Tag: 8 Rating

Serena’s Review: “Full Speed to a Crash Landing”

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Book: “Full Speed to a Crash Landing” by Beth Revis

Publishing Info: DAW, August 2024

Where Did I Get this Book:

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

Book Description: Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they are not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care—all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet, sweet oxygen—until Rian White, the government agent in charge, starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong—but he’s so pretty that Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her—at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off. But as quick as Ada is, Rian might be quicker—and she may not be entirely sure who’s manipulating who until it’s too late…

Review: I’ve had a bit of a mixed reading experience with this author’s books. I read her YA science fiction novel, “Across the Universe,” years ago and really struggled with it. But then, more recently, I absolutely loved “Night of the Witch,” which Revis wrote collaboratively with another author. Given the strength of my more recent experience, I’d been eying this upcoming novella for a bit before the publisher reached out about potential coverage, and I was decided!

And I’m happy to report that the positive trajectory continues, and I very much enjoyed this short, science fiction romp of a ride! The story is told in the first person which places a lot of pressure on the strength of the narrator to carry the story. And Ada was well up to the task! At first, she had the potentially of falling into the trap of “snark machine” without much substance to back it up. But as the story continued, it became clear that Ada was not a super reliable narrator, leaving the reader to the enjoyable task of attempting to piece together what was really going on as the story progressed. I also enjoyed the presentation of the other crew members, as seen through Ada’s eyes. Again, the use of first person was very successful in presenting these characters through a limited character’s view point, with Ada’s first impressions needing adjustment as she comes to better understand those around her.

I also really enjoyed the plot and action of the story. This is a novella, so there’s a lot to crunch into a fairly small page count. Not only do you have the romantic elements (more on that later), but there was entire adventure to get through, with numerous high stakes scenes. The book starts off in the middle of one of these tense moments, with Ada stranded in her broken down ship with only minutes-worth of air left. And from there, the story quickly bounces into even higher stakes as the salvage crew gets to work. With such high stakes and so much fact-paced plotting, it was sometimes easy to miss the more detailed world-building that went into the story. But whenever I came up for air, I would look back a realize just how fully fleshed out this universe, and the life of a salvager like Ada, felt.

I also, overall, liked the beginnings of the romance, though I will say that this was perhaps one of the weaker elements of the story. While Revis does show much restraint in only marginally moving this “relationship” forward (this is all that would make any sense given the fact that the entire book takes place over a few days’ time), it still felt like a bit too much at times, too close to insta-lust. But I was so well-satisfied with the fact that the envelope wasn’t pushed too far on this point, and the fact that the next book is coming out in a few months’ time, to complain too much.

The only thing that really stood out was the manner in which the book wrapped up. After the primary action is concluded, and Ada is off on her next adventure, the book concludes with several pages’ worth of epistolary material, mostly Rian’s reports on the events of the book and various messages he sends piecing together more information on Ada itself. While all of this information was interesting and crucial to enlightening Rian (and the reader) to some of the details of Ada’s life and plan, it did read as rather clunky and tacked on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I blew through it in a single sit-down and am anxious to get to the next book! Readers of adventure science fiction (and those patiently waiting for more romantic science fiction to come out and catch up to the romantasy boom!) should definitely check this one out.

Rating 8: Jam-packed with adventure and intrigue, with a healthy dose of romance sprinkled on top, I can’t wait to jet off on Ada’s next high stakes adventure!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Full Speed to a Crash Landing” can be found on this Goodreads list: [ATY 2025] Science Fiction or Fantasy by a Woman

Serena’s Review: “Lady Macbeth”

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Book: “Lady Macbeth” by Ava Reid

Publishing Info: Del Rey, August 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

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

Book Description: The Lady knows the stories: how her eyes induce madness in men. 

The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed.  

The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive. 

But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armor. She does not know that her magic is greater and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world. 

She does not know this yet. But she will.

