Month: December 2023

Serena’s Favorite Reads of 2023: Picks 5-1

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, five through 1. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!”

5. “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” by Carissa Broadbent

“The Serpent and the Wings of Night” Review

This was one of those funny years where I was putting together this list and found that I had multiple entries for books that I had just read in the month of December! I featured “The Witchwood Knot” on my 10-6 list, and here we are again with a book that I only finished reviewing a few weeks ago! But like “Witchwood,” I particularly wanted to focus on this book as it was originally self-published and only recently picked up by Bramble. And man, did this book restore my faith in the potential of romantasy! All too often, I think this genre can get bogged down in tropes and fairly low-quality writing. Not so, here. Yes, it has a nice romance, but it also stands perfectly fine as a straight-forward fantasy title! There’s complex world-building and lore. Solid characters with meaningful character arcs. And original and exciting action scenes! I had such a blast with this book and can’t wait to check out the sequel when it comes out in a few months.

4. “The Fragile Threads of Power” by V.E. Schwab

“The Fragile Threads of Power” Review

And now for a pick that won’t surprise anyone! This was probably the most welcome news I can remember seeing in the book world since…I don’t know when! Not only is it a return to a beloved world, but it is the return of the same beloved cast of characters, several years later. I was definitely concerned, as well, wondering how well the balancing act would work between our familiar characters and the new ones introduced. As it turns out, it worked out really well! I was pleased to see that the majority of the story still belonged to our main characters, but I was also interested enough in the new ones to not resent them when the story changed to their POVs. It was also just such a fun, nostalgic trip to be back in this world. Now, however, we’re back to waiting on sequels! Best problem to have, though, I say.

3. The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

“The Jasad Heir” Review

This book took me completely by surprise. In many ways, it sounded like a fairly generic fantasy story, what with an heir to the throne in hiding , a magical, deadly competition, and an enemies-to-lovers romance. But instead of becoming bogged down in tired concepts, it rose beyond all of these tropes to prove that there is a reason why many of these go-toes are popular to begin with! I also liked that our main character was a bit of an unreliable narrator, with truths about her past slowly coming to light. I was also most impressed by romance. There are a metric ton “enemies to lovers” love stories out there, especially right now, but this book shows the importance of the often over-looked slow-burn aspect of it all. Natural enemies don’t just flip switches in their brain and suddenly fall in love with one another. I also liked the subtle nature of the love story, with them coming together slowly over very small moments of humanity and care. Here’s another one where I’m eagerly awaiting the next book the series, though I’m not sure when it will be coming out!

2. “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” by Heather Fawcett

“Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries” Review

For most of the year, this book was solidly in the #1 position for this list. And honestly, I’ve gone back and forth several times. So, really, maybe read this as two #1 picks! I hadn’t read anything by Heather Fawcett before picking up this book, but man, she’s now an insta-read author for me! This book seems like it was made in a factory specifically for me. I love historical fantasy fiction, two of my favorite genres in one! And, most importantly, Emily Wilde’s prickly, stubborn, supremely confident if a bit socially awkward type of character is one of my all-time favorite character types. She’s very much in line with characters like “Amelia Peabody” and the like. I also really loved the Fae in this book, especially the late-book twist that the story took, veering off in a direction I had never expected. On top of all of this, there’s a lovely, lowkey romance with the grumpy/sunshine trope being gender swapped between Emily and Wendell. Definitely check this one out if you enjoy historical fantasy fiction and lowkey love stories.

1. “Starling House” by Alix E. Harrow

“Starling House” Review

And, finally, my top pick for 2023! While I enjoyed Harrow’s “Ten Thousand Doors of January,” I didn’t expect to love this book quite as much as I did. For one thing, it’s a contemporary fantasy novel, a subgenre that I often struggle with. But man, did this book prove me wrong! I loved everything about it, from the way the classic gothic haunted house story was twisted around on itself, to the exploration of stories and who tells them. But most of all, I loved the voice of the main character, Opal. Another character, Arthur, has his own chapters, but Opal’s are the majority and this is truly her story. She’s a perfect example of how to pull off an unreliable narrator and the voice of a character who, to many, could come across as unlikable. I was instantly charmed by her and whipped through this book in a matter of days. I can’t recommend this one highly enough!

What were some of your favorite reads of 2023?

Kate’s Favorite Reads of 2023: Picks 5-1

Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! Like past years I won’t be including re-reads, sometimes my opinion of a book could change and evolve after I had read it, so some surprises may be up near the top, as well as perhaps a book or two that didn’t make my reviews on here initially due to genre limitations. But here they are, ready for a countdown! And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway”! Today I’m going to countdown my favorite reads, five to one.

5. “For You and Only You” by Caroline Kepnes

“For You and Only You” Review

I can almost guarantee that any entry to Caroline Kepnes’s “You” series will always be a favorite of the year for me, just because I love Joe and all of his horribleness so much that any adventure he has I will accompany him on. And “For You and Only You” is just a new setting with a new cast of similarly awful characters to accompany him on, this time going after the snobs and Massholes of Boston and Harvard. Joe is once again obsessed with a new woman, and in the name of love does terrible things to terrible people. Is it a familiar story for him? Sure! But Kepnes still has the darkly humorous and satirical voice for Joe that makes the read a lot of wicked fun.

