C. J. Daley

Thank you to Angry Robot for the physical review copy!

A group of four have been genetically and surgically modified with traits and scales from our prehistoric apex predators. This is meant to be the next step in warfare, a way to up the ante, but also a way to ultimately protect lives. Naturally, there are so rather strange side effects when you attempt to turn humans into something else.

As the blurb mentions, the novel opens up with a bit of a mishap. Eddie Boka, the poster boy for Project Saurian, has accidentally given into his T-Rex-infused DNA and cannibalized an enemy solider during his first live mission. In the fear of the information leaking, or the project missing its launch date, extreme therapist Addi LaTour is brought in. The hope is that her method of shock therapy will be enough to train Eddie out of it. But Eddie’s upbeat, overcome-it-all attitude has created a spark that transcends typically patient-doctor transference. There’s something more between them, and although romance isn’t the focal point, it does propel this journey.

To be honest, other than the use of dino DNA, I think the “perfect for fans of Jurassic Park” may be a bit out there. It doesn’t go so heavy on the actual science it took to get the dino-humans to the stage their at, so this falls more into the realm of thriller. Although the later fights definitely have the vibe. But also, how do you even classify something like this? It doesn’t even really follow the natural flow of a novel at times either, and yet I found it works. It is intriguing enough that even when it isn’t fast it’s good, and when it took off it didn’t stop until it ended. Fast, brutal, and with intriguing deception I really was not expecting.

A military thriller meets science fiction. A blend of billionaire gone wrong and medical/scientific advancement. I really wondered how the science would make it all work. Like wouldn’t their bodies refuse the foreign changes? Never a bad job when a book intrigues you!

This novel also opened up the debate of cannibalism. The dino-humans started as naturally born human males, but since the transfusions and surgeries, they are kind of classified as something other. That includes in the public eye, with many labeling them as freaks. So it just kept standing out every time I read the word—if they aren’t being considered humans anymore, is it even really cannibalism? While it remains disturbing and unacceptable regardless, I wondered what it would be called otherwise. Where does science take that step past alteration and actual end up making something new?

When I saw this was releasing, I was already a couple of books into the series and a big fan. I bought the first book on kindle to get the newly included novella, but something didn’t feel right, and I didn’t end up reading it. Finally, I realized it was because I went with the audio for the series, and the narration from R.C. Bray is simply too good to just switch to reading the text. So I bought the audiobook for this one separately… IYKYK.

While the Hell Divers world is filled with badasses, no one even scrapes the surface to how intense X is. Almost 100 dives, a feat that no diver is even close to, and now he’s survived what the others considered to be certain death. Some may say he’s just too stubborn to die, but even so, he’s my favorite.

So what took place on earth while Tin was growing up? For the first time ever, we finally know! Well, part one of it at least. X survives the fall back down to land, and if that wasn’t harrowing enough, now he has to survive in a wasteland that’s not meant to be survived in. He’ll need batteries for his suit—or at least a charger, medical supplies, ammo, shelter, and most importantly, safe food and water. But how will he find anything safe in a red zone? How will he sleep at night with the monstrosities fighting for flesh? This is something that only X could figure out.

I was a little saddened by how long it took for readers to first meet Miles, but I’m pleased to see that it’s only a part one. And while being stranded can seem like a lot of searching and waiting, this still packed in an awful lot of scifi, post apoc goodness.

“This is commander Xavier Rodriguez, I’m still alive you motherf**kers.”

As always, my infinite thanks to Shortwave Media for the physical arc!

A novel that tackles grief and aging as much as the terrors within the small town of Fairview Acres. Jerry Campbell is a recent widower. He hopes that the sale of his family home for a new and smaller location will help him with accepting the loss. But when his realtor notifies him that his offer was accepted almost simultaneously with a buyer wanting his old place, the strangeness just keeps stacking. Welcoming neighbors, but nightly parties that always seem to start after sundown and last through the night, strange noises across his roof as he tries to sleep, a mid night warning from Katherine Dunnally that may be more than dementia delusions, and worst of all, Arthur Peterson, the association lead, giving off almost Nosferatu-level weird vibes.

This novel falls under what some may call “old people horror.” The lead is elderly, as is a majority of the cast, and it certainly contains the aches and pains of those getting on in years. I don’t have a slew of experience with this (if you’d call it) sub-genre, but it did bring to mind the likes of Mark Towse’s Nana, with its oddly over-aged community members and its cosmic twists. Sundowner’s is imbued with terror and heartfelt moments, like the tenderness that forms between Katherine and Jerry, and disfigured horrors that push cosmic into the realm of creature feature. With fantastic parallels that seamlessly blend the horrific nature of dementia with an alien withdrawal that mimics its memory losing effects.