Review: Ava Reid has solidified herself as a “must read” author for me over the last few years. Her books are sometimes a tough read, subject-matter-wise, but her writing is so compelling that I always end up compulsively reading her books late into the night, regardless of my current state of horror. But I would have been interested in this one regardless of its author, since it sounds like nothing I’ve read before, offering up a new take on Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” but told from the perspective of his conniving, powerful wife.

Right from the start, my main attraction to Ava Reid’s books was first and foremost: she’s just compulsively readable for me. Something about her style always draws me in so fully. The pacing and plotting is tight, but the story is spun in a way that feels lyrical and moving. The inherent beauty to her prose almost makes some of her more disturbing content moments all the more striking, and that was fully featured here. This Lady Macbeth is a young woman forced into marriage by her manipulative father. As such, much of the book is focused on the power discrepancies between women and men, fathers and daughters, and wives and husbands. The latter, of course, deals heavily with sexual violence with marriages, and readers should be aware going in that this theme is heavily and directly explored. I think it was well done, all told, but it’s definitely disturbing, as the story doesn’t shy away from the realities of Lady Macbeth’s situation.

I will say, however, that there were a few moments throughout where I felt like some of this focus on this one topic became a bit too much and unnecessary. Reid often writes about these hard topics in her books, and while I think she has a steady hand overall, I had a similar criticism in “Juniper and Thorn” where it felt at times over-down and a bit hyper-fixated. So, too, here.

Speaking of our main character, I think readers’ mileage will vary with this version of the Lady Macbeth. If you’re a massive fan of the original play, you may struggle with this story more than others. I enjoyed the original, but was unbothered by the changes made to the character here. This Lady Macbeth is a much younger woman and one of the primary arcs of the story is her slow (very slow, and coming in fits and starts at that) growth towards embracing her own power and throwing off the shackles placed upon her. This is a far throw from the original character who, throughout much of the play, seems to be the real power and mind behind Macbeth himself.

However, the change to the main character was probably one of the lesser changes to the entire story. I don’t want to get into spoilers, but this book definitely includes massive changes to the original, including the addition of a major fantasy element beyond Lady Macbeth’s own abilities. There was an added love interest included (and I very much enjoyed this love story, though it was definitely a subplot to the whole), but I think the changes made to the Three Witches and the role they play in this world was the most striking and effective.

Tonally, this story is dark and grim. If I had to identify my primary emotion while reading this book it would probably be dread. Like Lady Macbeth, the reader is drawn into a near-constant state of tension and fear. It’s incredibly effective, and if it weren’t for the strength of Reid’s writing, could easily exhaust the reader.

As it stands, I think this was an incredibly unique re-telling of “Macbeth,” re-focusing the story on the women that surrounded him and the limitations placed on them by fact of their sex. Readers who have enjoyed Reid’s work in the past will likely enjoy this one. Though more sensitive readers should be aware of its dark themes and scenes.

Rating 8: Exploring themes of women’s power, Reid takes the classic tale of “Macbeth” and turns it on its head!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lady Macbeth” isn’t on any interesting Goodreads lists, but it should be on Shakespeare Retellings.

Kate’s Review: “Scanlines”

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Book: “Scanlines” by Todd Keisling

Publishing Info: Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, May 2021

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

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

Book Description: In 1987, Congressman Benjamin Hardy III died by suicide on live television amidst accusations of political corruption. Years later, rumors of a recording surfaced among VHS trading groups and urban legend chat rooms. Dubbed the “Duncan Tape,” after the deceased cameraman who attempted to sell the video, the rumors allege that anyone who watches the tape is driven to suicide.

Or so the story goes. In truth, no one has ever seen the supposed Duncan Tape, presumably because it doesn’t exist. It’s a ghost story perpetuated on the forums and chat rooms of the internet, another handful of bytes scattered across the Information Superhighway at blistering 56K modem speeds.

