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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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Sometimes when people hurt for a long time, they start to think that hurting is part of who they are: Reviewing What Stalks the Deep (Book 3 of the Sworn Soldier Series) by T. Kingfisher

Hi everyone! I hope you are all surviving the intense summer heat. I can barely focus most days. Anyways, I wanted to give a nice short review while I put off the longer books that I am reading currently. I promise that I’ll get there eventually. Before I begin this review, I recommend that you check out my review of the previous two books in this series, as well as the rest of my T. Kingfisher reviews. Now, let’s talk about What Stalks the Deep.

Content Warning: Distrubing Imagery, Animal Death, Violence, Gore

Former soldier Alex Easton has seen enough for a lifetime. They have no desire to venture into any more strange and mysterious places where God-only-knows-what lurks in the dark. It seems that fate has a sick sense of humor. When a good friend asks for Alex’s help finding his lost cousin, they can’t bring themself to say no. Unfortunately, that means having to go to America, of all places. Even worse, his friend’s cousin went missing deep in the mines of West Virginia. Alex is a soldier, though, and will find this missing man, even if it means facing the otherworldly once again.

T. Kingfisher’s newest entry in this horror novella series is an utterly fascinating and thrilling read in a rather quirky way. I personally think that eco-horror is an underrated genre, so getting a book like this feels like a breath of fresh air in the current literary scene. Kingfisher is great at creating distinctive character voices that feel close enough to realistic to make the characters relatable. As the narrative voice, Alex Easton is a bemusing main character with actual survival instincts (which is kind of rare in horror novels). What I love about Kingfisher’s horror novels is just how creative the actual horror is. At no point in the novel did I figure out what the twist was, which made it all the more enjoyable. With that being said, if you need a quick chilling read during these hot summer days then definitely read The Sworn Soldier series.

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How do you untangle madness from reality?: Reviewing The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. The weather is finally nice, and I am eager to begin my summer reading. There are a ton of books coming out this year that I am so excited to read. Before I get to those, though, I must get through what I have. This is now the second time I have reviewed a novel by Caitlin Starling. You can check out my review for The Death of Jane Lawrence. Now, its time to talk about her newest novel: The Starving Saints.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Sexual Content

It has been six months since Aymar Castle has been under siege. Food has become scarce, and people are growing desperate. Phosyne, a young and skeptical nun, has been tasked by the king to perform a miracle to feed his people. The king’s most loyal knight, a terrifying woman named Voyne, doubts that this nun can accomplish such a feat but must watch her to ensure that she at least tries to help them. Meanwhile, a young woman named Treila is torn between escape and vengeance. Just as everything seems entirely hopeless, the most divine Constant Lady and her fellow saints arrive at Aymar. They promise salvation and relief from the famine. Phosyne, Voyne, and Treila all suspect that this is not the miracle that the people have sought for so long. As the castle descends into madness, the women must figure out if they can save everyone or else be consumed by the darkness spreading throughout the land.

Let me begin with a few compliments. The Starving Saints has such an interesting concept and aesthetic that immediately intrigues the reader. The novel was well-written, doing an excellent job capturing the visceral horror of cannibalism. I like the religious aspect of the horror, too. With all of that being said, I simply couldn’t enjoy The Starving Saints. It felt entirely too long for me. All of the interpersonal drama was entirely too dragged out and the horor wasn’t showcased in a way that made it interesting. For me, the novel was missing out on plenty of key moments that needed something shocking. I also felt that the novel was lacking the necessary ambiguity that comes with horror. It was immediately apparent that the saints were the villains, and it took away any suspense. They were also entirely too corporeal as antagonists. There was nothing compelling about them and I was mostly annoyed at how cartoonishly evil they were at times. The protagonists weren’t much better. I enjoyed the dynamic between Phosyne and Voyne, but Treila felt superfluous to me. There was a romance subplot that felt too forced to me. It just muddied what could have been a compelling storyline about being torn between duty and survival. I was also annoyed by world buildig because there was no real explanation or speculation as to who or what actually showed up at castle. Overall, I wasn’t satisfied with The Starving Saints. I am not going to say to not read it, but just know that I didn’t feel it was an enjoyable reading experience.

