I've Been READING...
A beautiful speculative dark fantasy novel that deals with the ramifications of generational trauma and parental abuse. A girl named Pyet, betrayed by her own flesh and blood mother, runs away after learning of her grandmother’s death, which takes her to the strange town of Elric where magic is in the air. But this is not a place of beauty and enchantment. Elric is a dingy town hidden beneath a constant veil of gloom.
As Pyet spends more time amongst the town, she grows fearful of the denizens of Elric who avoid her like the plague, but eye her warily like hungry predators lying in wait.
What secrets will she uncover in this unwelcoming town? Has Pyet finally found a home where she can belong? Or will this bizarre village of Elric prove to be her undoing?
It’s a gripping puzzle of a tale that comes together in a haunting climax that will leave readers dumbstruck. I highly recommend this one for fans of speculative dark fantasy.
** spoiler alert ** TEN Stars! TWENTY!
Volume 25 delivered the greatest, heart-pounding fight of the series so far and I couldn't put it down. But there were times where I couldn't convince myself to turn the page either. The anxiety was palpable.
I'll also say, I think the exposition was done really well in this volume compared to predecessors. There was a lot of new information, as well as a fair bit of recapping what has been going on through the Culling Game arc.
I can't geek out on this one anymore without spoilers, so I'll say this. Volume 25 is LFG Energy from cover to cover.
Below this, SPOILERS. ***
*** serially...
GOJO IS BACK!!!!
I hadn't realized how much I missed this man, and LITERALLY first thing he does after getting out, is square up to Sukuna/Megumi.
And it's our boy! The wit, the humor, the ingenuity, the OP level cockiness and swagger, it's all back.
The anxiety for volume 26 is high...
Fischer's debut novel shows why she will be around for a long time.
She understands story structure.
Above all else, the plot is fueled by grief, trauma, and loss, moving seamlessly through the prose from beginning to end.
A cursed town continues to use up and discard its female denizens.
A daughter returns home to find answers behind her mother's death and uncovers a horror trove of vile blood rituals that have been feeding a malevolent presence for over a century.
The question then becomes, how many more women must die to end this madness?
4) The Vault of Horror, Vol. 1 by Al Feldstein, et. al. (E.C. Comics)
Dark Horse Comics did a fantastic job compiling and refurbishing these classic pulp-horror comics. The artwork ranges from decent to top-notch and the story telling progresses throughout each volume as the VoH gathers its legs beneath it.
This is classic horror at its finest. Most often, characters drive the story and the bad guys pay the ultimate price at the hands of 'the monster' or their own selfish greed. But the horror is almost always 'off-screen,' capitalizing on the visceral reactions of characters to sell unspeakable acts of violence and depravity.
But there is so much more to these illustrated tales because EC Comics builds a community. In the present day, of course, we can't capitalize on much of what they were trying to develop, but it's still cool to see in hindsight. They asked readers to share their favorite tales from each issue, to write in letters, and vote on their favorites, including flash fiction and novel recommendations. But they also brought in "guests" from their other titles like the Crypt Keeper out of their "Tales From The Crypt" issues. Which, yes, is the impetus behind the show of the same name. This is the Crypt Keeper's origin. How cool is that?!
It would have been an amazing experience to grab each issue on release day, but they offer a fantastic, first-hand account of the pulp-horror scene that, mostly, still holds up to this day.
5) Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes
I expected more horror but wasn't disappointed with the speculative suspense, mystery vibes either.
In the distant future, humanity has taken to the stars and dragged their capitalism along with them. The lone survivor of a Mars outpost has been taken in and fostered by the very same company that shipped her and her mother to the red planet.
Strong themes of mental health develop amidst a supernatural presence that forces the protagonist, Claire, and the reader to struggle through what's real and what's not together.
As her team finishes up their assignment on the "Commweb" at the furthest reaches of space they discover a distress beacon that leads them to a luxury space cruiser that disappeared over twenty years prior.
A grand homage to the Titanic, Claire and her crew board the luxury ship to salvage any valuables or survivors. But only horror, death, and confusion await them inside. Setting up a powerful tale that speaks to corporate greed and the trauma scars it leaves on those who fall victim to the decisions of those focused on "The Bottom Line."
6) Pet Semetary (Audiobook) by Stephen King, (narr.) Michael C. Hall
** spoiler alert **
From ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Damn. What a ride that was. My only complaint was I want to know more after the epilogue! Such a fanatic trip that now fills in the blanks on so many pop culture references.
But holy bajeezus.
The internal dialogue contrasting the actions of Louis and the other characters is perfect and the constant plot hooks to drag the reader on the line was made it hard to put down. You knew what was coming. You knew what was lurking behind the next page, but, maybe, just maybe that wasn't it, that you had to keep reading was the only choice left to know for sure.... The story of a man and a strange powerful burial ground that may have supernatural powers drew me to it like the road drew Church the cat and others. One of the most addicting reads I've had in a while, HIGHLY recommend!
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Michael C. Hall makes this arguably my favorite King book. I totally forgot he was the narrator and was floored when I remembered halfway through. He nails on all the emotion and dread that makes PS so fricken visceral and unnerving.
Fun fact, I think his Jud Crandle sounds UNCANNILY similar to John Lithgow's interpretation. For that reason alone it's worth going down this "Ruhd."
7) The Demonic by Lee Mountford
Bloody brilliant grief horror from across the pond.
All the typical hallmarks of the classic 'family confronts their sinister and possibly cursed past' after an estranged family member dies.
In this case, a mother of two and her husband must bury the woman's father.
Which will mean visiting the home she ran away from. And putting her family in the crosshairs of the presence that had driven her own father to madness....
This story hooks quickly, thanks to genius formatting and writing that closes almost every chapter on a cliffhanger.
It's hard to put this one down. That is, until Mountford slowly lifts the veil of the past, revealing horrors that are both supernatural and grounded in humanity's own depravity.
The wheel is not re-invented here, but that isn't to say this story won't be exactly what people in the genre demand from that title.
"The Demonic"
8) The Night House by Jo Nesbo
An original take on the "who's really crazy" trope. Without spoiling things, i will say that "Part One" was my favorite portion of the story, and I plowed through the supernatural chaos plaguing the story's main character, Richard.
The second part of the story is done well and creates a palpable tension as it offers the quintessential time-skip to adulthood. This part moves a tad bit slower, but it plays well because we, the reader, are trying to figure out what happened during the in-between period.
However, Part 3 is where this story struggles to stay on the rails and offers a definitive sense that the story always knew where it was going. This ending feels a tad forced, but I wonder if that's not because the wordplay that is prominent in this story may have been more potent in the original Norwegian. But, I'm just speculating.
Overall, sure, the ride ends in lackluster fashion, but it still offers a perfect travel read for readers to binge easily during a weekend getaway.
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