Posted on by bookreviews628

Maybe I am haunting myself: Reviewing Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt

Hello everyone! I hope you are in a good mood and, if you want to stay in a good mood, then you might not want to read any further. I have said this before but I am very much aware that many people are not interested in the horror genre. If you read the content warnings after this paragraph and decide that this book is not for you, I completely understand. We all have our limits, including myself. My morbid curiosity, however, tends to win out more often than not. I will not keep you in suspense for much longer. Let’s discuss Tell Me I’m Worthless.

MAJOR CONTENT WARNING: Graphic Violence, Body Horror, Graphic Sexual Content, Scenes of Sexual Assault, Scenes Depicting Hate Crimes, Harsh and Offensive Language, Discussions and Depictions of the Following Topics: Racism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Misogyny, Abuse, Self-Harm, Drug Use

Three years ago, three girls went into a haunted house. Only two of them left. Since that incident three years ago, Alice and Ila have struggled to cope with the things they saw and the loss of their friend, Hannah. Since then, Alice has been experiencing horrific dreams of what she saw in the House. Just as she thinks she is moving on, Ila reaches out and asks her to return to the House to find out what happened to Hannah. They must set aside their differences and face their fears, but the return to the House may just be the end of them.

Wow, this book was intense and dark and weird and abstract in ways that I may not be able to articulate to you all via this post. Allison Rumfitt does not hold back as she gives an unflinching look at how people are shaped by politics and how someone or something can become “haunted” by tragedy. It is difficult to explain but the way that Rumfitt explores ghosts and haunted houses as metaphors for the deep impact of history and tragedy was just fascinating to me. Also, this book is just stomach-churning with certain scenes that made me have to stop reading. Alison Rumfitt truly understands how disgusting people on the Internet can be. This book truly resonated with me in a way that horror novels rarely do. It was hard to look away as this was just such a captivating read. Even though this book may not be for everyone, I am going to say to absolutely give Tell Me I’m Worthless a try if you have the stomach for it.

Posted on by bookreviews628

I, too, can create desolation: Reviewing Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill

Hello everyone! I hope you are doing your best, regardless of your circumstances. I am coming to you (again) with another unconventional summer read. I jumped at this book when I heard it was a bit of a sequel to Frankenstein. Most of my grad school days were spent consumed by Mary Shelley’s Gothic masterpiece so I am well-versed in the novel. I do also enjoy the genre of re-tellings or unofficial sequels to classic novels. If done right, it can be a great time. Let me not ramble on any further and let’s discuss Our Hideous Progeny.

Content Warning: Gruesome Imagery, Some Violence, Some Harsh Language, Loss of an Infant, Discussions and Depictions of Misogyny, Discussions of Racism, Harm towards Animals

Mary has spent her entire life fascinated by fossils and dinosaurs. She wants nothing more than to be acknowledged for her contributions to the scientific community but keeps being dismissed because she is a woman. With her marriage in a rocky state after the loss of her infant daughter, she finds herself at a loss. That is until she stumbles across the records of her great-uncle Victor Frankenstein and his dreadful experiments. Mary is suddenly captivated by the idea of creating life out of death. She and her husband Henry set out to recreate her great-uncle’s experiment but with their own improvements to his methods. Their path to fame and fortune, however, takes a dark turn when their experiment takes on a life of its own and others seek to steal their only chance at success

I did not intend to finish this book so soon but could not put it down. C.E. McGill demonstrates an understanding of Mary Shelley’s original novel while putting their own twist on the story. Our Hideous Progeny is a well-paced, thrilling read that delves into the twisted tale of playing God through science. I loved how intense this novel became and the parallels to the source material which inspired this book. I could go into depth but that would require its own separate post that would be rather lengthy. While you could appreciate this novel without having read Frankenstein, I would recommend it more if you are familiar with the original story. What I’m really trying to say is: go read this gripping Gothic tale and be immersed in the gruesome world of Victorian – era science.