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Ideas don’t die: Reviewing There is No Antimemetics Division by qntm

Hello everybody! I hope you are all doing well. This review is going to be…interesting, to say the least. There might be some context that I am unable to fully give to you as the reader. As someone who grew up on internet horror, I have had a long-time fascination with the fictional organization known as the SCP Foundation, which is an organization that controls all sorts of terrifying and strage creatures that are a direct threat to humanity. Essentially, it is an online creative writing project where writers contribute there own SCPs (aka creatures or beings) that have been captured and/or monitored by the SCP organization. It’s adjacent to CreepyPastas, but it has more of a structure to it. I fear I am not explaining this correctly. There’s plenty of videos and podcasts of people reading these entries. It is a fascinating project. The reason I am explaining this is because the author of this book originally published this as an SCP Foundation piece and then turned it into their own novel. I know that this is all chronically online, but the context matters. Now that I have laid out all of the groundwork, its time to get into the horrors of There is No Antimemetics Division.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Some Strong Language, Violence

The most horrifying things in this world are the ones you can’t remember. Beings exist with the ability to wipe the memories of those that they prey upon. They could be anywhere, even in the room with you right now. Some of these beings are harmless, but others could destroy the world. The only thing that stands in the way of these apocalyptic events is the Antimemetics Division. There is a war being waged every day to save life as we know it. Yes, you are fighting this war. No, this isn’t your first day. Welcome to the Antimemetics Division.

There is no Antimemetics Division is existential, paradoxical, darkly humorous, and one of the best reading experiences I have had in a long time. There are so many moving parts to the novel, and none of them entirely make sense, but that is the charm of this book. It was so wonderfully imaginative and morbid in its exploration of the unexplainable. QNTM (aka Sam Hughes) dances the fine line of ambiguity as he presents many anomalies. There is just enough explanation to make the premise somewhat believable, but not so much that it takes away from the novel’s mystery. Unfortunately, I can’t go in-depth because I would be giving away too much about this book. I will say, though, that this probably isn’t a novel for everyone. I explained what the SCP Foundation is in the beginning, and while you don’t have to be familiar with that, it is still a very bizarre concept to wrap one’s head around. If existensial horror is not your cup of tea, then I fully understand. If you are interested in the unexplainable and enigmatic, then I highly recommend There is no Antimemetics Division.

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Fortunately, some things stay true whether we believe in them or not: Reviewing Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well and reading plenty of good books. I’ve been feeling more motivated to complete a book in one sitting, instead of hopping from book to book. As for this review, this will be the eighth book that I have read by T. Kingfisher. I finally got a copy of What Stalks the Deep, so I can finally wrap up that trilogy. There will probably be more Kingfisher books in the future. I’m just a tad obsessed at the moment. I feel like that’s enough rambling for now. Let’s talk about Snake-Eater.

Content Warning: Mild Sexual Content, Some Strong Language, Discussions of Religious Psychosis, Fantastical Violence, Animal Death

After losing her mom and breaking up with her partner, Selena decides it’s time for a fresh start. With nothing but a suitcase and her loyal dog, she buys a ticket to the small town of Quartz Creek, where she hopes to reunite with her aunt Amelia. Unfortunately, Selena finds out that her aunt has passed away. She is, however, the sole heir to her aunt’s humble home. Selena is hesitant to settle into this unfamiliar land, but she is quickly charmed by the desert landscape and the quirky residents of Quartz Creek. That isn’t the only thing special about this small town. Selena begins to encounter strange beings and has bizarre dreams of a man with strange eyes. Through her aunt’s journals, Selena learns that she had a relationship with a spirit called the Snake-Eater. Now, Snake-Eater has become obsessed with Selena and refuses to let her go.

One thing I love about T. Kingfisher is her ability to take conventional narratives and flip them on their heads. I initially thought that Snake-Eater was going to be a monster/human romance novel. Instead, it’s a story of found family and learning to embrace oneself. Kingfisher consistently writes realistic female characters who have strong character arcs. Selena’s anxious tendencies were relatable and understandable from a reader’s perspective. I also particularly enjoyed the side characters in this novel. Kingfisher effortlessly incorporates a diverse array of characters that feel just as realistic as her main characters. Of course, there’s also the well-crafted fantasy elements. Kingfisher always creates such fun mythologies, and Snake-Eater is no exception. The desert setting is so atmospheric and feels so alive throughout the narrative. I loved this book. I am begging you to start reading T. Kingfisher immediately. Snake-Eater isn’t a bad place to start.