4. “Night’s Edge” by Liz Kerin

“Nights Edge” Review

This mother-daughter vampire story really put my emotions THROUGH IT this year. As a mother to my own daughter who I absolutely adore (and am constantly in worry of failing as a mom), the story of young adult Mia having to care for her vampiric mother Izzy, and all the toxic codependence that comes with having to care for a manipulative parent who has to hide from the world during the day, was a breathtaking and heartbreaking horror novel. I love vampire stories when they are done to cater to my standards, and this one had moments of terror, moments of heartache, and moments of coming of age that all came together to be a devastating horror story about mothers and daughters. I cannot wait for the sequel, which comes out in a few months.

3. “Delicate Condition” by Danielle Valentine

“Delicate Condition” Review

I’m done having kids, and if there was ever going to be a book that would scare me to death about potential impending pregnancies, “Delicate Condition” would be it, so it’s good I read it when I was through. Danielle Valentine’s pregnancy based horror novel about a woman with a stressful and very strange pregnancy, feelings of being watched, and the all too real horrors of being pregnant when surrounded by people who don’t understand or take you seriously. The tension of Anna Alcott’s pregnancy journey is a feminist telling of “Rosemary’s Baby” in a lot of ways, while being a critique of misogyny and toxic positivity that mothers are supposed to have about having children, no matter how terrifying it can be. Even when it’s not a potentially demonic one! I loved this book, absolutely tearing through it and being very, very freaked out.

2. “Here In The Night” by Rebecca Turkewitz

“Here In The Night” Review

This book is probably the most surprising read of 2023 for me, if only because I had no idea what to expect when I picked “Here In The Night” up, and completely adored it. This short horror stories collection by Rebecca Turkewitz is a horror story collection, yes, but it has a tone and feeling about it that feels more realistic, more muted, and incredibly bittersweet, anchoring the horror tales with women characters, queer characters, and characters who may be dealing with something supernatural, or crime thriller, but always has underpinings of real life scares that these demographics face every day existing in modern life. Not only did the stories creep me out and get under my skin, they also brought out a lot of emotions that I hadn’t been expecting. I just loved this collection.

1. “Lore Olympus” by Rachel Smythe

“Lore Olympus” Review (Vol. 1)

Of all the books that I read in 2023, there is one that really stands out and one that I have been gushing about to anyone who will listen, and that is “Lore Olympus” (for the purposes of the list I’m just clumping all volumes into one grouping). I have been adoring the story of Persephone and Hades and the Greek Gods and Goddesses around them, as it takes one of my favorite myths and puts it through a modern lens that makes ALL of the characters compelling and interesting. I love the love story. I love the way Smythe has written Hera. I love the humor and the heart and the artwork. I love how it tackles deep topics that tug at the heart strings while also making me laugh out loud. There was no way this wasn’t going to be my number one read of 2023. Just phenomenal.

Serena’s Favorite Reads of 2023: Picks 10-6

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! For me, the word “favorite” is an important part of this list. As I go through the last year’s worth of reading, I often found that some books would strike particular chords within me more deeply than others, even if, quality-wise, another book might be stronger. Of course, this just makes it all that much harder to put them in any order. But here it goes! Today I’m going to countdown my favorites reads, ten to six. And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!”

10. “The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch” by Melinda Taub

“The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet, Witch” Review

Seems like some variation of a Jane Austen book ends up on this Top Ten list every year! It just speaks to the universal appeal of these stories and characters that there continues to be an excellent adaptation year after year, two centuries after their original release! This one was particularly surprising as the author was really playing fast and loose with the original story of “Pride and Prejudice.” Not only does this story follow Lydia, the much disliked youngest daughter of the Bennet family, but it also must make a romantic interest out of one of the most notorious villains of Austen’s cast of characters AND add in an entirely new fantasy element of witchcraft and magic! It’s a lot of balls to juggle all at once, and somehow Taub pulls it off masterfully!

9. “Tress of the Emerald Sea” by Brandon Sanderson

“Tress of the Emerald Sea” Review

Given my “Year of Brandon Sanderson” series that I had running during 2023, it’s only fitting that one of his books makes this list! And while I really liked three out of the four new releases he had this year, “Tress of the Emerald Sea” remained my favorite of the lot. I feel like it was the most well-rounded and complete of the four books and perfectly highlighted all of Sanderson’s strengths as a writer without over-playing any one aspect of his style. There’s adventure, there’s romance, there’s a new world with interesting magic, and there are, of course, some nice nods to longtime Cosmere fans. It’s also a stand-alone story, like the other three secret projects Sanderson released in 2023, which makes it a great starting off point for readers who may not have picked up a book by this author before.

8. “Witch King” by Martha Wells

“Witch King” Review

This is probably my most controversial pick of my Top Ten this year, in that I think this book didn’t hit right for a lot of other readers. I featured this one on one of our “Another Take” posts, and I was surprised to find a lot of middling reviews out there. Many readers seemed to struggle with the fact that one is simply plopped into this world and plot seemingly halfway through the story and must piece things together over the course of the book. This device is often seen in fantasy fiction and, for me, it is one of the elements that draws me to the genre. I like slowly putting together the history and geography of a world; it’s like a puzzle tied up into a book. I also really enjoyed the characters at the heart of this story. “Found family” is a term that I think gets thrown around too often when describing books, but I think in this case it perfectly applies. The book is also laugh-out-loud funny at times and incredibly tragic at others. If you’re willing to wait it out, I think this book has a great payoff for readers willing to play along with Wells’ concept and style.

