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)
My Week in Reading, April 8th, 2024
What I’m Reading I finished Diavola, by Jennifer Thorne, which I loved. Her previous novel, Lute, is one of my recent favorites, and Diavola now joins that list. A family vacation in Italy goes incredibly wrong. I listened to the audiobook of The Purple Diaries, by Joseph Egan, which came highly recommended by a bookish … Continue reading My Week in Reading, April 8th, 2024
Review: A Different Sound – Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers, edited by Lucy Scholes (Pushkin Press)
Lucy Scholes does so much work to bring “forgotten” female writers into public consciousness. I am particularly thankful to her for ensuring the republishing of Kay Dick’s unnerving novel, They. With A Different Sound, Scholes has put together a fantastic primer for those interested in discovering some underrated women storytellers. The collection opens with The … Continue reading Review: A Different Sound – Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers, edited by Lucy Scholes (Pushkin Press)
Review: Green Frog, by Gina Chung (Vintage)
I was blown away by Gina Chung’s debut novel, Sea Change. Chung’s writing is so warm and charming, and this continues in her wonderful story collection, Green Frog. The opening, titular story is a wonderful snapshot of a character and a life. It’s a sweet tale about a young lady who has lost her mother, … Continue reading Review: Green Frog, by Gina Chung (Vintage)
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)
Review: The Woman in the Sable Coat, by Elizabeth Brooks (Tin House)
Elizabeth Brooks is one of my favorite authors of “normal” books. As someone who reads a lot of genre books, it takes a special writer to make me take a break from the weird. So I’m thrilled to report I thoroughly enjoyed Brooks’ latest novel, The Woman in the Sable Coat. The titular woman in … Continue reading Review: The Woman in the Sable Coat, by Elizabeth Brooks (Tin House)
Review: The Book of Love, by Kelly Link (Random House)
When I found out Kelly Link was writing a novel, I basically died. Those who have discovered the magic of Link’s short stories will understand my joy. Link hasn’t dipped her toes into novel-writing with a brief story; The Book of Love is over 600 pages long. Susannah, Mo, and Daniel have returned from the … Continue reading Review: The Book of Love, by Kelly Link (Random House)
Review: Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, by GennaRose Nethercott (Vintage)
I fell in love with GennaRose Nethercott’s writing after reading her thrilling novel, Thistlefoot. As an avid reader of weird short stories, I grabbed Nethercott’s debut collection, Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, as soon as I could. Here are my favorites: Sundown at the Eternal Staircase - The opening story establishes the tone of … Continue reading Review: Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart, by GennaRose Nethercott (Vintage)
Review: Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage? (Brazos Press)
Writer Flannery O’Connor published many short stories, but only two novels before her untimely death at age 39. Thanks to academic Jessica Hooten Wilson, readers now have access to fragments of O’Connor’s incomplete novel, Why Do the Heathen Rage? Hooten Wilson has interspersed these short sections with research, insight, and speculation for a unique, enjoyable … Continue reading Review: Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage? (Brazos Press)
California Reading 