But what I truly loved the most about the novel was Jerry. A lead that appears to be a grumpy old loner, is actually just a grieving, socially awkward and anxious man. So used to having his wife with him as a salve, he’s unsure of how to tackle this last stage of life. Not only is he dealing with the loss, his aches and pains, his uprooted life, the attempted continuous communication from Arthur, but also the absolute preternatural atmosphere of the Fairview community. And while the novel delivers on the small town feel, there’s much bigger things happening to turn the wheels. I found Jerry to be incredibly grounding throughout the read because you too may be a little grumpy and standoffish if your entire new town was giving off funky vampiric vibes. I really appreciated how he was witty, intelligent, still strong, and a cohesive lead that broke a lot of the conventional elderly tropes.

A first for me from the author, but I truly enjoyed it.

I had the chance to read this for the Indie Ink Awards, which is awesome because it was already on my mountainous TBR and I had a kindle version bought. It’s sequel, Dragon Along, just dropped btw!

A somewhat cozy fantasy, this book is filled to the gills with wit, and I found it to be quite laugh out loud funny to be honest. Which is no small feat for me as reading just does not translate that way usually. There’s humor for all ages and even the supporting cast is rich with callback jokes and witty jabs. Check out my highlights on goodreads/kindle if you want an idea…

Ailis and her brother get sent to the market for eggs, and while they do technically meet the requirement for their assignment, it isn’t exactly what their mother had in mind. You see, the inquisition has outlawed dragons, dragon paraphernalia, even dragon talk (unless you’re talking about how terrible and nasty they were). The kids never really understood why, especially with their uncle saying it was nonsense, but it didn’t matter all that much to them. That is until they brought home Pilib. Who you ask? Oh, just a dragon egg that naturally hatches almost immediately. Their mother is furious, curious, and scared out of her depths as the children don’t seem to understand the severity of the situation. Naturally, as one does, Ailis decides to throw him a birthday party.

The world the reader is presented with is rich and layered in history. I found there to be enough given away while also hinting at how much more there was. It struck me as a talent, as the author has made it accessible to children, while the extra depth can appeal to adults. The characters feel like they inhabit this world, like they’re ingrained in it, and although it’s about a little girl who has a dance recital, it feels like the world couldn’t exist without them. And although it’s unlike any fantasy I’ve ever read, I’m sure she will carve her name in its history in the stories to come all the same.

Also wow, baking? Did this story make me want sweet treats? Yes! (Except for maybe the first pie?). The bread described in the beginning was mouth watering. I could almost imagine the smells like I had stepped into a bakery. The smorgasbord of pies at their uncles, featuring sweet and savory concoctions, made me wonder why we use any other vessel to deliver food other than the pie? I’d yet to read a fantasy that made me want to bake a pie and also pet a baby dragon, but here this is. I can’t wait to get the sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the audio of this one!

Considering my deep love for all things zombies, I’m actually a bit embarrassed to admit this is my first read from the Father of the Zombie Film. But I do find it to be incredibly cool that Kraus found this half-finished manuscript in the archive and was able to give it public life. That must be a daunting thing, and even though he had already done so with The Living Dead, this was definitely different for both of them.

In the Louisiana bayou, a supernatural entity known as the Piper has been disappearing children for generations. The slayings made me think of my own writing, and yet those delivered here are somehow more gruesome. This definitely made me wish I had included some of the young perspectives in my own novel. I really enjoyed the opening of the story, as I found the less I knew of the Piper made it eerie and almost nightmarish as it filtered through personas coming after a couple people. If those refusing to leave don’t accept the past, they may just end up paying the piper.

Now there was a scene between the Piper, cloaked as the school teacher and the young girl, Pontiac, that I found incredibly uncomfortable. But as a horror scene, it was certainly horrific, I just asked myself why—it did not really tie back into anything making it necessary.

As others have pointed out, I did agree that the ending felt a bit rushed, or maybe that it could have gone a bit deeper. However, I found the buildup to be really strong, and from what I understand, the social commentary was something Romero was known for. Tying the supernatural entity back to the slave trade, the story takes on race and class and carrying the sins of the father. I also found the entire cast to be interesting and engaging, especially how they all interacted and clicked (or didn’t!) together. This one’s different but definitely worth checking out.

I had a copy of this for too long, so apologies, but thanks to the author for the copy! My friend, Richard, really praises this one!

This is a reluctant hero story that is just as lighthearted at times as it is clever. Our lead, Zercian, a teacher, finds himself drafted into the Entervian military through no fault of his own (or is it?). His mind is being commandeered by an ancient legendary hero, and that hero, simply will not leave him alone. But the thing is, over time, Zercian’s fear dissipates, his anticipation rises, and suddenly, he’s not so reluctant anymore. Is this solely because of his being fogbound, or was the inner hero—not the actual legendary being inhabiting his mind—there all along?

