Syndrie
Fast-paced, gory, and surprisingly a bit relatable, "Morsel" is a nice little novella perfect for readers looking to get a quick horror fix.
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
Fast-paced, gory, and surprisingly a bit relatable, "Morsel" is a nice little novella perfect for readers looking to get a quick horror fix.
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
Fast-paced, gory, and surprisingly a bit relatable, "Morsel" is a nice little novella perfect for readers looking to get a quick horror fix.
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
Fast-paced, gory, and surprisingly a bit relatable, "Morsel" is a nice little novella perfect for readers looking to get a quick horror fix.
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
Added to listFavoriteswith 11 books.
In this novel we follow a girl named Raven starting on the day of her mother's funeral. Raven's mom — also known as the Wind Witch and a member of the Hill People community — was involuntarily institutionalized after being accused of killing two boys when Raven was only six years old. Now eighteen, with almost no memory of her mother or the first six years of her life, Raven is looking for answers as to who her mother truly was and what actually happened on that tragic day thirteen years ago. Was her mother actually killer, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Was she a member of a cult, or just a community that wanted to live off the grid in peace?
This novel is labeled as adult fiction, but I personally felt that it read a bit closer to YA — especially with the love at first sight romance plot that suddenly drops in out of nowhere. But I'm not trying to imply this is a bad thing by any means, I just think it might make it harder for the appropriate audience to find this novel and felt it worth noting.
Now as far as the actual plot goes, I did find the novel pretty interesting. The mystery aspect kept my attention and the story unraveled in a way that was easy to follow and made sense. The prose itself was smooth, easy to read, and had some really nice imagery throughout. I also really liked the incorporation of the healing magic and thought it gave the story a little bit of whimsy that helped balance out the darker parts of the story.
Regarding things I didn't like as much, I'd say we really didn't need the romance plot here at all because Sam's character could've worked just fine as a friend. But I wouldn't have minded if he and Raven actually had time to develop a proper relationship instead of just suddenly jumping head first into acting on their sudden feelings. I also wish the ending had been drawn out a bit more because it does snowball pretty fast during that last 15-20%. But I will say all the loose ends seemed to be tied up and I can't really complain about that!
Overall I would recommend this novel to YA readers looking to dip their toes into more of the adult fiction side, or to the adult readers looking to give YA a chance, because this really feels like the kind of book that toes the line in between the two sides.
(Thank you to Severn House for offering an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
In this novel we follow a girl named Raven starting on the day of her mother's funeral. Raven's mom — also known as the Wind Witch and a member of the Hill People community — was involuntarily institutionalized after being accused of killing two boys when Raven was only six years old. Now eighteen, with almost no memory of her mother or the first six years of her life, Raven is looking for answers as to who her mother truly was and what actually happened on that tragic day thirteen years ago. Was her mother actually killer, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Was she a member of a cult, or just a community that wanted to live off the grid in peace?
This novel is labeled as adult fiction, but I personally felt that it read a bit closer to YA — especially with the love at first sight romance plot that suddenly drops in out of nowhere. But I'm not trying to imply this is a bad thing by any means, I just think it might make it harder for the appropriate audience to find this novel and felt it worth noting.
Now as far as the actual plot goes, I did find the novel pretty interesting. The mystery aspect kept my attention and the story unraveled in a way that was easy to follow and made sense. The prose itself was smooth, easy to read, and had some really nice imagery throughout. I also really liked the incorporation of the healing magic and thought it gave the story a little bit of whimsy that helped balance out the darker parts of the story.
Regarding things I didn't like as much, I'd say we really didn't need the romance plot here at all because Sam's character could've worked just fine as a friend. But I wouldn't have minded if he and Raven actually had time to develop a proper relationship instead of just suddenly jumping head first into acting on their sudden feelings. I also wish the ending had been drawn out a bit more because it does snowball pretty fast during that last 15-20%. But I will say all the loose ends seemed to be tied up and I can't really complain about that!
Overall I would recommend this novel to YA readers looking to dip their toes into more of the adult fiction side, or to the adult readers looking to give YA a chance, because this really feels like the kind of book that toes the line in between the two sides.
(Thank you to Severn House for offering an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
A realistic novel that will likely resonate with fans of female friendship stories, "Strange Girls" is a detailed look behind the rise and decline of the relationship between two girls named Ava and Aliya. I'd say this is not just a story about friendship, but also a story about jealousy as well as the importance of communication and learning how to be honest with both yourself and with others.
The prose was smooth and insightful and I really enjoyed how down-to-earth the plot here is because it really helped the story feel more relatable. I also liked the way the split timeline was set up with Ava's chapters being our present day setting, while Aliya's chapters started in the past when the two first met and continued up through their initial falling out. I think this was a good way to offer the reader a more pragmatic understanding of the girls' relationship, whereas a chronological story would've likely not provided quite the same insights throughout.
Overall I think this was a very well-written novel — although I did find some parts of the story to drag a bit — and would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy more realistic, character-driven novels.
(Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
A realistic novel that will likely resonate with fans of female friendship stories, "Strange Girls" is a detailed look behind the rise and decline of the relationship between two girls named Ava and Aliya. I'd say this is not just a story about friendship, but also a story about jealousy as well as the importance of communication and learning how to be honest with both yourself and with others.
The prose was smooth and insightful and I really enjoyed how down-to-earth the plot here is because it really helped the story feel more relatable. I also liked the way the split timeline was set up with Ava's chapters being our present day setting, while Aliya's chapters started in the past when the two first met and continued up through their initial falling out. I think this was a good way to offer the reader a more pragmatic understanding of the girls' relationship, whereas a chronological story would've likely not provided quite the same insights throughout.