For Robby and his friends, an urban legend is the last thing on their minds when a boring Friday night presents a chance to download porn. But the short clip they watch turns out to be something far more graphic and disturbing, and in the coming days, they’ll learn even the most outlandish urban legends possess a shred of truth…

Review: Every once in awhile I decide that I need to do a bit of a ‘Spring cleaning’ on my Kindle, in that I look back at books that I purchased on a whim and then never actually read. It’s such a bad habit of mine, and it’s even worse on the Kindle because since it’s digital I never actually have a physical space that is taken up by said purchase. So a couple weeks ago I was looking at my purchases, and decided it was time to pick a book to read. I opted to go with “Scanlines” by Todd Keisling, in part because it was a novella and therefore a quicker read, but also because I remembered that a lot of horror influencers had raved about it, which led to me purchasing it. I settled in one evening, knowing I would no doubt finish it in one sitting, but I wasn’t really prepared for what I found. But that’s a compliment.

“Scanlines” is a mix of a cursed media horror story with a coming of age tale, short and brutal while also having a certain nostalgic edge to it. We follow Robby, a teenager living in the 1990s in an age of dial up Internet and a lingering naïveté about the world wide web. When Robby and his friends stumble upon the notorious “Duncan Tape”, a video of a U.S. Congressman killing himself on camera and becoming stuff of urban legend (as anyone who watches it will supposedly kill themself), their lives are sent into a tailspin. This alone is already great, I love a cursed media story as it is. But “Scanlines” is incredibly clever in that it takes Internet urban legends, the violence that was so Wild West at the time (Rotten.com anyone?), and the very real suicide video of U.S. Congressman R. Budd Dwyer, and creates something deeply unsettling. And graphic. I mean the cover alone! We watch as these teenagers start to see a dead man everywhere, haunting their every step, and their desperation to solve what he could possibly want as his image follows their every move and makes them more and more desperate. The descriptions of the video, the descriptions of the twisted face, the way that these kids just unravel, it’s all so messed up and scary, and Keisling fits it all into a novella’s length without it feeling lacking or rushed. The scares are tight and relentless, and the imagery got under my skin very effectively.

But what really caught my attention with this novella is how it really captures the nostalgia of the time period. I was a teenager in the late 90s into the early 2000s, and while my Internet connection at home was pretty sparse (AOL hooked up through the home phone for awhile, then we eventually got a separate line but it was still pretty minimal), I do remember stumbling upon things that scandalized me (not the Dwyer tape thank goodness), and how it all felt so novel and like uncharted territory. Keisling has a great author’s note to go along with this book talking about how this story took some inspiration from something that did actually happen to him and his friends back in the day, and that exploration of the friendships between Robby and his friend group and the ways that dynamic functioned and changed after experiencing a shared trauma added a whole other layer to this story, pulling out some nostalgic aspects of teenage friendships as they shift and evolve, especially when life changing things happen. I found it to be moving in spite of the pretty visceral violent moments in this book. It’s a very fascination dichotomy in tone, and I thought it worked really well.

“Scanlines” was an effective horror novella that I shouldn’t have sat on for so long. I will absolutely seen to check out more from work Todd Keisling.

Rating 8: Short and nasty but also a meditative coming of age tale, “Scanlines” is a rough ride, but one that I found myself oddly moved by in a way.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Scanlines” is included on the Goodreads list “Cursed Media”.

Serena’s Review: “Ghostsmith”

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Book: “Ghostsmith” by Nicki Pau Preto

Publishing Info: Margaret K. McElderry Books, August 2024

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

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

Book Description: In this action-packed finale to the House of the Dead Duology, Wren and her friends put everything they know to the test as they battle the living and the undead to save their world.

Wren is still reeling from the revelation that the mother she thought was dead is actually the Corpse Queen, a ghostsmith with the terrifying power to control the undead. It was Wren’s own mother who created the iron revenants—an army of near unbeatable undead soldiers. When the iron revenants attack, no one in the Dominions will have the strength to stand in their way.