This played with the idea of choice in a cool way. While Zercian is most definitely compelled, afraid of the danger, in the middle of teaching, and is in love and hasn’t proposed yet, hasn’t his life become just like the stories he teaches? And surely he won’t miss out on the chance to save kin and country? But still there’s the underlying debate on choice. Not only what would happen if he wasn’t compelled, but while he is, is he even the one steering the wheel anyway? It felt like a very old school trope coming to life. Making me think of Gandalf directing Frodo as they leave Rivendell in the movie, or Eragon telling Brom, "I didn't ask for any of this.” Why do we torture our fantasy folks with such journeys? What I love was the fact that Zercian has so many reasons to stay and so many to go.

The cast of characters has great banter, differing skills, personalities, and connections, and all service the novel in their own unique way. There’s tidbits of intrigue, mentions of the world beyond, and setup galore for the coming series. This is an underrated indie release for sure, bump it up in your TBR if you respect my opinion at all!

Huge thanks to Shortwave for a physical copy of this one to review. I have to say, it’s simple, but this is one of my favorite covers from them.

A couple gets a little lost, so when they come across a bar, they figure why not stop for a beer? They’re already a bit behind, and it’s just going to be one, right? What follows will go down as one of their worst nights…ever.

This is a first read for me by the author. I have a hardcover of Boys in the Valley, it was on my desired October TBR, but I just didn’t fit it in. As I enjoyed this, this may actually function as a really nice introduction to the author for people. It’s short, concise, spooky, kooky even. There’s humor and ridiculousness thrown in that makes it something you can laugh at, while also sidestepping all jukeboxes for the foreseeable future.

Some well done eeriness in such few pages, and a bit of revenge thrown in there as well. Kind of reminded me of something you could see on The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror, especially in its almost episodic length. Check this one out, and as ever, support Shortwave Media.

Thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this audiobook arc.

This is my first experience with the author, and I really enjoyed it. This is like a mix between ghost hunting and being a ghost medium, with Olivia having not only the sight, but abilities. She’s like a paranormal detective but also a kind of spirit weaver. The novel opens with her solving a few lesser incidents to get your blood flowing, but they all end up coming back in connection.

When hired to investigate room 904, Olivia is facing far more than just a simple haunting. The room is the place where her sister was last seen alive, before she took her own life, and it’s believed that this is directly linked to the haunting itself. Every year like clockwork a woman checks into the hotel, whether or not they try to lock up room 904 tight, without fail, three weeks later there’s another death. And Olivia’s investigation is hit with another layer of desperation when she finds out her mother has been to the hotel…

The in between is filled with a couple of repetitive beats, where she is struggling back and forth with solving the mystery. There are some shared locations that made it feel like similar things were happening. But I was a really big fan of these small sections at the beginning of chapters that served as little advertisements for different ghost hunting equipment. And as my version was narrated, it added almost a comedic beat to break things up. What was kind of strange to me though, was how much research must have gone into the equipment, when the items themselves take a serious backseat in the story. The author mentions that they are there, or that they are using them, but then it always defaulted to Olivia reaching out with her powers anyway.

The novel deals with indigenous mistreatment and culture erasure, not only in its past plot line of a massacre, but also in the way those around Olivia speak and treat her. There’s this incredibly nasty journalist after her, and she is a great example of the way people speak about American Indians in a way they feel they can claim is not a racial commentary. And I found this not only informational, but a good facsimile for readers of what people actually have to deal with. A solid first read for me.

Huge thanks to Wild Hunt Books for the review copy!

This is a fresh and unique take on the haunted house story. Right off the bat the reader is put in the know that the house isn’t just an ordinary house…but that doesn’t make it haunted. We get these really interesting chapters from the perspective of the house that serve almost as interludes, and I found them to be really decisive storytelling. The whole story speaks to our ability to inhabit and infect a place with our entirety.

In moves Simon and Priya, a recently bereaved married couple. Not only are they carrying their grief as if it’s literal baggage, they are slowly drifting apart like flotsam at sea. They are indeed the ones who are haunted. Can they come to realize what the other needs? Or will the house do it for them?

This was a quick little novella that packed a hell of a punch. The dialogue and introspection both share an incredible emotional depth, and I was really impressed by the polar opposites in Simon and Priya. This author definitely did a deep dive into his characters’ psyche. They grieve and experience like two entirely different people, and even as a married couple, they stretch and grow as separate people. I don’t know how else to explain how reading them felt other than…real.

The house and ending kind of gave me Nestlings by Nat Cassidy vibes, except like in a benevolent, more caring way. Unless you count the conniving aunt and cousin…

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio of this one. The trio that is Eric Lockley, Kristolyn Lloyd, and Zeno Robinson did a really well balanced narration—each taking on a sibling and giving them life.