Posted on by bookreviews628 · 1 Comment

Southern Hospitality to Die for: Reviewing A House with Good Bones by T. Kingfisher

Hello everyone! I am wishing you all the best, as always. Just because it’s hot outside, doesn’t mean we can’t still be spooky. Before I get started with this review, feel free to check out my other reviews of T. Kingfisher’s books. This is now the fourth one of hers that I have read so it is safe to say I am a fan. I have also mentioned before that I love Southern Gothic novels and find the genre to be very underrated. I was then excited when one of my newest favorite authors was covering the genre. Now, let’s get a little dark with A House with Good Bones.

Content Warning: Disturbing imagery, Bodily Harm, Depictions of Child Abuse

Sam Montgomery is excited to return home for an extended stay with her mother. Well, she is only kind of excited. Sam’s brother, Brad, warned her that their mother seemed to be a little off lately. Sam brushes it off, trying not to overthink it. The longer she stays in her childhood home, however, the longer she starts to think something is terribly wrong. Sam’s mom repainted her colorful walls, took down her favorite art, and reverted it back to how it looked when Sam’s grandmother owned the house. She also notices her mom being paranoid of the house itself. Despite Sam’s best efforts to remain logical, strange occurrences like vultures circling the house and a jar of teeth buried in the backyard all lead to something much dark lurking in this seemingly normal house.

I would definitely begin off by labeling this book as a “cozy horror.” It wasn’t particularly scary but T. Kingfisher does a great job creating a foreboding atmosphere. I liked the humor and snarky wit that Sam as the narrator brings to the table. I especially like the way that Kingfisher incorporates nature into supernatural horror. I will say, though, that this probably isn’t my favorite novel out of the other books I have read by Kingfisher. That isn’t to say it isn’t enjoyable; it didn’t have the same impact as a book like What Moves the Dead. It is still a fun spooky read, especially for the summer so, if you’re looking for a quick and cozy horror then add A House with Good Bones to your TBR.

Posted on by bookreviews628

They know God; they know terror: Reviewing Pew by Catherine Lacey

Hi everyone! I hope you are enjoying the lovely warm weather. Something I should mention about my literary preferences is that I love weird/surreal books. I realize that certain books I read may not be for everyone, which is fine. However, I love books with plots that use strange and bizarre elements. I also love going into books with as little information as possible, which makes reading all the more interesting. With all of that being said, I am going to talk to you about Pew.

Content Warning: Discussions of Homophobia, Discussions of Racism, Discussions and Depictions of Violence, Religious Trauma

A stranger is found asleep on the pew of a church in a nameless town in the American South. The locals don’t know what to make of the stranger. No one can even tell the stranger’s gender, ethnicity, or age. They take to calling them Pew and Pew becomes a fixture in the community. Pew also chooses not to talk. As Pew lives with different families over the week, they begin to learn about the deep secrets hidden amongst the locals. Pew’s arrival also happens to coincide with the Forgiveness Festival. As the day of the festival gets closer, the town becomes more wary of their arrival and suspicions grow into paranoia. In the process of finding out about Pew’s identity, the townspeople must face even larger, more uncomfortable truths about their lives.

This book was an interesting mixture of surrealist and Southern Gothic literature. Catherine Lacey manages to take the seemingly ordinary circumstances that Pew experiences and turns them into something both profound and even sinister at times. I loved the use of ambiguity in the novel as there are multiple mysteries at play but it is unclear whether the answers are there or if they would even be satisfying. This book wasn’t necessarily a mystery or horror novel but it did have many impactful and shocking moments. Pew is a short but dark novel with plenty of complex characters and a foreboding atmosphere.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find: Reviewing The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward

Hey everyone! I’m back sooner than I thought I would be with another review. I also realized that I read a lot of books that deal with pretty dark subject matter. If you mind that at all, I completely understand. I don’t always intentionally seek out dark books, but I do have an inherently morbid sense of curiosity. This is also another book I saw circulating on people’s must reads for horror/suspense novels. If that is what you are looking for, stick around and listen to my review for The Last House of Needless Street.