7. “Thief Liar Lady” by D. L. Soria

“Thief Liar Lady” Review

I’m not quite sure why this book didn’t seem to get the attention it deserved? On paper, it has a lot of things going for it that are mostly still popular. Fairytale re-tellings do seem to be on a bit of a downwards slope (much to my chagrin), but I think there’s still an appetite for them, especially when they’re “twisted” like this one. There’s a solid romance at the heart of the story. There are morally grey characters, including the leading lady! It was also one of those interesting reads where it could be very light and fluffy one moment, and then very dark another. It also tackles the realities of long-running conflicts between groups of people and how there are never easy answers or simple good guys or bad guys. We have people from the wronged country doing terrible things. We have people from the more powerful faction fighting to do what’s right. And vice versa. But beyond these deeper themes, it was also just a well-paced story with a strong romance at its heart, the type of book that always seems to work for me.

6. “The Witchwood Knot” by Olivia Atwater

“The Witchwood Knot” Review

I was lucky enough this year to read many books that would have qualified for this list simply for my having given them 9s or 10s on our rating system. I had to winnow things down quite a bit. But one factor that I always like to take into at least some consideration is whether or not a book is likely to be heard of by the average reader. Some books on this list were massive hits, and I love them as much as the next person (hence their position on the list!), but I also want to draw attention to the authors more quietly pumping out excellent fiction that gets less media attention. Such is this book. Atwater was actually on my Top Ten list last year, so I was incredibly excited to discover that not only did she have a new book coming out this year, but that this one rose back up to the high that was “Half a Soul.” This book is set in the same world, but now takes place in the Victorian period, complete with gothic, haunted house vibes. This book was a bit darker than “Half a Soul” and the other two books in that trilogy, but I think that helped it rise to even higher levels. There was the same humor and vivacity, but also a tinge of horror that made the entire experience feel like it had an increased depth. I also very much enjoyed the main character and the unique love interest. If you’ve enjoyed Atwater’s books in the past, definitely give this one a go!

So that’s ten through six. Next time I will give a countdown of my top five. What have been some of your favorite reads of 2023?

Kate’s Favorite Reads of 2023: Picks 10-6

Another a year, another almost impossible task trying to each choose our Top 10 Reads of the year! Like past years I won’t be including re-reads, sometimes my opinion of a book could change and evolve after I had read it, so some surprises may be up near the top, as well as perhaps a book or two that didn’t make my reviews on here initially due to genre limitations. But here they are, ready for a countdown! And since it’s the end of the reading year, don’t forget to enter our “Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaway”! Today I’m going to countdown my favorite reads, ten to six. 

10. “One Girl in All the World” by Kendare Blake

“One Girl in All the World” Review

I’ve been having something of a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” nostalgia trip the past couple of years, and part of that is due to Kendare Blake’s “In Every Generation” Series, which follows Willow Rosenberg’s daughter Frankie as she trains to become a slayer. “One Girl in All the World” is the second book in the series, and I thoroughly enjoyed continuing the adventure as Frankie and her friends (as well as Mom Willow and Watcher Spike) contend with a growing number of monsters, and a still missing in action Buffy and what that means for all of them. Blake still captures the tone and heart of the original series, and I am still quite enamored not only with her new characters, but her interpretations of the old ones as well (this Spike fan is still swooning). The final book comes out in 2024, and I’m both amped and very nervous.

9. “Lone Women” by Victor LaValle

“Lone Women” Review

It was a bit of time to wait for Victor LaValle’s next horror novel, but man, was it worth it. I will say that I was a bit nervous when I saw that “Lone Women” was going to not only be horror, but also a Western, as that isn’t a genre that I really connect with, but I should never have doubted LaValle’s prowess, because I ended up loving this book. I was completely enthralled by the story of Adelaide as she leaves her life behind (dead parents and a burning down homestead to be exact) with a mysterious trunk and hopes to make it on her own as a solo homesteader, and the community of other women, as well as other dangers, as she tries to start again. And once the question of what was in the trunk was addressed, well…. I loved it even more. This book is tense, hopeful, and beautifully written. Glad to have you back, Mr. LaValle!

8. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Stephen Graham Jones

“Don’t Fear the Reaper” Review

Given that I try not to have repeats of authors on my end of year list, I had to make some tough decisions in regards to whether I chose Stephen Graham Jones’s graphic novel “Earthdivers: Kill Columbus”, or “Don’t Fear the Reaper”, the sequel to his meta horror novel “My Heart is a Chainsaw”. But Jade eeked this one out, as I was once again tickled and moved by her story as she returns to Proofrock after a jail sentence, only to stumble in the night of a serial killer terrorizing the town. Jones is still showing off his knowledge and love for horror movies, all while giving an homage to the art form as well as bringing up social issues that Indigenous people have to face in a racist society, and he continues to do it was aplomb, flair, and genuine frights. The final entry in the trilogy comes out in 2024 and I’m excited but also not ready to say goodbye.

