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)
Review: Flowers from the Void, by Gianni Washington (Clash Books)
I am not exaggerating when I say about five stories into this collection, I reached out to the writer, Gianni Washington, and told her the stories in Flowers from the Void were “Stephen King-level great”. This is one collection worth getting excited about, my fellow short story lovers. One of the many things I loved … Continue reading Review: Flowers from the Void, by Gianni Washington (Clash Books)
Review: Vague Prophecies and Predictions, by Daisuke Shen (Clash Books)
Yay for weird short story collections! Daisuke Shen’s debut collection is full of uncanny oddities. Here are some of my favorites: The Pasture - This opening story truly kicks the door down. A group of awful young boys commit mild terror. They encounter a strange pasture of women, and it does not end well. Such … Continue reading Review: Vague Prophecies and Predictions, by Daisuke Shen (Clash Books)
Review: Ghost Station, by S.A. Barnes (Tor Nightfire)
S.A Barnes made a huge impact with her debut space horror novel, Dead Silence, and now we’re returning to the terrifying void for more terrors with Ghost Station. Psychologist Dr. Ophelia Bray is assigned to work with a small space exploration crew, to study a condition called ERS, which is kind of like whatever Jack … Continue reading Review: Ghost Station, by S.A. Barnes (Tor Nightfire)
Review: Mouth, by Puloma Ghosh (Astra House)
I read sooooo many short stories. I’ve spent the last six years reading a short story (almost) every day, and I appreciate a truly original, gripping tale. Puloma Ghosh’s debut collection, Mouth, with its well-crafted, weird, female-centered stories, filled me with joy. I was won over by the opening story, Desiccation, about a strange, shut-off … Continue reading Review: Mouth, by Puloma Ghosh (Astra House)
What I’m Reading – June 10th, 2024
My brain's a bit of a mess at the moment. No specific reason, other than adjusting to a summer schedule, and post-vacation blues. Once again, I have allowed myself to get overwhelmed by ARCs (oh boo hoo!), and unhelpfully prioritizing books that aren't published until next year. Anyway, while I was on vacation, I read … Continue reading What I’m Reading – June 10th, 2024
Review: Bad Dreams in the Night, by Adam Ellis (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
I love Adam Ellis’ work. Not only do his online comics always look incredibly sleek, his work is always original and absolutely terrifying. Bad Dreams in the Night (fantastic title) is filled with some brand new stories to give you the creeps. Here are my favorites: Me and Evangeline at the Farm - A great … Continue reading Review: Bad Dreams in the Night, by Adam Ellis (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
Review: A Better World, by Sarah Langan (Atria)
A new Sarah Langan book is an instant read for me, sorry TBR pile! Langan showed she is a master of domestic horror in her 2021 novel, Good Neighbors, and things get even more terrifying in her new book, A Better World. The planet is going to the dogs. Resources are scarce, and the air … Continue reading Review: A Better World, by Sarah Langan (Atria)
California Reading 