Posted on by bookreviews628

To change any of this, we need to live: Reviewing The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller

Hello everyone! Happy New Year! I am wishing you all the best for 2024. Thank you for continuing to support my blog. I hope your TBR lists are ready to go. I am excited to bring you my first review of 2024. I fully meant to review this book last year but hit a bit of a reading slump. This book has been on my TBR list for a while now so I have been looking forward to reviewing it. Let’s talk about Sara A. Mueller’s debut novel, The Bone Orchard.

Content Warning: Depictions of Violence and Abuse, Depictions of Prostitution, Discussions of Child Abuse, Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny

Lady Charm lives in the mysterious Orchard House, surrounded by a garden of bones and her beautiful boneghosts. All of the wealthy and powerful inhabitants of Borenguard go to Orchard House to indulge in their vices. Charm has the distinct advantage of belonging only to the Emperor. One day, Charm is summoned by the Emperor and finds out he is dying. His final request is that Charm find out which of the Emperor’s sons is behind their father’s death. With Borenguard thrown into chaos as the princes fight for the throne, Charm must find the Emperor’s killer before war breaks out in the kingdom.

I will not lie: this book was absolutely not what I thought it would be. Based on the plot synopsis of the book itself, I thought that this book was going to be more of a gothic fairy tale with a whodunnit element. Instead, this book is more of a dark steampunk fantasy with magic in parts. For the majority of this book, I was rather confused by the world-building, and differentiating the characters was a bit of a challenge at times. That isn’t to say that this book is badly written. Sara Mueller puts a lot of conviction and care into the narrative. I found plenty of redeeming qualities the further I got into the book but it took me longer than I would have liked to truly find the rhythm of this book. I was actually fully prepared to DNF this book at one point. I am glad I finished this but it might take another reading to fully understand this book. It certainly is unlike anything I have read in a while and, for that, I did appreciate Mueller’s unique novel. For this book, I am going to say to go ahead and give it a chance because there is certainly potential in this novel that I hope other people see.

Posted on by bookreviews628

My Favorites of 2023

Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays this year and were able to take a nice break. I also hope you got some good books as gifts that you will read this upcoming year. My TBR list looks pretty good, and I will post a new review sooner than later. Now, it is time for my annual favorites list. I hope you all enjoy it! Thank you so much for continuing to support my blog! I’m wishing you all the best for 2024.

Books

  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
  • My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Odessa Moshfegh
  • Birds of Paradise by Oliver K. Langmede
  • A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske
  • Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix
  • Hall of Smoke by H.M. Long
  • The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher
  • Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
  • The Hades Saga (Books 1 – 3) by Scarlett St. Clair
  • The Blood Gift Duology by N.E. Davenport
  • Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
  • The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper
  • Bunny by Mona Awad
  • Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
  • The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
  • The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
  • The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
  • The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
  • The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Ohsiro
  • Pew by Catherine Lacey
  • Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
  • Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
  • Tell Me I’m Worthless by Allison Rumfitt
  • Juniper and Thorn by Ava Reid
  • She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker – Chan
  • Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
  • Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste
  • Dead Astronauts by Jeff Vandermeer
  • A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
  • The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
  • Jawbone by Monica Ojeda
  • Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
  • A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay
  • Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia
  • Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield
  • Shadows of the Dark Realm by Tyler Edwards

Movies

  • John Wick: Chapter 4 (dir. Chad Stahelski)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (dir. John Francis Daley and Johnathan Goldstein)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (dir. James Gunn)
  • The Little Mermaid (2023) (dir. Rob Marshall)
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (dir. Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson)
  • Barbie (dir. Greta Gerwig)
  • Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (dir. Sam Wrench)
  • Five Nights an Freddy’s (dir. Emma Tammi)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (dir. Francis Lawrence)

TV Shows

  • The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
  • The Witcher: Season 3 (Netflix)
  • Castlevania: Nocturne: Season 1 (Netflix)
  • Good Omens: Season 2 (Prime Video)
  • Our Flag Means Death: Season 2 (Max)
  • Loki: Season 2 (Disney +)
  • Ahsoka: Season 1 (Disney +)
  • What We Do in the Shadows: Season 5 (Hulu)
  • The Last of Us: Season 1 (Max)
  • The Mandalorian: Season 3 (Disney +)