7. “Midnight is the Darkest Hour” by Ashley Winstead

“Midnight is the Darkest Hour” Review

This was a bit of a wild card for me, as I went into it with little knowledge and not really any expectations, and then I ended up absolutely adoring it! “Midnight is the Darkest Hour” is a thriller by way of “Thelma and Louise” if that story had religious trauma, a callout of small town bigotry, and a little bit if vampire lore with a heavy dose of “Twilight” adoration, and man oh man did it work for me. This was my first Ashley Winstead book and I am absolutely going to go back and read more of her work. I love the mysteries of Bottom Springs as two outcasts, Ruth and Everett, hold tight to each other and try to survive in a town that doesn’t understand and flat out hates them, and as they try to hide their own secrets, they discover more. It kept me guessing, it kept my heart racing, and it kept my romantic side just ACHING. What a combination!

6. “Graveyard of Lost Children” by Katrina Monroe

“Graveyard of Lost Children” Review

Stories that involve danger posed towards kids always send an extra chill up my spine, given that I am always anxious about the safety and wellbeing of my child, but in the case of “Graveyard of Lost Children” by Katrina Monroe, a horror tale about new motherhood, postpartum depression and perhaps psychosis, and maybe also a supernatural threat of a black haired woman spectre, I was so enthuse with the story I wasn’t as on edge. At least not in a negative way. I thought that this book about a new mother seeing visions of a malevolent woman perhaps threatening her and her baby’s safety was unnerving, poignant, deeply scary and also at times very emotional. It definitely got under my skin but never in a bad way, and I was hooked and horrified as I read. We’re seeing lots of pregnancy and postpartum horror these days, and “Graveyard of Lost Children” really stood out to me this year.

That’s 10 through 6! On Thursday I will reveal my Top 5 Books of 2023! What books were your favorites this year? Let us know in the comments!

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!

Happy holidays fellow book lovers! And in honor of this time of year when presents  giving is everything, we’re hosting our annual “12 Days of Christmas” Giveaway. But, tricky us, it’s actually two giveaways, each one comprised of six books from our preferred genres. Read on to see what books are included in each prize package and enter for your chance to win! Both giveaways are open to U.S. residents only and end on January 5.

Serena’s Prize Package

“What the River Knows” by Isabel Ibanez (Review)

“The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill” by Rowenna Miller (Review)

“The Foxglove King” by Hannah Whitten (Review)

“The Liar’s Crown” by Abigain Owen (Review)

“Belladonna” by Adalyn Grace (Review)

“The Stardust Thief” by Chelsea Abdullah (Review)

Enter to win!

Kate’s Prize Package

“Beneath the Surface” by Kaira Rouda (Review)

“How To Kill Men and Get Away With It” by Katy Brent (Review)

“The Girl from Rawblood” by Catriona Ward (Review)

“What Never Happened” by Rachel Howzell Hall (Review)

“We Don’t Swim Here” by Vincent Tirado (Review)

“Edenville” by Sam Rebelein (Review)

Enter To Win!

Year of Sanderson: Book Boxes!

This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

“Year of Sanderson” is an on-going, monthly series that will post on the last Friday of each month in which I will cover various Brandon Sanderson-related things. This will largely be comprised of book reviews (some from his back catalog and some from the books being released this year), as well as assorted other topics like reviews of the items in the swag boxes that will be coming out as part of Sanderson’s Kickstarted campaign. Frankly, we’ll just have to see what we get from this series, very much like the Kickstarter itself!

Here we are, at the end of my “Year with Sanderson” review series! In the end, we’ve covered several of his stand-alone works, the popular “Mistborn” trilogy that catapulted him into the public eye, one of his many novellas, and, of course, the four new books that came out this year. So, lastly, I wanted to talk a bit about the monthly boxes that were an option in the Kickstarter campaign that launched it all!

I signed up for the Kickstarter campaign the day it was announced. There was no question that this was definitely for me, and I was excited to get beautiful, special editions of these four new books. That being the case, I initially signed up for the books-only option. This lasted, ohhhh, a day before I was right back on the Kickstarter site changing my pledge to include the monthly boxes that were being offered as well. Initially I was a bit wary as I’ve had poor luck with book box stuff in the past (often a lot of repetitive, low quality items) and I end up just stashing things places and then re-gifting somewhere along the line. And there was also a steep price tag attached to this option. But I figured if there was ever going to be a book box that would hit it out of the park, this would be the one. And, yep, I was right about that!

First of all, here are all four of the new books. Obviously this picture doesn’t do justice to the amazing quality of these editions, but I had to include it anyways. Even if I hadn’t gone the book box route, I would have been extremely pleased just with these books. The spines alone are eye-catching! But I also wanted to include this picture as it highlights one of my favorite items in all of the boxes: a set of “Mistborn” book ends! Each book end had a different character, and they are stylish and eye-catching. This one, featuring Vin, is my favorite of the two, but the set as a whole is very cool. I’ve moved them around on by bookshelf several times to try to best highlight them. I have dark wood bookshelves, unfortunately, so the black sometimes fades into the background. But I finally moved them to a lighter bookshelf, and they look great there, especially this one paired with these editions.

Next I wanted to highlight the very cool character pins that were included in every box, so we ended up with a total of 12. I’m not planning on keeping them in the wrappers for forever or anything, but I don’t currently have a good pin display set up, so this is what we’re left with. There are a few more of the pins in next pictures, but I mostly have them sprinkled around my bookshelves willy nilly. All of my favorite characters ended up with pins, so I have to say, whoever was choosing which characters to feature, they clearly have very good taste! There’s also a nice balance of characters from many different books and series, so I think most fans were happy with the selection.