Content Warning: Death of Children, Graphic Bodily Injury, Discussions and Depictions of Mental Illness, Alcohol Abuse, Death of Animals, Self-Harm

Ted Bannerman has done his best to live a quiet life. He keeps his daughter, Lauren, safe despite how much she fights him. His cat Olivia lives her own life, napping and reading the Bible when no one is around. A terrible secret is what keeps them together. Their secret is at risk when a neighbor moves in across the street and seems to know that Ted is hiding something. The thing is he is trying so desperately to hide, however, no longer wishes to be buried.

I am just going to come right out and say that I felt that this book was also a bit of a swing and a miss for me, as far as being a compelling horror or thriller. That is not to be too negative, either. I really did enjoy the different character voices that Catriona Ward utilizes and the ways that those voices begin to blend together was one of the best parts of the novel. It is also an atmospheric read with plenty of visceral and unique details that make the writing all the more interesting. I am, however, unsure how obvious the “twist” of the novel was supposed to be. I’m honestly feeling a little conflicted overall on this book. Spoiler Warning: The main “twist” comes from one of the character’s mental health conditions. I always get wary whenever something along those lines is being used as shock factor, in any capacity. I understand that the author was coming from a place of sympathy, based on the afterword. I tend to stay away from any sort of horror media that utilizes metal health or mental illness as something “shocking” or “scary.” I am not going to say to not read this book since, overall, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. I am saying, though, that sometimes we need to step back and think about what we find “shocking” or “scary.”

Posted on by bookreviews628

A Ghost Ship, A Salvage Crew, Unspeakable Horrors: Reviewing Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

Hey everyone! I hope all is going well for you. Things are starting to look up in my little world so I’ve been in a better mood as of late. I am starting some longer fantasy series and have finally started Priory of the Orange Tree, but don’t expect that review any time soon as I still have a ways to go on that book. Dead Silence, however, has been on my TBR for a hot minute now. I’ve been really getting into horror and I definitely plan on reading some intense novels in the future. If that is not your type of thing, I totally understand. I do have other non-horror novels I intend to read soon. In the meantime, let’s talk about Dead Silence.

Content Warning: Graphic Depictions of Death and Bodily Injury, Violence and Gore, Self-Harm, Depictions of Mental Illness Involving Hallucinations, Harsh Language, Drug Use

Claire Kovalik is the captain of the LINA, a small salvage ship that is meant to go back to Earth soon. Doing that means that Claire will no longer have a job and no longer have a purpose. That is what ultimately drives her to investigate a strange distress signal. The stress signal is coming from the Aurora, the first luxury space cruiser that disappeared over twenty years ago with no explanation. This discovery would give Claire and her team instant fortune and fame. When the crew goes onboard the Aurora, they find that all of the crew and passengers had met with a horrific and mysterious fate. In order to find out what happened onboard the luxury cruise liner, Claire must hold onto her sanity during her investigation, or else face the same gruesome fate.

I am still on the hunt for a mind-blowing, spooky sci-fi horror novel. I had really high hopes for Dead Silence as I kept seeing it popping up on almost everyone’s recommendations for horror novels. I will say that I thought the writing was good and that the first 80% of this novel was really suspenseful and seemed to be heading for a good plot twist. While, yes, there is a plot twist, I found it kind of underwhelming. There is a rather abrupt shift in the novel and, while I get why it happened, I just felt that it took away some of the “investigation” portion of the story. When it comes to a novel that involves some sort of haunted location, I always look forward to the investigation part and seeing that mystery unravel. This novel just didn’t deliver as much as it could have, in my opinion. I’m definitely not going to call this novel “bad” at all, but I will call it “mid,” as the kids say nowadays.

Posted on by bookreviews628

She is a thing on fire: Reviewing Bunny by Mona Awad

Hi everyone! I hope everything is going well and you are enjoying life as it is, even though you sometimes wish it were something different. I’m not going to lie to you all: this was yet another “Book Tok” read. I can be rather easily influenced at times. I do get tired of the “you liked it because it was popular” discourse at times. Most things that get popular do so for a reason, you know? Also, I am really getting into the “unhinged woman” genre. You really can’t go wrong with female rage. Now, if you are so inclined, let’s discuss Bunny.