Music

  • This Is Why by Paramore (album)
  • labour by Paris Paloma (single)
  • Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? by Lana Del Rey (album)
  • So Much (for) Stardust by Fall Out Boy (album)
  • Daylight by David Kushner (single)
  • – by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • Take Me Back to Eden by Sleep Token (album)
  • Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • Unreal Unearth by Cozier (album)
  • The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We by Mitski (album)
  • Autumn Variations by Ed Sheeran (album)
  • the rest by boy genius (album)
  • 1989 (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (album)
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Music Inspired By) by Various Artists (album)
  • the record by boygenius (album)
  • Dead Man by David Kushner (single)
  • GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo (album)
  • Barbie: The Album by Various Artists. (album)
  • Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever) by Noah Kahan (album)

Posted on by bookreviews628

All we can do is make the best of the future: Reviewing One Desert Night by Ricky Hurlich

Hello everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the holidays. I promise I am still here. I am just slowing down a bit at the end of the year. My last post of the year will probably be my annual favorites list and then the new year will be a fresh start with plenty of books to read. This particular review, though, is very exciting because it is by another indie author. I want to give a huge shoutout to Ricky for reaching out to me and asking me to review his unpublished novella. I will list all of his socials at the end of this review so make sure to send him some love. Now, let’s talk about One Desert Night.

Content Warning: Semi-Graphic Depictions of a Car Accident, Some Discussion of Mental Health Issues and Self-Harm

Jack is on a journey. At the end of everything, in an impossible realm where time and space blur together, Jack is seeking answers to impossible questions. Along the way, he meets a stranger who serves as his guide through the universe. Despite the beauty of everything, there is also the one answer Jack never knew he wanted. Jack realizes, though, that he will have to face the truth and his impact on the lives of others.

One Desert Night was a wonderfully atmospheric story with plenty of introspection and philosophical musings. Ricky Hurlich has done an excellent job eloquently telling the story of one man’s journey to self-discovery. My personal favorite aspect of the story was how the different plot points with different characters became connected towards the end. I was guessing all the way to the end and wanted answers the entire time. It is easy to tell that a lot of care and love went into crafting the message of this story. I can’t wait to see more from Ricky in the future and hope that he’s able to share his work with all of you as he has done with me.

Instagram: RHurlich

Facebook: Ricky Hurlich

Posted on by bookreviews628 · 1 Comment

The greatest glory that can ever be is to rise: Reviewing Shadows of the Dark Realm (ARC Review) by Tyler Edwards

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. If you are an American viewer, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I am so excited to share my first ARC review with you! This is so exciting! First of all, I want to give a huge shoutout to Tyler Edwards for reaching out to me. I will list all of his social media links at the end of this review. Go send him some love and support. I’m all for boosting indie authors so feel free to reach out to me if you want a bit of a boost. Now without further ado, let’s discuss Shadows of the Dark Realm.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Graphic Death Scenes, Scenes of Major Bodily Injury, Some Disturbing Imagery

Long ago, the Dark Realm, Mortal Realm, and Spirit Realm were all connected. A fragile peace had been forged between them to respect the boundaries between the worlds. Praetor Rath, the Shadow King, broke that peace and invaded the Realms with his mighty army. The kings of Mortal Realm and Spirit Realm created the Dark Stone in order to seal away the Shadow Realm. Now, King Alistar of Parisia announces a quest to find the Dark Stone to protect his kingdom. A ragtag group of Seekers forms in order to find the magical artifact. Along the way, they realize that the danger is much greater than any of them could have anticipated. Secrets, betrayal, magic, and danger lurk around every corner as they journey to save the realms before dark powers threaten to destroy life as they know it.

As you all know, I am a huge fan of epic fantasy and Tyler Edwards certainly delivers a fantastic adventure. This was so action-packed and exciting. I truly had so much fun reading this book. I loved the world-building throughout the novel, in particular. It can be tricky to balance the two elements but it worked in this book. I also loved how unexpected the plot was as there were plenty of plot twists that made the book unputdownable. This book gave me major Dungeons and Dragons vibes with a nice hint of ’90s fantasy. Edwards does a great job taking traditional fantasy elements and making them unique to the world of his novel. Overall, I had such a fun time with this book and I am looking forward to you all being able to read it as well. Shadows of the Dark Realm comes out on 01/31/2024.