I really can’t emphasize enough how high quality were the items in this box! Knick knacks these were not! If I didn’t mind this post being miles long, I’d have included them all! In this picture you can see a few of my favorites: the beautiful leather mini backpack, a great bathroom/vanity bag with all sorts of great pockets, the super cute stuffed Soonie pup (I’ve been diligently protecting this one from my kids who both think any stuffed animals that come into our house must automatically be theirs), and a heavy duty bottle opener. Not pictured, a few other things that come to mind was a really awesome wax stamp set (wooden handle, metal stamp, melting wax included), a lovely set of four coasters, some cool magnets, postcards, and even car air fresheners! There was such a wide variety to what was included, and all of it was unique from what you typically find in book boxes.

You can just barely see the second half of the book end set in this picture (and you can see what I meant by the display problems I have with my shelves!). But this picture also includes my favorite pin for my favorite character, Vin from “Mistborn!” There were also these neat “Elantris” band-aids that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get myself to actually use, and a cool display model of Nightblood, the sword so central to “War Breaker.” The sword is metal, not plastic, and is another example of the high quality. Can’t say it enough, I was so impressed with all of these items!

And lastly, it may seem strange to include a picture of one of the boxes itself, but again, the high production value on all of this required this picture. Every box was specially made for this campaign and had quotes that were tied to the general theme of the box. Everything was also packaged perfectly and I didn’t have a singled broken or damaged item in any of my twelve boxes. Honestly, I’m going to start up this next year feeling kind of bereft not having these boxes to look forward to every month! I’m so glad I pulled the trigger and went for it with this part of the Kickstarter campaign. It felt like a truly unique moment in state of fantasy fiction, and I was glad I was along for the entire ride!

Kate’s Review: “Christmas and Other Horrors”

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Book: “Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror” by Ellen Datlow (Ed.)

Publishing Info: Titan Books, October 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Hugo Award winning editor, and horror legend, Ellen Datlow presents a terrifying and chilling horror anthology of original short stories exploring the endless terrors of winter solstice traditions across the globe, featuring chillers by Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu and many more.

The winter solstice is celebrated as a time of joy around the world—yet the long nights also conjure a darker tradition of ghouls, hauntings, and visitations. This anthology of all-new stories invites you to huddle around the fire and revel in the unholy, the dangerous, the horrific aspects of a time when families and friends come together—for better and for worse.

From the eerie Austrian Schnabelperchten to the skeletal Welsh Mari Lwyd, by way of ravenous golems, uncanny neighbors, and unwelcome visitors, Christmas and Other Horrors captures the heart and horror of the festive season.

Because the weather outside is frightful, but the fire inside is hungry…

Review: We are approaching the end of 2023, and with Hanukkah behind me, Christmas next week, and today being the Winter Solstice, my celebrations are in full swing and about halfway through. I honestly love the Solstice, as I love the darkness that comes with it and the promises of slowly unveiling light as Winter moves through. And given that it’s the holiday season of MANY holidays, I thought that showcasing “Christmas and Other Horrors: An Anthology of Solstice Horror”, Ellen Datlow’s newest edited collection, would be the perfect flair for this festive time. So no matter what you are celebrating this time of year, there is probably a horror tale in here for you to be a sinister holiday treat!

Consider it a Solstice season literary tip! (source)

As usual, I will focus on my three favorite stories, and then I will review the entire collection as a whole.

“His Castle” by Alma Katsu: I have always loved seeing videos of the Welsh tradition of the Mari Lwyd, where wassailers go door to door with a ghostly set up of a horse skull, sheet, and hobby horse to see if they will be invited in for drinks and food in exchange for good luck on whom they visit. Therefore I loved that we got a story centered around that tradition, and that it was written by Alma Katsu, who knows how to bring the creepiness factor up to eleven to whatever she thinks up. Trevor an Cate are spending their holiday in an Air BnB in a small town in Wales, when they get locals at their door doing the Mari Lwyd tradition. They invite the men inside, but tensions start to rise as they converse, as Cate believes they may be targets of the men. But Trevor and Cate have secrets of their own. I loved the building suspense of this story, as you get the sense that Katsu is hiding something from the reader, but I also loved the commentary about the way that land has always been used by the wealthy to their own ends, even if it hurts more working class folk, whether it’s through old aristocratic systems, or properties being bought up by corporations to be turned into luxury vacation homes while locals lose out of owning their own land. I also liked the historical twist in this, but that’s all I will say about it.

“Return to Bear Creek Lodge” by Tananarive Due: I have a note to myself that I need to read more Tananarive Due (side note: I have her newest novel “The Reformatory” on my stack, so look for a review for that in January!), and “Return to Bear Creek Lodge” just continues to emphasize that goal while helping meet it. Her writing style is so evocative and really brings out all the emotional punches as you read. Johnny and his Mom are going to Bear Creek Lodge to see his dying Grandmother for one last Christmas, though Johnny’s last interaction with his Grandmother left him scarred and traumatized. As Johnny comes to terms with the impending loss and what it means, he also starts seeing a creature that seems otherworldly and dangerous, and finds out that he’s not the only one who has encountered this weird beast. This story is weird and alarming, while also having a lot of pathos and insight into generational trauma, the complexities of family dynamics, and the way that racism can damage a person and how that damage transfers down the line. Due mentioned in her author’s note that this story may be expanded upon by her later, and I would absolutely love to read more about Bear Creek Lodge and the monster that seems to live nearby.