Now Wren, Leo, and Julian find themselves once more in the Breach, this time on the run from Wren’s father, who is determined to secure more power for himself and the House of Bone. The three are desperate to stop the upcoming war, but working together is easier said than done with Julian still furious about Wren double-crossing him. And to make matters worse, Wren is plagued by powerful new abilities that force her to reassess everything she knows about being a bonesmith.

When Wren’s long-lost twin brother shows up and vows to help her destroy the well of magic that feeds the iron revenants, she must decide if trusting him is worth potentially playing right into their mother’s hands.

After all, the dead might be dangerous, but it’s the living who can betray you.

Previously Reviewed: “Bonesmith”

Review: I remember picking up “Bonesmith” last summer with some trepidation. I was mostly reading it because it was an upcoming selection in a book box I subscribe to and wanted to decide whether or not to skip it, as I’d read a book by this author before and not been overly impressed. Well, more fool me, I absolutely loved the first entry in this duology! It had a unique fantasy world, a badass leading character, and a well-paced enemies-to-lovers romance. It also ended on not necessarily a cliffhanger, per see, but with a few major reveals and betrayals shaking things up. So, let’s find out how well the story was wrapped up here in the second book!

For the most part, I think this was an incredibly successful conclusion to the story. I had a few niggling qualms here or there, but, overall, the story came together nicely. While the first book did a lot of the heavy lifting with regards to introducing this world and its magic, with the (re)introduction of ghost smiths and ghost magic in the latter half of that story, this book still had a lot of new territory to cover. In particular, I was impressed by how carefully many of the reveals were used throughout the book. As the plot progresses, little bits of lore are dropped in here and there, steadily fleshing out the history and culture of the lost ghost smiths until, by the end, the climax revolves fully around this history and the uses of this style of magic. For the large amount of new information that was necessary to build this ending, I was impressed by how organically this knowledge was fed to the reader. There were no clunky info-dumping sections or dialogue that was obviously just there as exposition. It was very skillfully done.

I also enjoyed the continuation of the darker tone of this duology. There is humor to be found in Wren’s dialogue and inner commentary, but much of the plot is quite serious and dealing with fairly gruesome magic. In this book, this was balanced out by an increased depth of emotion found in the relationships on the page. Not only is there the romance between Wren and Julian, challenged by the betrayals and reveals from the previous book, but the story also tackles many different familial ties as well. Wren’s entire family history is one big knot of tragedy and abuse, but by the middle point of this story, it almost feels like she got the easy side of things! Instead, her newly found brother’s past is littered with even more tragedy and disfunction than Wren herself endured. While Wren’s life was ruled by a distant father figure, her brother has dealt with the abuse found at the hands of a manipulative and selfish mother. We also see their sibling bond explored as the story progresses, adding an interesting new dynamic to Wren’s approach to the problems before her.

I continued to love Wren as a main character, and her growth in this book felt natural and interesting. Her arc was one of coming to turns with her own magic, as well as with the family history that she is only know beginning to understand. However, throughout it all, she maintained her snappy attitude and “barge right through it” mentality to problem solving.

That said, my main point of struggle came down to the other character perspectives, specifically Leo’s and, new to this book, Inara’s. Now, there was nothing actually wrong with either of these character’s stories. And, in fact, I’d say that I really enjoyed Inara as a new voice in the book. But it did feel as if both characters’ stories were simply there to provide a window into action scenes that were taking place in different parts of the world and didn’t serve any actual character purpose on their own. Leo, especially, could have been almost lifted from this entire book with no one the wiser.

I also felt that we had too little time spent between Wren and Julian. On one hand, I understand this, as this book’s driving relationship was much more focused on Wren and her brother. And that story was fantastic! That said, I still felt as if there were only a brief few scenes where these two really even interacted. It was great stuff when they did, but I still wanted more. Perhaps a better balance between some of Leo’s more unnecessary chapters and these scenes between Wren and Julian would have helped round out the story better.