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When the whole world hurts, you bite it. Don’t you?: Reviewing The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all staying nice and warm this winter. This review will be my last review for the year. I fully intended to finish this book last month, but the hustle and bustle of the holidays hit me with full force. This book, however, felt appropriate as a winter horror book, so I finished it sooner than later. This is now my second venture into Stephen Graham Jones’ novels. Feel free to check out my review of My Heart is a Chainsaw. Now, it’s time to talk about The Only Good Indians.

Content Warning: Violence, Gore, Disturbing Imagery, References to Racism, Animal Death, Some Strong Language

Ten years ago, four childhood friends from the Blackfeet Nation went on a hunting trip. This trip would forever change their lives. Unknowingly, they unleash a vengeful entity after slaughtering a herd of elk. Since then, each of these men and their families has been plagued by tragedies that resulted in death. Now, with the inevitable creeping up on them, the remaining men must find a way to break the cycle of revenge before it claims them.

Stephen Graham Jones continues to deliver bizarre and compelling takes on somewhat traditional horror narratives. While I have read stories in the past of venegful spirits, Graham Jones stands out by providing a unique cultural standpoint. I felt immediately immersed in the cultures of the main characters and was fascinated by their perspectives. One of the best elements of the novel, in my opinion, was the narrative tone. It comes across as casual to the point of being conversational. It makes the horror elements more insidious and jarring because I felt like I was reading a stream-of-consciousness narrative at times. This, though, helped me better understand and sympathize with the characters, including the antagonist. With all of that being said, I fully plan to read another Stephen Graham Jones novel in the future and highly recommend giving that you give his novels a chance.

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We alone know what is coming for us, and we know it’s going to hurt: Reviewing One Yellow Eye by Leigh Radford

Happy Hallow’s Eve, everyone! I was hoping to get one last review out before Halloween and I somehow managed it! I hope you are already for one last seasonally appropriate book review. Happy Halloween if you celebrate. Let’s talk about One Yellow Eye.

Content Warning: Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Body Horror, Some Strong Language, Grief and Mourning, Animal Death, Alcholism

The zombie apocalypse came and went, leaving London ravaged in its wake. Many of the survivors are going everything they can to move forward with their lives. Kesta Shelley, though, can’t move on. Her beloved husband Tim was tragically infected by the virus. She couldn’t bring herself to let him go, so she hid him away in their flat. As an accomplished biologist, Kesta is confident that she can find a way to cure him one day. When she finally gets the breakthrough she’s been waiting for, Kesta races against time to create a cure for Tim. The government, though, is cracking down on the project after discovering evidence of internal sabotage. Kesta is falling apart, physically and emotionally. All she hopes is that, in saving Tim, she can save the world…and herself.

It’s been awhile since I read or watched anything that had to do with zombies. I was excited when I saw this title and immediately realized that this was going to be a Frankenstein retelling involving zombies. One Yellow Eye is a noteworthy narrative that is less focused on zombies, and more focused on a story of undying love. Leigh Radford injects sympathy and tension throughout the prose. There are so many visceral moments that really put the reader in the shoes of the character. Kesta Shelley is an endlessly complicated character who makes for a perfect lead in a story that is hinges on the complexities of human nature, both biological and psychological. Radford’s zombie apocalypse is atypical in the genre, but it works for the world of the book. It doesn’t rely heavily on classic zombie tropes, which is kind a breath of fresh air in the genre. That being said, there is still enough gore and brutality to satisfy the zombie narrative. Overall, I truly enjoyed One Yellow Eye and give it a very high recommendation.

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Control was antithetical to life. To be alive is to be battered about. To endure and adapt and keep stumbling onward despite it all: Reviewing Diavola by Jennifer Thorne

Hi everyone! I hope you are still enjoying October. I might have one more horror novel review for this month, so stay tuned for that. I don’t have much else to say, so let’s just hop into it. It’s time to talk about Diavola by Jennifer Thorne.

Content Warning: Disturbing Imagery, Violence and Gore, Animal Death, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Discussions of Abortion, Child Death

Anna Pace has one goal: to survive her family vacation. She’s sure she can make do in the sunny Italian countryside. Between her sister’s neurotic behavior, her brother’s new boyfriend, and her overbearing parents, Anna finds herself lost in the typical family chaos. The villa seems like the perfect place to unwind and forget about the past. Unfortunately for Anna, the villa holds many dark secrets. She begins to lose time, hear strange noises, and see glimpses of the souls who remain in the idyllic little home. Anna finds herself consumed by the villa’s dark past, and her own past, too.