“Gravé of Small Bird” by Kaaron Warren: I think this was my favorite story in the collection, as it was so strange and so eerie and felt like “The Wicker Man” meets “The Menu”. Because what a combination! Jackie is a former reality TV cooking show competitor, who made the final two but lost the competition, which led to an outburst that solidified her reputation for being an asshole. When she’s invited to cook for a Twelve Feast Days of Christmas Festival on a remote island steeped in old Christmas and Pagan traditions, she accepts. There she finds out about an ancient tomb that lines up with the solstice sunrise, a tradition involving birds and bones, and a contest in which a woman is chosen to be the Beauty who is supposed to lead the island to a light filled future. Jackie wants to be the Beauty, no matter what, and will do anything to win. This story is so creepy and strange, but I loved the use of vague Pagan rituals, appropriated rites taken by Christians, and all of the descriptions of the amazing and decadent foods, with a menu tradition that possibly inspired “The Twelve Days of Christmas”.

As a whole, this collection was a mixed bag, at least in terms of my thoughts about it. Beyond the three I highlighted there were a couple other strong stories (“Our Recent Unpleasantness” by Stephen Graham Jones and “The Lord of Misrule” by M. Rickert were also very well done), a few that were pretty okay, and a few that just didn’t work for me. I really enjoyed how this collection does touch on SO MANY holidays that occur around the end of the year, or focused on some of the Pagan origins and folklore behind modern traditions, but there were also some stories that felt like they had greater themes in mind and just tacked on the Solstice and holiday aspects in ways that didn’t quite fit. The good news is that it is varied enough as a collection and a fun enough hook that it’s going to be a timely seasonal read regardless.

“Christmas and Other Horrors” is a fun horror anthology to read during this Solstice and holiday season. Cuddle up after your holiday gatherings with this book, horror fans. It’s bound to be a seasonal classic.

Rating 7: There were some that really stood out, some that were fine, and others that didn’t quite click for me, but “Christmas and Other Horrors” is a great seasonal read for the Winter Solstice and all the holidays that occur in its periphery.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Christmas and Other Horrors” isn’t included on any Goodreads lists as of now, but it would certainly fit in on “Holiday Horror Books”.

Serena’s Review: “The Dragons of Deepwood Fen”

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Book: “The Dragons of Deepwood Fen” by Bradly P/ Beaulieu

Publishing Info: DAW, December 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Lorelei Aurelius is the smartest inquisitor in the mountain city of Ancris. When a mysterious tip leads her to a clandestine meeting between the Church and the hated Red Knives, she uncovers a plot that threatens not only her home but the empire itself.

The trail leads her to Rylan Holbrooke, a notorious thief posing as a dragon singer. Rylan came to Ancris to solve the very same mystery she stumbled onto. Knowing his incarceration could lead to the Red Knives’ achieving their goals, Lorelei makes a fateful she frees him.

Now branded as traitors, the two flee the city on dragonback. In the massive forest known as the Holt, they discover something terrible. The Red Knives are planning to awaken a powerful demigod in the holiest shrine in Ancris, and for some reason the Church is willing to allow it. It forces their return to Ancris, where the unlikely allies must rally the very people who’ve vowed to capture them before it’s too late.

Explore the mountain city of Ancris, where fast-paced adventure and intrigue abound. in this new offering from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series.

Review: I know many of you may be wondering by now why I haven’t reviewed “Fourth Wing” on the blog yet. On paper, it should be right up my alley! Well, it might surprise some of you, but I don’t love writing super negative reviews for books that others seem to love! That said, I do think there’s something very curious about the ridiculous surge in popularity that that book specifically seemed to inspire (at best, I think it was a fairly generic example of a whole bunch of fantasy/romantasy books that already existed and didn’t get nearly the same reception); it tickles my conspiratorial side, let’s say. But the one very positive thing I can say for sure is that hopefully “Fourth Wing’s” popularity will bring another resurgence of dragons in fantasy fiction. I’m sure this book was well on its way to production before “Fourth Wing” even dropped, but I hope it’s just the tip of the spear as far as a trend goes.

While I had a few quibbles about pacing and such, there was still a lot to like about this book and I do think there is a solid fan base out there who will really love this one. Namely, fans of sprawling, epic fantasy. The world-building is front and center in this one, a fact that is hinted at early on by the inclusion of a two-page spread map. I love maps in books, and this one was not only interesting, but necessary to understanding the geography of the world we were exploring. This also very much feels like classic fantasy fiction, in that the reader is simply plopped down into the story with very little explanation regarding how it all works. I love this style of writing, as I’m happy to go along with a book as it slowly reveals its secrets. However, it’s something be aware of for readers who enjoy more explanation up front.

I also enjoyed the dragons, especially the fact that they were given distinctive personalities, allowing them to function more fully as characters on their own. I also enjoy this sort of dragon rider story where there is a specific bond between the riders and the dragons. Again, like “Fourth Wing,” but, you know, with actually skilled writing. I also really enjoyed the magic system at the heart of this novel. This world has two suns, each emitting different rays of magic that are then soaked up by the dragons’ scales. I also enjoyed the fact that we got to follow a scientist of this world who was studying how these magical elements affected the landscape and the world. I always love it when fantasy books include scholarly pursuits into their world-building, and it worked very well with this book.

