the House of Hunger. Underneath the glamor and riches, a dark secret lurks in the walls. Marion must discover what’s truly happening in the House of Hunger before she and her fellow bloodmaids are consumed by something far more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.

House of Hunger is tense, Gothic horror with plenty of intrigue and thrills. If you know me, you know I love a classic Gothic horror that takes place in a mysterious manor. Alexis Henderson perfectly captures the best parts of Gothic horror, while incorporating plenty of steamy scenes and interesting twists. While this book is not about vampires, it is certainly vampire-adjacent and could easily appeal to any fans of classics like Dracula and Carmilla. Speaking of Carmilla, this novel is undeniably sapphic and presents a whole host of compelling female characters. I had such a hard time putting down this book and devoured it (pun intended). I don’t want to say too much more because I don’t want to give away anything else. Go read House of Hunger ASAP!

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The world was not made for ones like you: Reviewing You Weren’t Meant To Be Human by Andrew Joseph White

Hi everyone! I hope you are doing alright. It feels like it has been too long since I last posted. With summer starting to wind down, I’m trying to finish up some of my reading. I’m going to be fairly busy soon. In some exciting news, a little book cafe opened up close to my home. This has proven to be dangerous for me because I can’t resist a cheap, secondhand book. My TBR isn’t going to shrink any time soon. If nothing else, I can at least take one book off of my never-ending pile. With all of that being said, let’s talk about You Weren’t Mean To Be Human.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Strong Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Dubious Consent, Discussions and Depictions of Self-Harm, Attempted Suicide, Discussions of Transphobia, Graphic Scenes of Childbirth, Forced Pregnancy, Domestic Violence, Child Death, Disturbing Imagery

Several years ago, festering hives of worms and flies took root in various corners of America. These hives weren’t just clusters of bugs. They were aliens, intelligent ones at that. They promised salvation to those who served them faithfully. Soon, desperate people welcomed the influence of the hive. Crane is one of those people. After struggling with his identity, Crane decided to join the hive’s followers. He is living the life he wants. He can transition in peace, and he can be nonverbal without fear of judgment. He even got a boyfriend, who sucks, but at least he treats Crane like a man. Everything is going alright until Crane finds out that he’s pregnant. The hive demands that Crane bring this child into the world. His boyfriend, a loyal member of the hive, will ensure that the hive’s demands are met. Desperate and scared, Crane decides he will bring an end to the hive’s influence even if it means destroying everything he has ever wanted.

You Weren’t Meant To Be Human is a raw, visceral, and scathing horror novel about the fears and anxieties of those living in a world where their bodies and rights are constantly monitored. Andrew Joseph White doesn’t refrain from exploring overtly political themes surrounding trans rights and LGBTQIA+ issues. His prose is blunt, gross, and powerful. I don’t want anyone to think I am using “gross” as an insult towards this novel. On the contrary, I think the best thing that White did when writing this book was delve into body horror and the unpleasant parts of human life, specifically human reproduction. That is not to say that the book is without sympathy. The protagonist, Crane, is an incredibly sympathetic character, and I wanted him to survive this horrific situation. Speaking of the horrific situation, the aliens in this book were disgusting, and I had a hard time getting through some of the descriptions. That, however, is also meant as a compliment. You Weren’t Meant To Be Human is a difficult, yet necessary novel that serves a powerful political statement and stomach-churning body horror novel. This book will resonate with readers, in the best and worst ways.

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…But poison is everywhere, even in the places you least expect it: Reviewing The Eyes Are The Best Part by Monika Kim

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Yesterday, I went to a local book festival and had a wonderful time. Obviously, I did not walk away empty-handed. I got The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (Book 3 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series) by Matt Dinniman, Our Share of the Night by Mariana Enriquez, Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito, and The Looking Glass Theory by Vivian Cafield. Ms. Catfield is an indie author whom I had the pleasure of meeting and her books sound immensely interesting to me. I will talk about all of those in the future. In the meantime, let’s talk about The Eyes Are The Best Part.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Disturbing Imagery, Strong Language, Discussions of Racism

Ji-won’s life is falling apart. Her father abruptly leaves after revealing that he was having an affair. This revelation leaves her mother in shambles and barely able to function. Between trying to mend her broken family and the pressures of college, Ji-won feels like a shell of who she once was. She begins having strange and disturbing dreams about rooms full of blue eyes. She tries to reason with herself that these dreams are a result of all the stress she is experiencing and tries to move past them. Ji-won’s life only gets exponentially more difficult when her mother starts dating a white man named George. He is obnoxious and self-important. He also clearly has a fetish for Asian women. Ji-won is disgusted with him, but finds herself captivated by his eyes. His eyes look just like the ones that she had seen in her dreams. She realizes then that maybe her dreams do mean something. Ji-won will finally satisfy her hunger for revenge…among other things.

It’s been a little bit since I’ve read a “good for her” horror novel, and The Eyes Are The Best Part is one of the best “good for her” books I have read in a while. Monika Kim’s award-winning horror thriller novel is a tense, exciting, and nauseating tale of rage and revenge. This book tackles plenty of issues, like the power imbalance between men and women, the dangers of “nice men,” and the insidiousness of racism. All of this is told through a fast-paced and visceral narrative. The highlight of the book, though, is its protagonist. Kim created a perfectly complex character in Ji-won Lim, who is a perfect balance of relatable and unhinged. I would be lying if I said I found the character to be unlikable. If anything, I found her to be a very sympathetic character (disregarding some of her more disturbing actions). It’s hard to find well-written, complex female characters, but Monika Kim delivers on this aspect of the novel as well as everything else. It is safe for you to assume that I loved The Eyes Are The Best Part and I truly think that you will too.

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For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me…: Reviewing If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You by Leigh Stein

Hey everyone! I hope you are all doing well in this heat wave. In some recent news, I turned 30! It feels a bit weird to say out loud, but it’s exciting. I thought about doing a post about 30 books everyone must read, or something like that. I, however, decided to simply enjoy the day. With all of that being said, I have another review for you. Let’s talk about If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You.

Content Warning: Some Strong Language, Sexual Content, Substance Use, Mental Health Crisis

Dayna Lev is having the worst day. Her entire life is turned upside down when she finds out her boyfriend wants to break up with her via a Reddit post. With nothing to lose, she decides to take up an offer with an old friend. She would become a content manager for young influencers at an up-and-coming hype house that was formerly a Hollywood landmark. Dayna sees the potential to turn this crumbling manor full of twenty-somethings into a spectacle. The house, though, is missing one key component. Becca Chambers, a tarot influencer, disappeared after posting a cryptic message. Dayna is not the only one interested in finding Becca. Nineteen-year-old Olivia is a burgeoning influencer and one of Becca’s biggest fans. Dayna and Olivia dig through the secrets of the house and its occupants (past and present) to find out what happened to Becca.

Typically, I am hesitant to read books that heavily feature social media in the narrative. Books like those tend to feel dated before you even finish reading them. If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You is not like that at all. It feels refreshing in a time when everyone is trying to make their novels as specific to the modern age as possible. Leigh Stein brilliantly explores the dangers of making one’s life available to the public, whether that be through traditional media or social media. While platforms like TikTok and Instagram play a role in the novel, those don’t distract from the atmosphere that Stein has created. The Gothic influences are undeniably present. I saw glimpses of Brontë’s Jane Eyre, Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, and Perkins-Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper, among other notable works. Everything from the past and present blended together seamlessly in this endlessly interesting depiction of the state of social media. I was genuinely surprised and satisfied by this novel. I am certainly going to recommend If You’re Seeing This, It’s Meant For You.