Diavola was equal parts darkly humorous, macabre, and messy in all of the best ways. I thought the overall premise was pretty different from any other haunted house and/ or (spoiler) possession stories I have read in the past. Thorne creates perfectly imperfect characters who are just realistic enough to exist in the real world, but are also perfectly suited for a horror novel like this. This book was certainly a breath of fresh air, as there was just enough to make it stand out, while still embracing the fun tropes that come with ghost stories. What I personally like about Diavola is that it could easily be considered “messy girl literature.” With all of that being said, I truly enjoyed Diavola and encourage you to experience this book for yourself.

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I don’t fear death…but they do: Reviewing The Haar by David Sodergren

Hi everyone! I’m back with another spooky book review. I have at least one more to read for October, and then it’s back to the other series I have started. I hope you all have been enjoying these so far. It’s been a pretty good year for reading, in general, for me. Hopefully, I have a couple more good reviews for this blog. Before we get to those, though, we must talk about The Haar.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Self-Harm, Disturbing Imagery, Graphic Violence, Strong Language

Mrs. Muriel Margaret McAuley has lived her entire life in the sleepy town of Witchhaven in Scotland. She is content with her quiet life, even though she misses her dear and departed husband. Her peaceful existence is threatened by an American billionaire who intends to tear down the town and build a golf course. Muriel stubbornly refuses to leave her home, but mysterious deaths and large sums of money are making it difficult for her to remain. Just when Muriel considers giving up, a mysterious fog known as the haar engulfs the land. Along with this fog comes a creature that may be Muriel’s one hope at a serene life. She will have to come to terms with the bloody price she will have to pay.

David Sodergren has been on my radar for a minute now, and I am so glad that I finally read one of his books. The Haar was such a fun little gore-fest with a surprising amount of heart. I went into this novel expecting something like a splatterpunk book, but it was a bit more than that. It was a book about grief and acceptance. There was a surprising romance in the novel, albeit a twisted and bloody one. That being said, the descriptions in the book did turn my stomach a bit. You’ve been warned if you’re on the squeamish side. The violence, though, didn’t take away from tender moments. I found Muriel to be a well-written protagonist who was easy to sympathize with. Even with everything that happens, I found myself hoping for the best for her. There is a level of ambiguity that, I think, is necessary for most horror novels, and Sodergren does a great job incorporating that uneasiness through the narrative. I am going to recommend The Haar immediately and will be picking up another Sodergren novel sooner than later.

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Without faith, there is no refuge: Reviewing The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses

Hey everyone! I hope your October is going well. As I write this, the temperature has dropped, and all of the Halloween decorations are up. I think it’s time for another creepy book review. If you would like to, you can check out my review for Tender is the Flesh, also by Agustina Bazterrica. It’s time, though, to talk about The Unworthy.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Sexual Assault, Disturbing Imagery, Animal Death, Religious Trauma, Psychosis

The world has ended. Sea levels rose, fires burned, and the population was all but wiped out by their own doing. The survivors grouped together to find some sort of salvation. One particular survivor joined a cult called the Sacred Sisterhood. Deemed one of the unworthy, she goes by unseen during the day but hopes that she might become one of the Enlightened. At night, she secretly writes her story in the hopes that someone will read it. One day, an enigmatic and charming woman named Lucia arrives, and the survivor is inexplicably drawn to her. As she develops a relationship with Lucia, the survivor reconsiders her past and realizes that she can no longer ignore the danger that lies within the Sacred Sisterhood.

Agustina Bazterrica is nothing if not intense, morbid, and profound in her writings. Much like Tender is the Flesh, The Unworthy is a speculative tale of a ruined world and desperate people. Unlike Tender is the Flesh, this novel is a bit more abstract in its prose. Bazterrica’s choice to have the nameless survivor as the narrator makes it all the more immersive. What drew me to the novel was Bazterrica’s use of religious imagery juxtaposed with stark images of a world ruined by humanity. With that being said, I can’t say I liked this more than Tender is the Flesh. The prose was a little too choppy, and there wasn’t enough “showing” for me. Just when I thought I was going to see something shocking or exciting, the novel would jump to something else. There was so much lore in this book, and it was packed very tightly into 175 pages. I would have loved a full novel of this book. With all of that being said, you may consider this my soft recommendation if you want something disturbing and atmospheric.