That said, this book was definitely a slower read for me. While the reader is plunked right down into the world and into the middle of the characters’ stories, the pacing was still on the slower side. It’s also well-established at this point that I personally struggle with large casts of POV, and this book serves as a good example of why I think this choice can often have a negative effect on the pacing of the story. There’s so much jumping around from one character to the next that the reader is never given a chance to really settle into any one storyline. Instead, as one character’s story seems to be building towards something, the book switches to another POV, cutting the legs out from under any build-up in the pace of the book, forcing the reader to start all over again.

However, overall, I did enjoy this book. The world-building especially felt intricate and well thought out. I enjoyed learning about how the magic system was built into the way this society developed, and, of course, I’m a sucker for fantasy novels that delve into the politics of the various peoples of a new world. For readers who enjoy dragons but who also want world-building that actually makes sense *side-eyes “Fourth Wing” real hard*, definitely check this one out! That said, this is definitely a slower book, so readers should go in with that expectation.

Rating 8: A creative magic system and dragons galore, this is a great choice for readers looking to re-capture that “classic fantasy” feeling.

Reader’s Advisory:

“The Dragons of Deepwood Fen” isn’t on any Goodreads lists but it should be on Myths & Mythological Creature Books.

Kate’s Review: “Out There Screaming”

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Book: “Out There Screaming: A New Anthology of Black Horror” by Jordan Peele (Ed.)

Publishing Info: Random House, October 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an eARC from NetGalley.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: The visionary writer and director of Get Out, Us, and Nope, and founder of Monkeypaw Productions, curates this groundbreaking anthology of all-new stories of Black horror, exploring not only the terrors of the supernatural but the chilling reality of injustice that haunts our nation.

A cop begins seeing huge, blinking eyes where the headlights of cars should be that tell him who to pull over. Two freedom riders take a bus ride that leaves them stranded on a lonely road in Alabama where several unsettling somethings await them. A young girl dives into the depths of the Earth in search of the demon that killed her parents. These are just a few of the worlds of Out There Screaming, Jordan Peele’s anthology of all-new horror stories by Black writers. Featuring an introduction by Peele and an all-star roster of beloved writers and new voices, Out There Screaming is a master class in horror, and—like his spine-chilling films—its stories prey on everything we think we know about our world . . . and redefine what it means to be afraid.

Featuring stories by: Erin E. Adams, Violet Allen, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Maurice Broaddus, Chesya Burke, P. Djèlí Clark, Ezra Claytan Daniels, Tananarive Due, Nalo Hopkinson, N. K. Jemisin, Justin C. Key, L. D. Lewis, Nnedi Okorafor, Tochi Onyebuchi, Rebecca Roanhorse, Nicole D. Sconiers, Rion Amilcar Scott, Terence Taylor, and Cadwell Turnbull.

Review: Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this novel!

There is no disputing that Jordan Peele is a super important and super talented voice in horror as a whole right now. Whether it’s his films that are making waves, or his dabbling in TV, or his work in podcasts, Peele is very much a huge influence, and rightfully so. And now horror literature is being brought into that, as Peele is the editor for “Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror”, in which he picked authors and stories to bring together for a short stories collection. I was pretty thrilled to see that this was available on NetGalley, and I added it to the slew of short stories collections I read for th past year (it really was a short story collection heavy year for me!). And once I started, it was hard to stop.

“Eye & Tooth” by Rebecca Roanhorse: Serena has reveiwed some of Rebecca Roanhorse’s fantasy titles on here (though we both did “Black Sun” for Book Club), but hey look she does horror too! I actually knew this because she also had a story in “Never Whistle At Night”, but “Eye & Tooth” really stood out to me. Atticus and Zelda are siblings who work as ghost hunters/busters/cleaners of bad energies, and are called to a remote house in Texas by an elderly woman. She says she has a monster problem in her fields. Zelda and Atticus think they can help, but the woman is keeping something from them. I really liked this creature feature story, whether it was the creepiness of the cornfields, the sibling relationship between a psychic brother and a not as clearly gifted sister, or the big twist that was surprising but also a little heartfelt in a way? It was just a really fun tale.

“The Rider” by Tananarive Due: I am ashamed to say that I hadn’t read anything by Tananarive Due until I read this short story, and boy oh boy am I going to rectify that post haste because I think this was my favorite in the collection. During Freedom Summer two sisters are traveling as Freedom Riders to help fight for voting rights and against the Jim Crow South. While traveling on a bus in a remote area, they and the driver are waylaid by a mysterious entity in the middle of the road. Due builds the tension in this perfectly, not just of the thing in the road that upturns the bus ride, but also the tension of being two Black Freedom Riders in the Deep South, as it was a very dangerous position to be in. I was on the edge of my seat until I turned the last page. Just fantastic.

“Dark Home” by Nnedi Okorafor: I’ve read some Okorafor in the past and enjoyed her work immensely, so I was very excited to see what she was going to bring to this anthology and was not disappointed. A Nigerian-American woman returns to her hometown after her father, a beloved member of the community, passes away. During a traditional ritual, she decides to pocket an item to remember him by, which is against tradition. When she returns home, strange things start happening. I really loved this one as it combines dark fantasy and horror elements with aspects of Igbo culture, and creates an unsettling story about traditions, grief, and things that haunt us.