Thank you, Tyler!

Looking for some books? Click Here

Stay up to date with what’s happening:

The Outlands on Facebook

Shadows of the Dark Realm on Facebook

https://authortyleredwards.wordpress.com

Posted on by bookreviews628

Let go of them in the water: Reviewing Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield

Hello everyone! I hope you are all relaxing before the barrage of holidays. As much as I do enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas, I tend to pick up on other people’s stress around this time. That is why I read. I have some exciting reviews coming soon and can’t wait to share them with you. For the first time, I have had two (that’s right! Two!) people approach me with requests to review their books! You all will be getting those reviews soon. If you are interested in having me review your book, feel free to contact me. My email is available on my blog. Before I get too far ahead, let’s talk about Our Wives Under the Sea.

Content Warning: Claustrophobia, Some Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content, Some Disturbing Imagery

Something is wrong with Leah. Months ago, she left for an expedition for her marine biology research. Upon resurfacing and returning home, her wife Miri immediately knows something is different. Leah runs the bath at all hours, keeps her sound machine on constantly, and refuses to consume anything other than salt water. When Miri tries to reach out to the organization that sent Leah down there, she suddenly finds that it seemingly doesn’t exist anymore. With Leah’s condition getting worse by the day, Miri embarks on a desperate search for the truth behind what happened all of those miles below the surface of the sea.

It’s hard to classify exactly what genre this book is and that is why I enjoyed it in particular. If I had to exactly describe Our Wives Under the Sea, I would say it is a chilling, slow-burn thriller with an ever so slight sci-fi angle to it. Julia Armfield balances the strange mystery lurking below the depths with an intimate romance between two women who understand each other in such a beautiful way. Ultimately, the book is about asking what lengths someone will go to for someone that they love. Despite this book being about 200 pages, it feels a lot longer but in a good way. Armfield has great attention to detail that makes you as a reader feel really involved in this story. If you are looking for something a little strange, a little ambiguous, and a little emotional, then look not further than Our Wives Under the Sea.

Posted on by bookreviews628

The greater the magic, the greater the price: Reviewing Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno – Garcia

Hello everyone! There is a chill in the air and Halloween is just around the corner as I post this. I’m not planning on doing anything crazy since it is on a Tuesday. I’m probably going to make some chili (the perfect fall food) and watch a horror movie. Our neighborhood doesn’t have a ton of trick-or-treaters. That doesn’t mean I don’t still revel in the overall atmosphere of Halloween. I have a few more horror novels that will roll over into November along with some other exciting reads coming up. Let me not chatter on and on. Let’s discuss the newest released from Silvia Moreno – Garcia: Silver Nitrate.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Graphic Bodily Injury, Harsh Language, Graphic Deaths

Montserrat has struggled with her career as a sound editor. Despite her talent, the movie industry is dominated by men who are quick to dismiss her in favor of her male co-workers. It’s the ’90s and the Mexican film industry is run by powerful men who want quantity over quality. The only person who recognizes her talent is her childhood best friend, Tristan who is trying to revive his acting career after facing several scandals. One day, Tristan meets Abel Urueta who is a legendary cult film director whose career mysteriously came to a halt. Abel tells Montserrat and Tristan about a dangerous Nazi cult leader who believed that the silver nitrate used in film reels was the ideal element to use in his attempts to become immortal. The film that Abel started making with this man was never finished and he is convinced that he has been cursed ever since. The director asks Montserrat and Tristan to help him finish the film in order to lift the curse. As they help him, the two begin to find themselves being visited by ghosts of the past. Montserrat and Tristan begin to dig deeper into the world of the occult and find themselves facing a greater danger than they could have ever imagined.