This novel is a lot of things. It’s a critique on race relations and police involvement, in kind of an à la Jordan Peele-style. It mixes hyper-violence and realism with humor, in a way that I’ve found makes it more palatable for a lot of people that wouldn’t listen/read/watch these types of things otherwise. It’s also a family saga. Dysfunctional as all hell, each jaded in their own way, and each nursing scars they’re too hurt to discuss…even if they claim they have. Calla is broke, forced to take in her younger brother Jamie—who her other brother, Dre, most definitely said he’d help way more than he is with. And most of all she’s tired. Jamie, an aspiring musician, can’t get out of his way enough to realize that he’s way less street than he realizes. And Dre is stuck somewhere in between—too annoyed by Calla to be of much help, and too ‘straight and narrow’ to reach Jamie. And then there’s the nightmares.

On top of tackling all the real world horrors, the author has also blended in nightmarish horrors kind of à la Stranger Things and Love Craft Country (I’m primarily recalling the twin girls scene, but also the idea of shedding skins works well here). Except these strange things are rather more R rated, come from within, and only want to murder the three of them. I struggled with the build up to the climax, wondering if it was about to fumble the twist, and luckily, the author really pulled it off. The explanation of the Calla’s really worked for me, and that unique spin on sacrificing yourself for your siblings, that breaking yourself down into smaller and smaller pieces—or versions of yourself—even when you have nothing more to give, was really powerful.

This book also tackles anger. Being angry with the world, with the hand you’ve been dealt, with not being loved and wanted, with your family, and even with yourself. Jamie can’t get over the way life has treated him. He’s angry, and he’s even angrier that as a black teen, the world isn’t build to accept his anger. It’s raw, it’s real, and I found this novel to be a really strong way to talk about the subject. There’s things to learn here below the surface, and it also works as a functional horror if that’s not your thing.

I received this as a gift, but ended up doing the audio for it due to time.

Strangely enough, I’ve seen handfuls of people talk about this book with the warning “just don’t treat it like scripture!” I’ve had it said to me personally and I’ve seen it said online, and honestly, I’ve not actually seen anyone treat it like that. Could it be because of all of our well meaning warners, or is it just a strange attachment it’s gotten over time?

Anyway, this is a strange little mix of memoir and writing instructional. For someone that claims they don’t really remember their childhood (or maybe he just meant that in relation to the other book he mentioned) this is a pretty detailed recounting. Doctor’s visits, school mishaps, and even somethings with quoted dialogue. I’m not sure I could recount as much! It’s interesting, well paced, and short enough to be entertaining as well as it is informative. I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of King, not by any stretch, but it is interesting to learn more about someone that so many consider a master.

Now for the instructions, habits, and necessities of writing, there are some things in this that I took away as fantastic, and there were things I really disagreed with. On one hand, King’s opinions on adjectives, dialogue, and characters were things I will focus and think over in the future. He is another firmly set in the department of “said” being all that’s needed. And he states that your dialogue and characters actions will dictate how they’re speaking, not a simple word attached to said. Are your characters fighting? Readers will assume they may be getting loud. Are you characters hidden in a closet while a madman hunts them? Readers will assume they are whispering. That doesn’t mean that a well placed word can’t help, but to do it often is just fluff.

King is a big reader, and he spent a lot of his time growing up writing. But he then says that he firmly believes that a bad writer cannot become good, and a good writer cannot become great. And it feels as if we’re just supposed to believe that by him writing and reading as a teen that he was just miraculously chosen as one of the greats (of the three options given, I figured this one is the one people would label him as, he certainly does not do so himself)? I do believe in natural talent, but with something so obviously learned like writing skills, I can’t believe someone like him could believe that these people are simply made, or somehow chosen? Furthermore, when he goes into his best “practices” (his daily routines) he mentions needing to continually write, always working on the craft, and to read voraciously. Both things I’d personally consider to be PRACTICE. It almost seems like what he said and what he does are at odds there…

Regardless of if you agree with him or me, this is short on being a masterclass in writing technique, and frankly, he wasn’t trying to make it one. He remarks on how many of these exist, what he could possibly add, and who is he to even do so. And in that sense, as well as the personal tidbits, this remains an informative, enjoyable and grounded read. I am getting into more reads by the author, and I can see he’s a fantastic writer, so it was also nice to see that he doesn’t have a big head. And the narration by the author is always a nice touch.

Thanks to the publisher for this one! This is an Antarctic contagion thriller that was actually written on the continent! That’s so sick.

A team of scientists and engineers have begun to hunker down for the winter season on the ice of Antarctica. The author does a good job of letting the reader know right off the bat that these two groups don’t really get along, foreshadowing future tensions. He also does an incredible job of juggling quite a large cast of characters, which was something I initially worried about—but no need.

When a trio of Chinese scientists make an incredible trek across the frozen wasteland, with quite a heinous scene on display in the back of the truck, you know this is not your normal winter on the ice. One of their team had been brutalized, completely unrecognizable, and no one knows why. And even worse, the station’s Dr. Wei now thinks that all those that stepped foot on the truck after may now be infected.