And honestly, the collection as a whole was pretty good! I really loved these three stories, and there were a few that very well could have been in my top three as well (special shout out to “Lasirèn”; I love a scary siren story) because they were so good. There were a few that didn’t work for me as well, whether because of pacing issues or the fact that they veered more towards Science Fiction themes, which only works for me in VERY specific settings. But there are so many voices here with so many perspectives, and so many sub genres to choose from, that any horror fan will probably be right at home while also exploring voices they haven’t had as much experience with. And as mentioned above, the scary things in this collection are not limited to the supernatural; there are lots of real life horrors like racism, classism, misogyny, and the realities of living in the United States as a Black person, both past and present.

It’s really been a year of short stories collections for me, and “Out There Screaming” is one of the last ones of 2023 and it was a great one to almost end on! I hope that Jordan Peele keeps curating anthologies like this, because he has a knack for it. And I hope that we get to see more from some of these authors very soon.

Rating 8: A varied and well rounded collection of horror stories from Black voices and perspectives, “Out There Screaming” is a must read for horror fans.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Out There Screaming” is included on the Goodreads list “Horror to Look Forward to in 2023”.

Not Just Books: December 2023

While we do love us some books, believe it not, we do have a life outside of reading. So to highlight our other pop culture interests, on the last Monday of each month, we each will highlight three other “happenings” from the last month. Big events on favorite TV shows, new movies we’ve watched, old movies we’ve “discovered,” etc. Pretty much whatever we found of particular interest outside of the book world during the last month. Share your own favorite things in the comments!

Serena’s Picks

TV Show: “Fringe”

My mom and sister were visiting over Thanksgiving and the week following, and, of course, we decided that that was a prime time to start an entire new TV series! Just watch a movie? No, we needed something that was seasons long! My sister had already watched it, but somehow my mom and I had never seen it. Kind of surprising given how we all loved “X-Files” and “Supernatural.” So, of course, it was no surprise that we both really enjoyed it! I haven’t finished the entire thing, but I’m into season 3 and things are so crazy and great! Hard to imagine how everything will get wrapped up, but I guess we have a few more seasons to unravel mysteries of the world…worlds…whatever.

Board Game: “Hogwarts Battle”

I love complicated board games, and luckily for me, the rest of my family agrees! Something that I think my sister took into consideration when she got me this game as an early Christmas present. So, when we weren’t watching “Fringe,” we were all playing this co-op deck-building game. And it was a blast! I loved all of the attention to detail with the character cards, villains, and various spells and artifacts that you can collect as you build up your deck. And it becomes quite complicated fairly quickly, to the point where it takes sometimes upwards of two hours to complete one of the seven levels (the early ones go more quickly). It can be played with two people, but I think it improves when you have the upwards limit of four. So I’m pretty sure this will be a staple for future family visits as well.

Kate’s Picks

TV Show: “Dark Side of the Ring”

My husband is the one who introduced me to the over the top dramatics of pro wrestling, as he used to love the sport (perhaps ‘performance art’ is a better phrase) and still has a nostalgic enjoyment of it. I enjoy it too, but also find a lot of the aspects about it tragic. So I really fixated on “Dark Side of the Ring”, a documentary series about the various tragedies and scandals that have plagued the wrestling industry and community over the years. Told with interviews from people who were there as well as news and wrestling clips from the time of each story, we get a deep dive into some pretty dark stuff, as well as a dissection of how the wrestling culture could have contributed. Some stories I was familiar with (Owen Hart’s tragic death due to a stunt gone wrong, the horrific story of Chris Benoit murdering his wife Nancy and son Daniel), but there were others that I had never heard of, and really affected me (such as that of Luna Vachon, a very talented woman wrestler who was plagued by mental illness and the horrible misogyny towards women wrestlers during her heyday). It’s a well done and very sad series, and just solidifies my opinion that Vince McMahon is a monster.

Film: “Insidious: The Red Door”

When I realized that “Insidious” came out thirteen years ago, I first had to reflect on the fact that it has, in fact, been that long. I came to this realization when I saw trailers for “Insidious: The Red Door”, which picks up ten years after the events of the first two films. Terror Tuesday finally sat down to watch it, and while I was apprehensive revisiting the story after it had been so long since this particular storyline, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! After nearly becoming victims to a demonic entity after they dabbled in astral projection abilities, father and son Josh and Dalton had their memories suppressed for their own safety. But now ten years later, Josh and Dalton have a strained relationship as Dalton heads off to college. While at school Dalton has his subconscious unlocked, and starts to have scattered memories and visions of his astral projecting abilities, and father and son will have to team up one more time to put the demons away once and for all. This movie is not only filled with really scary moments, it also is a really bittersweet examination of father/son relationships and generational trauma.

Joint Pick

Netflix Series: “Escaping Twin Flames”

We have this fun ongoing hangout session where we get together and watch cult documentaries over wine and snacks, undoubtedly being horrified as well as enthralled by the stories of high control groups, the people who leave, and the damage that is done. Our newest watch was “Escaping Twin Flames”, a docuseries about a social media based cult that is built upon the promise of matchmaking and leading its members to their true love, or ‘Twin Flame’ as they call it, while also teaching them self improvement courses and strategies. As you can probably imagine, it is not only a big multi-level marketing scam, it is also INCREDIBLY abusive, coercing members into obedience and control in absolutely mind boggling ways. We both sat their watching this series with our jaws on the floor, yelling “OH MY GOD” over and over again. Which is how you know it’s a good cult documentary. When we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it got worse. Super disturbing, but also super interesting to the two of us!