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: Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories, edited by Sarah Coolidge (Two Lines Press)
I love translated horror. I enjoy learning what evokes fear in other cultures, and opening my imagination to new things to keep me awake at night. Through the Night Like a Snake, a new collection of Latin American horror from Two Lines Press’s Calico series, introduced me to exciting new writers and translators. With not … Continue reading Review: Through the Night Like a Snake: Latin American Horror Stories, edited by Sarah Coolidge (Two Lines Press)
My Favorite Books of 2023 So Far
The book I find myself thinking about the most is Self-Portrait with Nothing, by Aimee Pokwatka. It is one of the most original books I’ve ever read. I really don’t want to give too much away, but if you love parallel universe stories, this is for you. Hugely intelligent. And I just noticed Pokwatka has … Continue reading My Favorite Books of 2023 So Far
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)
Books Coming in Summer/Fall 2022 That I Need to Read NOW!
Alternate title: Please, lovely publishers, approve my NetGalley requests. The rest of 2022 looks absolutely amazing in terms of female-authored fiction. I will not rest until I have these books in my sweaty little bookworm mitts. Lapvona, by Ottessa Mosfegh (Penguin Press) - released June 21st, 2022 The reviews for Lapvona contain phrases like “gloomy … Continue reading Books Coming in Summer/Fall 2022 That I Need to Read NOW!
California Reading 