What follows is a truly high octane, nightmare fueled battle from start to finish. Where the author brings us scientific reasoning just as often as shockingly brutal violence. This is a well paced, and intricately organized thriller, and the author does not let off the pedal until it’s over. It’s a unique take, where the infestation is fighting just as hard (if not harder) for its survival as the humans.

The novel takes place during WWIII, where its near-future take on politics extrapolated to their almost inevitable conclusion, is almost more frightening than the violence itself. But it also gives the novel this truly grounded feeling, that even without stepping foot on that ice, you can know it’s actually happening.

To touch on this quick, the back cover says Contagion meets The Walking Dead. While I have not seen Contagion, this really is nothing like TWD, and while there are some zombie-ish descriptions it’s more like a rage-fueled illness. It felt kind of like they grabbed the biggest IP they could think of and rolled with it, even though it’s not a perfect fit. Maybe to further itself from The Thing? Now, this really in no way marred my enjoyment of this novel, I was definitely looking for it though because they put it there. Maybe more I Am Legend, fresh-turned Z Nation zombies, Days Gone even. Coincidentally the use of worms and infestation did go hand in hand with Angela Sylvaine’s Frost Bite, which I read right after, or even The Troop by Nick Cutter and Infected by Scott Sigler. 

Thanks to Wild Hunt Books for this review copy!

This one really delivered on the small town vibes for me. As the train journey gets further and further away from London, I realized at one point that their journey was still short enough to entirely take place in New York. Really goes to show for folks that have never been. The older train, its technical (and perhaps supernatural) difficulties, as well as its infrequent stops, really sold that achingly far, removed town for me.

What didn’t exactly work for me was that the story spends its time building, creating what would be truly atmospheric, but then the ending kind of hits flat as it’s simply too short for its own good. I was creeped out, I was wondering, I was waiting, and it just didn’t exactly pay out the way it could have.

Still worth checking out as it’s a quick one and you may completely disagree!

I have a physical copy of this somewhere, so I know I was already interested, but as I’m mostly doing audio lately, and had the chance to listen to judge for the Indie Ink Awards, I couldn’t resist.

I’m sure you’ve seen this around the internet. The author is just a real nice guy, talking about his clean and classic fantasy series, and showing off a nice green library. It’s probably on your TBR, and I’m here now to tell you you should read it. The narration by Peter Leppard is real solid too!

This has the classical feel he’s aiming for. It’s clean, with nothing gratuitous in its fighting or language. There’s emotion, understanding, and heart, with loving parents and displays of affection. It felt almost like the cast of The Lord of the Rings thrown into the earlier, lighter world of The Hobbit, but the orcs have been fleshed out and they’re not mindless, evil things. And while there is originality within for sure, I do warn you of the similarities. If that’s a feel you know and love, but are open to something new, this is exactly for you.

Earlier in the story I struggled slightly with conflict. The author is telling you why things are important, why the characters must do something, but I just didn’t feel it yet. I struggled with being drawn into their tale past just the words spoken, and while I understand the choice with the author showing both sides of the conflict, it made it hard to feel pull to side with someone. Later, this gets entirely erased though, as the author does an incredible job of building a climax with action that doesn’t even need violence to feel in your face. He somehow balances stakes while keeping it clean for readers. I cared for the survival of the characters, and each of them is well balanced with their own skills and areas of expertise. This emotional connection ensured I was ready for anything, and hoping for everyone’s survival.

The author’s take on elves had me thinking of Adam R. Bishop’s A Sea of Cinders, though of course with less violence. I really enjoyed this, and I’m still feeling somewhat concerned for anyone making me feel for an orc.

I originally received this as an e-ARC read. On a personal note, I was reading this when I went through a really serious breakup. The author saw, and messaged me to say it was okay to be late or even drop the read altogether. It meant a lot and it just so happened that I did need to step away. I have since purchased the book (and all his others though!).

I stopped reading the book right around the same time I picked it back up this year. I was about 50% in, and it had been a slow burn. Other than the impetus that set up the story’s drive, not much action had happened. I was wondering how and when it would finally pick up. But then strangely, I stepped away, and I have never continually thought about something I’ve read so much as this for the entire year I was away.

The novel starts with a group of friends on earth the night their hometown is attacked by a group of invaders. They fight back, in defense of each other, and something extraordinary happens. Earth finds out overnight that they are not alone, never were, and are now actively being recruited into a space army. Colton and his friends sign up, charged up and looking for revenge. They ship off and get filtered into groups that are immediately sent to an accelerated schooling program. This is where I left off, and yet I continued to find my thoughts coming back to Colton and his friends time and again.

The author does a great job of showing healthy male relationships, with empathy and understanding, and emotional scenes. And while they may not all learn at the same pace, they embody different strengths and they learn to come together and support each other. This book is a real journey too, it’s basically A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back in one. They have answered the call, and they have to pass the test and training to have any hope of facing the enemy and making it out in one piece. The combat simulations they are put through were riveting and really showed the reader their growth.

