I cannot resist an innovative haunted house book. In recent years I’ve been so impressed by Alison Rumiftt, Clarissa Orlando, and Johnny Compton for their unique takes on a sometimes-oversubscribed genre. Now here comes Rivers Solomon, with an incredibly disturbing, intelligent interpretation of familial horrors in Model Home. When the Maxwell siblings don’t hear from … Continue reading Review: Model Home, by Rivers Solomon (Macmillan Audio)
Review: Dearest, by Jacquie Walters (Mulholland Books)
Flora has welcomed a baby girl into her family, and she’s settling into parenthood. There’s just one problem; her husband is still deployed, and she’s struggling to keep sane figuring things out by herself. Things look hopeful when Flora reaches out to her estranged mother, and her mother shows up on her doorstep, ready to … Continue reading Review: Dearest, by Jacquie Walters (Mulholland Books)
Review: A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell (Hogarth)
I love Mariana Enriquez so much, I’m attempting to learn Spanish so I don’t have to wait for her work to be translated. Her latest collection, A Sunny Place for Shady People, is her strongest, most disturbing collection yet. There are several strong themes in this book. The first is spirits attached to places of … Continue reading Review: A Sunny Place for Shady People, by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowell (Hogarth)
Review: Haunt Sweet Home, by Sarah Pinsker (Tor Nightfire)
Like many of us, Mara is drifting through life, trying to figure out what she actually wants to “do”. Sick of sarcastic comments from her family members, she accepts a job from her cousin, working on his TV show, Haunt Sweet Home, where HGTV meets Ghost Hunters. Mara gets stuck with the night shift, creating … Continue reading Review: Haunt Sweet Home, by Sarah Pinsker (Tor Nightfire)
Review: The Night Guest, by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Nightfire)
The Night Guest is a short, sparse story set in Reykjavík, Iceland. Iðunn, our central character, wakes up each morning exhausted and covered in mysterious injuries. It is only when she starts tracking her steps that she realizes she is not only sleepwalking, but covering miles every night. Iðunn also begins an ill-advised relationship with … Continue reading Review: The Night Guest, by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (Tor Nightfire)
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