Zoje Stage is a vital part of the fiction community. Her books contain seemingly domestic mysteries, but contain just enough delicious weirdness to fit comfortably into the horror category. Mothered, Stage’s pandemic novel, is her most disorientating yet, and captures the uncertainty and strangeness of the period that many would rather forget. Hairstylist Grace finds … Continue reading Review: Mothered, by Zoje Stage (Thomas and Mercer)
Review: No One Will Come Back for Us, by Premee Mohamed (Undertow Publications)
Premee Mohamed is one of those writers I had often heard about, but I foolishly never made the time to explore her work. However, after reading her contribution to the upcoming dark Peter Pan anthology (The Other Side of Never, Titan Books), I could no longer ignore this force. No One Will Come Back for … Continue reading Review: No One Will Come Back for Us, by Premee Mohamed (Undertow Publications)
My Week in Books – April 7th, 2023
I WENT ON VACATION!! An actual vacation, with no commitment or plans at all. It was great. Zion National Park, since you asked. Cable Mountain Lodge, if you need a recommendation. I whacked through a few books, all of which were great. Click for my reviews. The Salt Grows Heavy, by Cassandra Khaw A House … Continue reading My Week in Books – April 7th, 2023
Review: A House with Good Bones, by T. Kingfisher (Tor Nightfire/Macmillan Audio)
In A House with Good Bones, Sam goes to stay with her mother, Edith, who is displaying dementia-like symptoms. Edith has redecorated her previously vibrant house with bland colors and questionable, racist photos. She also seems to be willfully rewriting her bleak family history, especially regarding her deceased mother and feared matriarch, Gran Mae. And … Continue reading Review: A House with Good Bones, by T. Kingfisher (Tor Nightfire/Macmillan Audio)
Review: The Other Side of Never, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (Titan)
Have there always been this many Peter Pan spin-offs around? Don’t get me wrong, I love it. Christina Henry’s phenomenal novel Lost Boy is the standard to which I hold every Neverland-adjacent story. And this dark collection definitely delivered the goods. Experly edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane, The Other Side of Never brings … Continue reading Review: The Other Side of Never, edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane (Titan)
My Week in Reading – March 15th, 2023
Not an awful lot to report this week, I'm afraid. I finished two great books, Such Pretty Flowers by K.L. Cerra, and The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller. I loved this great article on Kelly Link; a reminder that her new and flawless collection White Cat, Black Dog is release at the … Continue reading My Week in Reading – March 15th, 2023
Review: Such Pretty Flowers, by K.L. Cerra (Random House)
On the surface, Such Pretty Flowers is a standard thriller; Holly is mourning the death of her brother, Dane, and it seems like his eccentric girlfriend, Maura is hiding something. Holly becomes suspicious, begins investigating Maura and Dane’s relationship, and uncovers something shocking. But it is the “something shocking” that sets this novel apart. Maura … Continue reading Review: Such Pretty Flowers, by K.L. Cerra (Random House)
My Week in Reading – March 7th, 2023
March?! Really? I'm not buying it. Anyhoo, here's what I've been up to. I finished The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas, which was obviously amazing and you all knew this. I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Victoria Villareal and Lee Osorio. I'm not a big fan of romance novels, but the romance plot is … Continue reading My Week in Reading – March 7th, 2023
Review: Monstrolio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando)
I am a big fan of unconventional tales of parenthood. Raising a child evokes such a range of emotions that, as a mother, I often question what the heck is going on. So weird, supernatural tales about children make complete sense to me. And Monstilio, the debut novel by Gerardo Samano Cordova, is an incredible … Continue reading Review: Monstrolio, by Gerardo Sámano Córdova (Zando)
Review: Our Share of Night, by Mariana Enriquez (tr. Megan McDowell) (Random House)
It’s difficult to sum up this 600+ page novel in a paragraph, but Our Share of Night is about a weird cult called The Order, who participate in grotesque rituals in the pursuit of eternal life. Tied into that is Juan, a kind of decaying demi-god, and his son Gaspar. The Order hopes that when … Continue reading Review: Our Share of Night, by Mariana Enriquez (tr. Megan McDowell) (Random House)
California Reading 