The background political intrigue was just another layer that shows the author’s ability. Well sprinkled in, and I really enjoyed the use of keeping our lead informed as our way of finding out too. Oh, and it lead into one hell of a twist and climax! I gotta get into book two soon!

Had the perfect opportunity line up where I had just started this as an audio arc and I had the chance to grab a category for the Indie Ink Awards as well. I was so excited to get into this one.

You may not know this, but I am a huge zombie fan. Since Shaun of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead (Snyder), I’ve been a fan of both the more comedic and the serious iterations. As a TWD Universe stan, I just finished a rewatch and a full watch through of all the spinoffs. So I was definitely ready to go when it came to picking this up. And while I’ve been a part of the reviewing community since 2020, there does seem to be a bit of a distance between zombies and readers—not necessarily in the sense of looking down on the genre, but there’s definitely a disconnect—especially when it comes to novel form. Luckily, the author grips you with compelling characterizations, making the zombies an obstacle in the story, rather than the whole plot.

Now I will say there was some mild apprehension behind starting. Mostly as I am in the plotting/early writing phase of working on my own zombie thriller and I was worried about infecting (see what I did there) my own plot with things I loved from this one. And honestly, I know for a fact I’m not capable of being this concise. The prose are sharp and everything is to the point without appearing rushed in any way. So not only am I far too longwinded to appear like I’m pulling from this one, the author also went and made their own unique twist on the genre to take them a step further. These creatures, these infected, can laugh maniacally, can scheme, and when they turn without injury, they can remain awfully fast.

The author is certainly playing within the tropes I know and love here, which for me made this a compulsive read. Although I will say, woah! zombie novel where they say zombie!! Each scene end is a chapter, whether short or long, and that made for a continuous “one more chapter” pull to every break away. Kate and Nick find each other through unusual means, in rather unusual times, and that makes them connect all the more immediately. They’ve both got loads of baggage to deal with, making them complex and compelling in a relatable way. While this novel touches on the depravity that humanity would sink to after the world’s ending, this is more about the idea of hope. Both characters have already seen the dark side of man, and unfortunately it came for them before the world turned over. Therefore they’ve come into the apocalypse already doing what it takes to carry on—surviving. They both could have given up, could have stopped, but they didn’t, and you know what, they found each other! A person can be a safe place even when the world is not one.

Huge notes of abuse and mental health issues, as well as their coping mechanisms or lackthere of. This is a story about survival, but be warned it does not shy away from the reality that causes these issues. It’s deep and real and engaging, and it will leave you thinking when it’s done. And even though it’s dark, you’ll want even more.

I received an audiobook arc of this, sorry if I’m a little late, I lost my BookFunnel library and had to go through a couple hoops!

So to start, I want to admit that I did myself a bit of a disservice. And that’s due to the fact that I read almost double the horror novels to fantasy last year. Fantasy has always been my top genre, but that’s just how it landed with arcs and stuff going on. So with some time away, jumping right into not only a large fantasy (19+hrs), but doing so in audio, left me kind of struggling. The sheer amount of names in this novel had me so confused. Every chapter for a while (longer than I care to admit) I thought it was always someone new, and I actually re-listened to quite a lot. It also has a lot of politics going on, with clandestine meetings, as well as parties featuring the elites, so dialogue when you’re confused is also way harder. With all of that being said, these are troubles based on my decision, not the author’s faults in any way.

This is a dark fantasy, where magic is mostly held by the elite (or black market if you can afford it), and it slowly kills the wielder. This should make the magic finite, funneling users into a less powerful role, however those on top are pulling strings far deeper than anyone would imagine. The Crimson Court, a set of seemingly immortal elites, kind of a la Assassin’s Creed’s Templars, have unwittingly set themselves against a dangerous adversary. When Kasia’s father is murdered, she vows to avenge him, if only she can uncover the identity of those hiding in shadows. And although this is in part a revenge story, it is pulling at political strings as she tries to gather allies before making a move in a kind of slow burn build up.

I enjoyed Kasia, as her death wielding allows for those she’s killed to haunt her, making her a complex character juggling guilt, frustration, and constant reminders of her shortcomings. This in a way allows for you to root for her to persevere, as the author has done well to make her struggle multifaceted. The other main POV, which ends up kind of allying themselves with her, I found to be less engaging, both the character and their side story. Although the idea of tainted spirits coming back as mindless enemies, kind of like spirit-zombies is awesome, so a more fleshed out group of fighters trained to stop them could be incredibly awesome (and there is a book two!). The glass swords that stop the spirits are a unique idea, and I kept wondering how many I would break!

