Greg Chism

Pretty good gothic story steeped in Mormon history. Well worth a read if you like either.

Interesting concept, but I'll likely not continue with the series. There's an annoying trope in some books where a disaster happens and then people are expected to just get back to their responsibilities or lives. I guess it works for a YA book, but it always turns me off of a book.

Besides the Christian superhero schtick (it's just hacky at this point), a very good horror book.

This is a very difficult read. The true horrors are much more difficult to digest than the haunted house story woven within. This is an important one to endeavor.

I spent literal months reading this book. Not because it's bad, but because it needs it. There's a lot in there, and it's really worth the read. It will sit with me for a long time.

Feminist horror seems to have common veins that I am not a fan of - a very damaged female protagonist who regains power after being abused in some way shape or form. The first couple of times had some variation, but I'm feeling the same problem with white male authors: the books are just very similar at the core.

Notable body horror here, and I really did like the folk horror components. If I hadn't just read The Madness, I would have probably loved this one.

Not bad for pop-sci, and definitely an important, if not seminal, topic. The central premise is one most likely agree on - except apparently other researchers. The book spends too much time fighting counter arguments. As an academic, I know we struggle with this, but just say "see my website with in depth evidence and counters to common arguments", and be done with it.

Very enjoyable read. I'd consider this my top read of the year so far, which I guess I concluded while writing this review.

Overall, it gave me a feeling of content that I constantly chase in books.

Shockingly good while also being very dark at times. Humor is definitely there to soften some of the blows. Stephen King meets Sesame Street works well here (not my comparison).

Pretty interesting concept with real history interwoven. The ending is a love hate sort of deal for me, but this is well worth a read.

Odd one, at least for me. Interesting mix of trauma, lust, and... Bees(?). Should be enough without giving anything away.

Not great, not bad. I was hoping for more from a feminist retelling of Dracula, but it does a good job overall.

Pretty enjoyable read overall. Its not that complex of a story, but it is masterfully woven into a modern fairytale. This one may make you reflect on your life with different eyes.

Very enjoyable read. The family dynamics are probably more unsettling that the haunting at first, but it truly has some great creepy parts.

Definitely a white male dream. I, a white male Trekkie scientist, am arguably the ideal audience. I however found the book derivative at times and not really groundbreaking.

Overall, I understand why it's liked and loved, but it just didn't do it for me.

Full disclosure, I feel like a snob writing bad reviews, but, if you didn't like this book, you're not alone.

Probably the first utterly disappointing book I read. Also uniquely one where the adaptation is phenomenally better.

I didn't need to read all the weird indigenous fetishization... Notably lazy writing at several parts. Just, wow.

Give the show a try. It solved literally everything I hated about the novel.

This being said, I do think it's important to read and recognize how older white male horror authors love to make women of color into a mix between sex symbols and shamans. Richard Matheson definitely did it, for instance.

Some positives for The Terror? Honestly, no, not from me.

One of my favorite authors, Delilah S. Dawson just doesn't disappoint.

Overall, a cozy horror romance that does read like a female Hannibal Lector story.

Pretty happy with this one.

This was an interesting one. Definitely not for you if you fear hospitals.

Overall, I'll need to sit with this one more.

Indigenous horror gets under my skin faster than most horror. This wasn't any different. Not what I expected, but it's another one of those important reads that gives you perspective. This one will sit with me for a while.

My current favorite book. It's really hard to concisely explain this one, so I won't. Just read it, it's well worth it.

Happy with this one overall. I like the representation of a different type of relationship. Definitely less romance than I anticipated, but I enjoyed it.

This one really surprised me! Probably the best haunted house story I've ready in, maybe ever. Deeply sad at times, but also deeply creepy and unsettling.

I was really disappointed by this one. I had hoped for more horror than was present, but that's not a cardinal sin. The hard thing to get past was the repetitive pattern that was at best preachy and at worst derivative.

Overall, sort of weak character development in my opinion, but way less descriptive writing than I expected. This one just didn't click with me at all.

My first DNF of 2026. I wanted to like it but the prose was like dredging through mud. I get that it's YA, but is just felt clunky.

Some interesting components. Probably should have just been two books so that things weren't rushed at the end.

Overall, the writing isn't great. I laughed out loud more times than not when I'm supposed to be... Titillated? I was bummed that the author couldn't get all of the science correct (I was trained for research in parasitology), but worms are definitely having a moment...