To preface: this is now the fifth book I have reviewed by Silvia Morena – Garcia so it is safe to say I’m a fan. I was immediately intrigued by this being a horror novel set in the ’90s. This novel was a little slow to start but once it got going, it was hard to put down. Silver Nitrate combines classic staples of occult horror with an interesting look at the dark side of the film industry. Even though this novel was mostly a thriller, it delivered on the horror elements with plenty of gruesome details and high stakes. I liked the relationship between Montserrat and Tristan as it helped make the story feel all the more personal. Silvia Moreno-Garcia does a great job balancing out the fantastical elements of her novels with the personal relationships at the heart of it all. Overall, this novel has only further solidified my status as a fan of Silvia Moreno – Garcia and I would recommend reading this or any of her other novels.

Posted on by bookreviews628

I am the shadow below everything: Reviewing A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay

Hello everyone! I hope you are all holding up in this chilly fall weather. There’s no better time to catch up on your spookier reads. As I have said in the past, spooky season is whenever you want it to be but something about October just feels different. The atmosphere is just perfect for chills and thrills of all sorts. I just finished the new Netflix series “The Fall of the House of Usher” and absolutely adored it. I’m a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe and Mike Flanagan (who wrote the show and has done other horror series on Netflix). I highly recommend the series if you are looking for something horror-related to watch. Anyways, let’s talk about A Head Full of Ghosts

Content Warning: Violence, Harsh Language, Graphic Bodily Injury, Harm Towards Children, Discussions and Depictions of Religious Trauma, Discussions and Depictions of Severe Mental Illness, Self-Harm, Graphic Deaths

The Barretts had been a normal family living in New England. Their entire lives are thrown into disarray when their fourteen-year-old daughter Marjorie starts showing signs of acute schizophrenia. Her behavior quickly turns from disturbing to violent. In a desperate attempt to save their daughter, they turn to a Catholic priest for help. Father Wanderly believes that Marjorie is possessed by a demon. He agrees to help the family if they allow him to film everything for a reality show. John, Marjorie’s father, agrees in the hopes that it will save his daughter and save the family from financial ruin. The Possession becomes a reality television hit and the Barretts are thrust into the limelight. Tragedy, though, brings the show to an end but it continues to live in infamy. Now, fifteen years later, the younger Barrett daughter, Merry, is an adult who is still trying to grapple with everything that happened. As she talks to a journalist who wants to help tell her story, Merry begins to wonder what really happened to her family all those years ago.

A Head Full of Ghosts was a short but intense read with dizzying and gruesome details that leave you wondering what is actually happening at any moment. The “possession” sub-genre of horror tends to be a bit overdone nowadays. Paul Tremblay, though, blends the horror genre with psychological thrills. I think the most compelling element of the story is that most of it is told through Merry’s childhood memories, which add another level of doubt to the narrative. I also appreciated the overall commentary on the exploitative nature of reality television and how it can push already desperate people to extremes. This was quite a shocking read that will have you guessing until the very end and won’t give you the answers that you want. You should definitely pick up A Head Full of Ghosts.

Posted on by bookreviews628

For you to find something, that thing must also find you: Reviewing Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant

Hello everyone! Let’s keep the spooky season going with another review. I was particularly excited to talk about this book because I haven’t read any horror novels set at sea before. In my humble and non-scientific opinion, it is best to leave the ocean alone. The same goes for outer space. This book is also not the only horror novel I have that has to do with the ocean. I do plan on reviewing Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield before the end of the month. I have a good array of horror novels I’m planning on reading so I hope you find something you like. Anyways, let’s talk about Into the Drowning Deep.

Content Warning: Graphic and Disturbing Imagery, Violence and Gore, Graphic Bodily Injury, Animal Death, Some Harsh Language, Some Sexual Content

Seven years ago, a high tech ship called the Atargatis set sail to film a mockumentary about discovering mermaids. No one survived. Now, a new ship called the Melusine with a new crew is out to discover what really happened all those years ago. Among the crew of scientists eager to make themselves famous, Tory Stewart is seeking answers to what happened to her sister. Nothing could prepare her or fellow scientists for the horrors that lurk just below the surface.