Content Warning: Violence and Gore, Disturbing Imagery, Harsh Language, Mentions of Sexual Assault, Drug Use, Animal Death

Samantha Heather Mackey is a scholarship student who has created her own dark little corner for herself in her cohort. Her writing is often criticized for being too off-putting or dark by her fellow students at the elite Warren University. In particular, Samantha is tired of dealing with a group of rich, cutesy girls who call themselves and each other Bunny. They are so similar and so different, seemingly existing as one entity. One day, out of nowhere, one of the Bunnies invites her to their “Smut Salon.” Samantha finds herself strangely compelled to join them, despite the warnings of her friend Ava. The Bunnies lead Samantha into a strange world where they partake in strange rituals to create their dream man. Samantha finds herself in over her head as reality begins to shift and she must find a way to escape the Bunnies’ sinister world of blood and glitter.

The best way I can describe this book is as a combination of Mean Girls and The Secret History. Mona Awad certainly doesn’t hold back on the disturbing aspects of this novel and, honestly, I thought it was going to get more disturbing than it ended up being. With dark academia becoming a little oversaturated, it was nice to see a shakeup in the genre. It also definitely gave me similar vibes to My Year of Rest and Relaxation with the narration. Samantha as the narrator is still sarcastic and blunt while also being a sympathetic character. I liked the overall complexity that Mona Award imbues in her novel. I am going to go ahead and give this my stamp of approval but I would especially recommend this one for a group read or book club as there is plenty to discuss within Bunny.

Posted on by bookreviews628

What governs a life, if not chance?: Reviewing Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro

Hi everyone! I hope you are holding up as the world behaves in strange ways. If there was ever a time when things were predictable and calm, I miss that time. Anyways, I am coming to you with my first long read of this year as this book comes in at about 650 and some pages. I am also genuinely surprised I haven’t seen more buzz surrounding this book either. Hopefully, this will jumpstart a conversation since I really want someone else to experience this. With that being said, let’s talk about Ordinary Monsters.

Content Warning: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Extreme Bodily Harm, Depictions of Child Abuse, Supernatural Horror, Harsh Language, Violent Death Scenes

In Victorian-era London, a mysterious figure made of smoke is targeting children with strange abilities. Sixteen-year-old Charlie Ovid from Mississippi can heal from any injury inflicted on him. A gruff female detective, Alice Quicke, rescues him from an angry mob and brings him to England. While there, they find an orphaned boy named Marlowe who possesses abilities that no one has ever seen before. After being chased by the evil being made of dust, the boys come to Cairndale in Scotland, which was built for children with talents like theirs. They meet a Japanese girl named Komako who can control dust, a teen girl calling herself Ribs who can turn invisible, and a young Polish boy named Oskar who can create monsters out of flesh. Charlie, Marlowe, and the others soon learn that Cairndale is sitting over a portal between the living and the dead that is on the brink of collapse. The children must learn the limits of their powers to prevent the dead from invading the world of the living and fight the monster hunting them down.

This novel was truly a cinematic and atmospheric experience with plenty of action, magic, and intrigue throughout. I normally hesitate to read longer novels because I have run into ones that tend to have a lot of filler. J.M. Miro, however, packed. this book is to the brim with an intricate plot and plenty of interesting characters. The novel covers quite a bit of distance in time and space so Miro gives all the characters plenty of time to develop, which I greatly appreciated. I personally love dark fantasy novels and Ordinary Monsters certainly gets very dark and rather disturbing at times. Don’t let this put you off, though, as it is hard to pull away from this novel. This is certainly an intimidating book but it is so worth the read. Ordinary Monsters deserves more attention and I would highly recommend you delve into this dark fantasy.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Beauty is beauty in whatever shape it takes: Reviewing Radiant Sin (Book 4 of the Dark Olympus Series) by Katee Robert

Hello everyone! I hope things are looking as good for you as they are for me. I realize that this is the third “spicy” book that also happens to be related to Greek mythology in a short period of time. I promise I’m not only reading spicy books. I did try to read Katee Robert’s other book, Court of the Vampire Queen, but decided to DNF because it was for an audience that was not me, so to say. I do also have others in the pipeline that are not “adult” in that sense. I will say that I do have other Greek mythology related books, as well as other books inspired other mythologies. I can’t help it; I’m just drawn to these books. Now, let’s get into the latest installment of the Dark Olympus series. This is 18+ content, so keep scrolling if you are under 18.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence, Semi-Graphic Depictions of Death