I enjoyed the novel, and I just felt myself wanting more. More immersion into the world, more understanding. There are flintlock pistols and rifles, which usually sets fantasy stories apart for me, but I felt like this was a fantasy world with guns, not a true flintlock fantasy world. Not necessarily a negative at all either, as it’s definitely a cool fantasy world! I also spent most of the novel wondering why the king would have a dragon coiled around his throne but only really use it as a giant-sized gavel, shutting up his meeting room. No spoilers though! The narration by Ellie Gossage is well done, and very fitting for the character of Kasia too.

After listening to the first two books in this series, (both with great narration) which were included with audible, and really digging just how much Christmas was included in this ‘mystery’ and having a few other reads that didn’t click for me, yes I went ahead and purchased the third book. It was part of audible’s end of year sale though!

Book three sees Holly White happily dating the Bostonian sheriff. Her family’s inn has officially opened, and she is working her hardest to balance her jewelry business as well as managing the site. Things in her life are going exceptionally well. Unfortunately, right around Christmas yet again, there’s another murder. And this time, it happened right outside where she works, with a nutcracker that was just gifted to her, and is covered in her best friend Cookie’s fingerprints.

The novel gives Holly, and the reader, an unbelievable amount of reminders that investigating is NOT her job, but is her boyfriend’s. And how if she would just let him do is job, he wouldn’t have to worry about her not being safe. While again mentioning ‘amateur sleuth’ this is really just a combination of Holly’s incredible nosiness and her desire to prove her friend’s innocence and save her family’s brand new inn. And while she is nosy, it’s worth mentioning that it’s not done in a way that the trait is annoying or negative really.

This mystery was another intriguing one. The author has offered up even more than she did in the previous book, where each gets a little bit more darkness with its violence. It makes for enjoyable reads as the majority of what’s within is sugary and sweet, and then bam, there’s a fully fledged crime here. And speaking of sugary…once again, I must applaud these people, as there is absolutely no real food in their diets. It’s all mentions of pancakes and muffins, cookies and pies, gumdrops and fudge, hot chocolate and whipped cream. Mistletoe, Maine must be the leading insulin using town in all of fictional America.

Can’t wait for book four next holiday season.

Grabbed this for one final Christmas horror. It delivers in an almost urban fantasy way.

When Ada, Tor’s ex wife, shows up at The Black Bookmark—a novelty and collectible bookshop—with something from an estate sale, Tor has no choice but to dive right in. He begins translating a book, and right away, he can tell that this one is different. It’s retelling the tale of Hel and her battle with the dark elf for the underworld. But it’s anything but just a book, and anything but your typical Jul holiday.

It’s hard to do much more than summarize this one without spoiling it, but this was a dark and enjoyable little read. I feel like since the inclusion of Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, things that include this mythology give me a real urban fantasy feel? Which isn’t a bad thing, this just came off as a mixture of UF and horror because of it.

The unleashing, and subsequent retribution, was a take on going after those deemed “guilty” in a way that felt akin to Silent Night, Deadly Night or Krampus. The idea that during the holidays those deemed greedy, those unworthy, have reached the end of your allowance. Have reaped what they’ve sown. And this was a unique and dark way to show that.

The split between husband and wife was a nice addition, for the addition tension in the beginning of the story, however it was a bit too short to really work itself out, although, maybe there’s more…?

I would suggest checking this one out! It works great as a winter read.

Finished with my final (probably) proofread and you know what, I enjoyed my own novel!

It was a pretty intense labor of love, filled with time away, imposter syndrome, loss, and hard work writing other things.

I hope you’ll give it a shot, and I really hope you enjoy my debut full length, a detective horror. Thank you.

https://books2read.com/u/b5Kn0l

Grabbed this on kindle for another Christmas spirit read. As a big fan of A Christmas Carol, I was curious how this would hold up and be different.

This novella is a retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The start shows us Scrooge in a more modern world, his work partner, Marley, is a woman, and also his partner in life. And although he was always the more frugal of the two, after her death is when his heart really started to turn to stone. And that stony chill is even frigid towards his daughter and son in law, not even having met his grandson. There was a scene early on between Scrooge and the daughter, where internally, he remarks that he wishes it wasn’t so and shows some kind of remorse. I was a bit worried, as it makes sense because it’s family, however at this point Scrooge was not a remorseful person, but the author does a great job of taking things from there.

The visit from Scrooge’s late wife was a nice twist, and the change to not only his behavior, but him being stuck in his grief, as reason for her (and his) chains was a well done addition. The three ghost visits that follow take on much of the same format as the original, but the continued tie in to Scrooge’s family life is the real winner here in terms of changes. His behavior has come between his daughter and her husband, as she simply cannot let him go—he’s her father, it’s a simple as that. But if Scrooge continues on the way he’s been, his family will suffer, his grandson will not receive the medical help he needs, and Scrooge will die in obscurity.

While this is a retelling that pretty closely follows the original, I found the changes enjoyable and enough to read as refreshing. The language used felt close enough to the original, which was a good thing, but I do wish the story featured more of the modernized world. Overall though, I enjoyed this a lot! Great Christmas spirit at the end.