Overall I think this was a very well-written novel — although I did find some parts of the story to drag a bit — and would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy more realistic, character-driven novels.
(Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
"Wife Shaped Bodies" read like a mashup of body horror fever dream and social commentary, and it was absolutely fascinating.
In a world where "normal" women no longer exist, a new breed of women — who are really more mushroom than woman at this point — has taken their place. But these women do not get to live normal lives as their main purpose is just to be wives for their husbands. They're there to keep the men company as well as provide new daughters to help continue the cycle. This novel mainly follows the story of Nicole, an extremely sheltered woman who has just now reached the age where she is to be wed to her husband.
Cranehill's prose is descriptive, evocative, and unsettling. This wasn't just a novel I could visualize in my mind's eye, but it's one that I could almost feel, smell, and even taste. The detailed descriptions of the women's fungi covered bodies really cemented just how unnatural their existence was while also giving off the sense of both wonder and disgust.
This is also a novel that feels more like an experience instead of simply a story. While we do have a plot that touches on themes of oppression and gender inequality, a lot of the story is used just broadcasting Nicole's inner thoughts and feelings. The novel is written in first person so we get an intimate insight into Nicole's emotions, thoughts, and physical senses. So while the plot is important to set the scene of the novel, the real story is getting to watch Nicole grow and see how her experiences shape her own personality and her relationships with others.
If you're interested in stories that are a bit weird or off kilter, and the blurb sounds interesting to you, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of "Wife Shaped Bodies" for yourself. It's quite a unique read and I don't think a review will really be able to properly convey the experience — you really just need to read it for yourself to understand!
(Thank you to Saga Press for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
"Wife Shaped Bodies" read like a mashup of body horror fever dream and social commentary, and it was absolutely fascinating.
In a world where "normal" women no longer exist, a new breed of women — who are really more mushroom than woman at this point — has taken their place. But these women do not get to live normal lives as their main purpose is just to be wives for their husbands. They're there to keep the men company as well as provide new daughters to help continue the cycle. This novel mainly follows the story of Nicole, an extremely sheltered woman who has just now reached the age where she is to be wed to her husband.
Cranehill's prose is descriptive, evocative, and unsettling. This wasn't just a novel I could visualize in my mind's eye, but it's one that I could almost feel, smell, and even taste. The detailed descriptions of the women's fungi covered bodies really cemented just how unnatural their existence was while also giving off the sense of both wonder and disgust.
This is also a novel that feels more like an experience instead of simply a story. While we do have a plot that touches on themes of oppression and gender inequality, a lot of the story is used just broadcasting Nicole's inner thoughts and feelings. The novel is written in first person so we get an intimate insight into Nicole's emotions, thoughts, and physical senses. So while the plot is important to set the scene of the novel, the real story is getting to watch Nicole grow and see how her experiences shape her own personality and her relationships with others.
If you're interested in stories that are a bit weird or off kilter, and the blurb sounds interesting to you, then I highly recommend you pick up a copy of "Wife Shaped Bodies" for yourself. It's quite a unique read and I don't think a review will really be able to properly convey the experience — you really just need to read it for yourself to understand!
(Thank you to Saga Press for providing me with an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
This book has everything I want from a fairy tale retelling — it keeps just enough of the source material to have some familiarity while breathing new life into the tale with new plot lines and characters. "Lady Tremaine" is not the magical and hopeful love-at-first-sight Cinderella story that many of us grew up on, instead it's a full revamp from the perspective of the (not-so-evil) stepmother that treads a darker and drearier path. This is no longer a story about one girl searching for her happily ever after. Now it's a story of a mother doing everything she can, in the face of many setbacks, to make sure her family is properly taken care of.
I've always been a fan of darker rewrites of fairy tales, but I'd have to say "Lady Tremaine" is the best one I've read to date. The decision to write it in the stepmother's perspective was absolutely the right choice and really makes it stand out in the crowd of other retellings that tend to keep the princess as the main focus. It also provides such a unique nuance to the story that would've been much more difficult (if not impossible) to tell if it has been from one of the daughter's, or stepdaughter's, perspectives instead.
Hochhauser's prose is smooth, appropriately detailed, and enjoyable to read. She also did a great job on the pacing with the story never feeling too rushed nor too slow. I'm especially impressed to learn this is her debut novel, because it reads as if it was done by a well-seasoned writer! I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody who's even a little bit interested in it, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Rachel Hochhauser.
(Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
This book has everything I want from a fairy tale retelling — it keeps just enough of the source material to have some familiarity while breathing new life into the tale with new plot lines and characters. "Lady Tremaine" is not the magical and hopeful love-at-first-sight Cinderella story that many of us grew up on, instead it's a full revamp from the perspective of the (not-so-evil) stepmother that treads a darker and drearier path. This is no longer a story about one girl searching for her happily ever after. Now it's a story of a mother doing everything she can, in the face of many setbacks, to make sure her family is properly taken care of.
I've always been a fan of darker rewrites of fairy tales, but I'd have to say "Lady Tremaine" is the best one I've read to date. The decision to write it in the stepmother's perspective was absolutely the right choice and really makes it stand out in the crowd of other retellings that tend to keep the princess as the main focus. It also provides such a unique nuance to the story that would've been much more difficult (if not impossible) to tell if it has been from one of the daughter's, or stepdaughter's, perspectives instead.
Hochhauser's prose is smooth, appropriately detailed, and enjoyable to read. She also did a great job on the pacing with the story never feeling too rushed nor too slow. I'm especially impressed to learn this is her debut novel, because it reads as if it was done by a well-seasoned writer! I would absolutely recommend this book to anybody who's even a little bit interested in it, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for any future works from Rachel Hochhauser.
(Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an advance review copy for free via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)