Cassandra Gataki has spent most of her life keeping her head down and trying to stay our of the spotlight. Her family has an infamous reputation for attempting to assassinate one of the Thirteen, which ultimately cost her parents their lives. The only thing keeping her safe is her job as the executive assistant to Apollo, who she has been secretly attracted to for years. One day, Apollo approaches her with a proposal: to be a fake relationship with him at a week-long, exclusive party being held by Olympus’ newest power player. Cassandra agrees on the condition that she and her sister are allowed to leave Olympus unscathed. Even though Apollo is the city’s official spymaster, he has always been a kind man with good intentions and that only draws Cassandra further. The two trust each other explicitly and their fake relationship turns scorchingly hot. As the party they’re attending turns deadly, the two must figure out who is trying to overturn the fragile balance of power in Olympus.

To be completely honest, this one was probably the most underwhelming entry in the Dark Olympus series. I know some people really love the “fake relationship” and/or “forbidden workplace romance” trope and, if you are one of those people, then you will probably enjoy this book. This was actually the least spicy of the books too. By that, I mean that there weren’t as many “spicy” scenes. The spicy scenes were still good though, so don’t get it twisted. I don’t want to come across as too harsh. Katee Robert still does a great job building tension, creating steady pacing, and having good pay off. I will say that this is a much nicer retelling of the original myth of Cassandra and Apollo. I kind of wish it was a little closer to the original story, but that is just my opinions. I will say that what I really appreciate how Katee Robert always keep the stakes high in each story. The life-or-death story that she incorporates in this series keeps pulling me back for more.

Posted on by bookreviews628

Kiss me. Touch me. Ruin me: Reviewing A Game of Retribution (Book 2 of the Hades Saga) by Scarlett St. Clair

Hello everyone! Let me begin with a minor pet peeve I have regarding books. If a book is a part of a series, there should be some indication on the book as to its place in the series. I don’t understand why publishers don’t put the number on the spine or have “Book (insert number here) of this Series.” Ugh, it just bothers me to no end. End of rant. Anyways, I have more mythology – related book ready to go that are not just Greek mythology. As much as I love Greek mythology, I want to read about mythologies around the world. I developed this obsession as a kid and never quite grew out of it. This is also not the last spicy book I am bringing to you either. So, if you are not 18 or over, keep scrolling. Now, let’s get into A Game of Retribution.

Content Warning: Explicit Sexual Content, Violence and Gore, Discussions and Depictions of Assault, Discussions of Human Trafficking, Grief and Loss, Discussions of Domestic Violence

Hades, the God of the Dead, has always run his kingdom with a strict set of rules to ensure fairness in death. His views begin to shift after Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, enters his life and he learns about a new side of himself. In order to protect his relationship with Persephone, Hades must bargain with Hera, the Goddess of Marriage. At first, Hera asks for Hades help in overthrowing Zeus, her husband and the King of the Gods. When he refuses, Hera gives him labors he must complete or she will curse he future marriage to Persephone. As Hades battles deadly foes and hunts down stolen artifacts, he realize that there is going to be a war on Olympus. Meanwhile, he must help Persephone as she is faced with her own traumas that he may not be able to help her through. Hades must find balance or lose everything he has fought the Fates and Olympians for.

Right away, I am going to say that this one was not as spicy as the first book and a little more plot centric, but I think it worked in this instance. I enjoyed the amount of character development that Scarlett St. Clair does for Hades, who is often not the one who changes in these re-tellings. I like seeing divine characters forced to confront their own personal flaws and failings. I also appreciated the way Hades and Persephone’s relationship develops as there is conflict that resolves in rather realistic ways. This book also had more fighting and action, which I am a sucker for. The mystery element also plays in nicely to the overall plot. I am glad that I gave Scarlett St. Clair another chance and I am excited for the third book in the series, which is coming out in fall of this year.