Grabbed this on Audible’s end of year sale. With a title like that, it had been on my radar for a while.

A collection of Christmas horrors from some of the leading names in the genre. These were certainly more along the lines of what I was looking for compared to Christmas and Other Horrors, but still had a mix of Christmas and holiday traditions in it, making it somewhat similar.

As is usually true with me, Josh Malerman’s short was a particular standout. TENETS features a group of college friends meeting up for the holiday, but one friend brings someone with them that has a shaky past. Another standout was THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE CHRISTMAS HOTEL by Joe R. Lansdale. An old hotel, now derelict, but two friends remember the parties of old and one particular guest that stood out—a unique and creepy Christmas hunting. And lastly THE HANGMAN’S BRIDE by Sarah Pinborough was a mix of haunting and the supernatural, which to me still felt somehow A Christmas Carol-y.

Several of the other stories I personally could have done without, but that seems to be the way I lean on these big anthologies. Still, I’m glad I picked this one up when I did. While again, not exactly what I was looking for, another Christmas read down.

Preordered this one, but when I saw there were illustrations, I decided to get a paperback copy too. They were a nice accompaniment!

Diane is dealing with the loss of her husband. And yes, maybe she is not handling it well, but that doesn’t mean she wants her family to force her to celebrate Christmas. Especially not a ridiculously expensive trip to Christmas Town. A town that celebrates Christmas year round—an all-inclusive tourist destination to recapture the childlike glee of old. But when do kids ever listen?

Once they arrive, Diane is forced into Christmas cheer that she is simply not ready for. The tea time, Christmas shopping, Christmas cookies and sweets, a trip to see Santa, it should all be perfect, so why does the entire thing feel genuinely forced? And underneath that twinkle light and tinsel-y veneer, why does everything look so wrong? And why is Diane the only one noticing it?

The mayhem that follows feels like a classic Christmas story smashed together with John Carpenter’s The Thing (and not just because of the name!). Is Christmas Town infecting everyone or is the town itself infested? And while that may have your mind racing to practical effects and prosthetics, this novella also features some truly bloody and evil kills. Nothing is as it seems, even Santa!

While this is a blood pounding story of survival, it was also a well done examination into grief. Not only the loss of a husband, but the impact of an accident and misguided blame. Diane’s struggle keeps her from enjoying life, and the author does a fantastic job of showcasing how that grief and fear impacts each individual in her life.

This was included with audible until the end of the year, so I grabbed it for a Christmas season read.

This is a Christmas mystery novella. I have read one story by this author, but both were due to their relation to Christmas honestly. A group of friends are meeting for a long weekend during December. After dinner one night, a very rude comment is made to one of the women about how she’s only interested in the master of the house for his status. Without further thought, everyone goes to bed. However, the following morning, the offended woman is found dead, thrown from the bridge to the icy water below. The hitch here though, is that the bridge was designed so that no one could simply fall. Was she pushed or did she jump?

It is proposed that the guilty party should possibly be forced into a crusade or exile instead of involving the police. If they achieve the job they accepted, all would be forgiven. It would be as if they had survived their term of exile. Naturally, Lady Vispasia, who has absolutely nothing to lose, agrees to accompany them on this journey as a friend. The journey itself is rather harrowing, as they’re going further north during the month of December, but I found the whole exile thing to be pretty odd.

After their journey, the novella wraps up into probably one of the most confusing and infuriating endings ever. They have retrieved the mother of the deceased. The letter they brought her from her daughter detailed more of the situation than they realized, perhaps even pointing the finger at someone other than the accused. Then it just ends with—and I can’t stress this enough as the real ending—“Hell, it’s Christmas! The season of forgiving. Let’s party.”

Found this while browsing Skybound’s Black Friday sale. I didn’t know there were in-universe stories I hadn’t read yet, so I rectified that real quick. This one and the YA Clementine trilogy, which I really look forward to.

This is a one off story featuring Jeff. Jeff is looking to find himself, do a bit of traveling while he does, and sadly finds himself quarantined inside Barcelona when the zombie apocalypse starts. He’s a good guy, which the reader finds out quickly, as he tries to save a kid from being attacked. He isn’t successful, but luckily he is saved by a Spanish armor wearing woman with a halberd. (That really got my mind racing on some museum robbing zombie stuff). Someone to ally with, and also someone with a plan to get out of Spain.

This was awesome frankly. Not only is it a canon story, it’s the first time we see something outside of America in the Walking Dead. There a mixed rumors that foreigners both brought the illness in, as well as America having the cure figured out. Readers of the series will know that’s not true, but it was cool to see another part of the world. This seems pretty close to break out as well, as Jeff seems kind of like an amateur still.

You’ll end up with lots of wondering about what could have been if this one off didn’t end. And what a solid reveal that I did NOT know about.

I really enjoyed the black and white art mimicking that of the full series, and the splashes of red were just perfect at the end.