This book was such a thrill to read and I didn’t want to put it down at a certain point. Into the Drowning Deep was an atmospheric and action-packed horror that felt cinematic. Mira Grant does an excellent job of creating a diverse array of complex characters and balancing that out with truly chilling horror elements. This was certainly a very bloody book with plenty of gore and tension. Survival horror can be a tricky genre and can come across as shallow (pun intended). Creature horror can also be rather trick but Mira Grant’s killer mermaids are just as fascinating as their human counterparts. Into the Drowning Deep balances out the scientific elements with the horror elements. If you are scared of the sea, you might not want to read this. On the other hand, if you are scared of the sea then you might feel a little more justified reading this. Either way, you should definitely consider picking up this book for some thrills and chills.

Posted on by bookreviews628

There is a joy in fear: Review Jawbone by Monica Ojeda, Translated by Sarah Booker

Hello everyone! I’m doing my best to keep up the momentum for the month of October. I want to get through as many of my horror novels on my TBR as I can. In case you couldn’t tell by now, a lot of the horror novels I read can be rather “unconventional.” Modern horror is such a rich genre with so much nuance and analysis to it and I am absolutely loving these new releases. This book was also a “Book Tok” recommendation that I will pass a long to you, my readers. Enough chit-chat now. Let’s discuss Jawbone.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Explicit Sexual Content, Graphic Bodily Injury

Fernanda and Annelise have a bond that goes beyond friendship; they consider themselves doubles, conjoined. At the Delta Bilingual Academy, they form a tight knit group with other girls who are looking for such a sisterhood. Annelise introduces their friend group to the drag queen god she created and her god demands sacrifice. Despite Fernanda’s fear of Annelise’s vivid and dangerous imagination, she cannot seem to separate herself from this dangerously codependent relationship. Unbeknownst to the girls, their literature teacher Miss Clara is slowly losing her sanity as she tries to become her dead mother. Everyone has their breaking point and it is only a matter of time before someone finally snaps.

This book was incredible. I ended up finishing it all in one sitting. Monica Ojeda so perfectly captures the inherent violence and ferocity of teenage girlhood. While I wasn’t “feral” as a teen, I did start to lean into my “darker” interests so there were definitely parts that resonated with me. I loved how Ojeda captured the pop culture/internet culture phenomenon of my own youth. I got so genuinely excited in how she brought in the discussion of internet “creepy pastas” and their impact on new generations. I also loved the way this book delves into mother/daughter conflict, unhealthy female friendships, and philosophical discussions about religions versus cults. This book had a “fever dream” quality to it while still being cohesive in its messages. If I had to compare to another book I have read, I would say it gave me similar vibes to Tell Me I’m Worthless by Allison Rumfitt. (Feel free to check out that review). Overall, Jawbone was raw, visceral, dark, and absolutely unputdownable. This one is for the feral girls, that is for sure.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Not everyone who reaches back into history can survive it: Reviewing The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Hello everyone! It is officially spooky season and I really wanted to kick things off on the first day of October. There are quite a few things coming out this month that I have been so excited for and I cannot wait to talk about them with you all. I did just get the most recent Percy Jackson book, which isn’t spooky but I have been looking forward to that. This book I’m about to review for you, however, definitely sets the tone I want for October. I started reading this book back in August and I have been itching to review it. Without further ado, let’s talk about The Historian.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Some Graphic Descriptions of Bodily Injury, Animal Death, Sexual Content

A young woman decides to finally ask her father, a mild-mannered professor, about his past and is soon plunged into a dark world where everything ties back to Vlad the Impaler and the horrors he unleashed upon the world. When the violence of the past comes the the present, the young woman must journey across Europe in a race against time to find her father and the location of Dracula’s tomb before evil rises up once again.

You already know that I have an inherent bias towards the vampire genre and that I have a particular love for anything related to Dracula. This book, however, was unlike any anything I expected and I absolutely loved it. Elizabeth Kostova blends together the past and the present in such an intricate and atmospheric narrative. There is so much care put in this book and the attention to detail is astounding. The book also had genuinely creepy parts which was due to the fascinating blend of myth and history. This book also definitely gave dark academia vibes that I have one really seen on books like The Secret History. The blend of narrative voices made everything in The Historian feel so vivid with every page. While this is a pretty long book, the pacing is perfect for the large scope of this story. I really can’t gush about this book any more. You should absolutely read The Historian sooner than later.