That said, I found this book to be an epic conclusion to the duology! The climax of the story, in particular, was action-packed and thrilling. The story may have suffered a bit from “Return of the King”-style multiple endings by the very finish, but, as I still wanted all of those scenes, I’m not sure what I would have done differently there. If you enjoyed the first book, you can rest assured that the conclusion is well-earned and satisfying!

Rating 8: Bone-chilling at times and full of heart at others, this duology has it all!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Ghostsmith” can be found on this Goodreads list: YA Novels of 2024

Kate’s Review: “House of Bone and Rain”

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Book: “House of Bone and Rain” by Gabino Iglesias

Publishing Info: Mulholland Books, August 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher.

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

Book Description: In the latest from Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, a group of five teenage boys, living in Puerto Rico, seek vengeance after one of their mothers is murdered; a doomed tale of devotion and the afterlife of violence.

For childhood friends Gabe, Xavier, Tavo, Paul, and Bimbo, death has always been close. Hurricanes. Car accidents. Gang violence. Suicide. Estamos rodeados de fantasmas was Gabe’s grandmother’s refrain. We are surrounded by ghosts. But this time is different. Bimbo’s mom has been shot dead. We’re gonna kill the guys who killed her Bimbo swears. And they all agree.

Feral with grief, Bimbo has become unrecognizable, taking no prisoners in his search for names. Soon, they learn Maria was gunned down by guys working for the drug kingpin of Puerto Rico. No one has ever gone up against him and survived. As the boys strategize, a storm gathers far from the coast. Hurricanes are known to carry evil spirits in their currents and bring them ashore, spirits which impose their own order.

Blurring the boundaries between myth, mysticism, and the grim realities of our world, House of Bone and Rain is a harrowing coming of age story; a doomed tale of devotion, the afterlife of violence, and what rolls in on the tide.

Review: Thank you to Mulholland Books and Hachette for sending me an ARC of this novel! Special thanks even, as they were super kind to send me an ARC after I had missed out on getting one at ALA, and took down my information once I told the reps at the booth how much I was looking forward to this book. It was a very kind gesture and it was a lovely book mail arrival!

I know by now that if I am going to read a book by Gabino Iglesias, it’s going to be a rough go with lots of visceral violence, dark themes, and yet a gorgeous lyrical journey to boot. It stands to reason, then, that “House of Bone and Rain” was a tip top priority on my list, even if it was going to no doubt really kick me in the teeth, emotionally. But I have really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Iglesias, and because of that I knew that his newest horror novel needed to be a priority, even if it was a bit unclear what the horror components, at least the supernatural ones were going to be. But ultimately, I shouldn’t have been surprised that while the supernatural ones were grand and well done, it was the real life ones that would REALLY cut to the bone.

I don’t really want to spoil the horror aspects of this book, as there is a reason it is kept a bit close to the vest in the description. Iglesias packs a wallop of a punch with the reveal, and it made me go ‘wait…. what?!’, but in the best way possible. I will say that some of the ins and outs of it felt a bit Cosmic-y, with an impending storm surge churning up something otherworldly, and while it’s not full on Cthulhu or Old Gods in its execution, the largeness and inevitability of it was really heavy throughout the narrative. Which is a lovely theme in tandem to a monster storm that is about to bear down on an island like Maria did. Some of the descriptions of the big reveal were very creepy, and I loved how it was presented and how it fit in with both the hurricane as well as the threats that Gabe, Bimbo, Xavier, Tavo, and Paul are all dealing with in the wake of Bimbo’s mother’s murder. The violence is supernatural and all too real, and it makes the horror beats feel all the more unnerving as the story goes on.

But horror elements aside, this book reads just as well as a drug kingpin thriller with real world tragedies and horrors at the heart. Gabe, Bimbo, Xavier, Tavo, and Paul are best friends brought together by their shared experience of living a difficult life in Puerto Rico, where the ghosts of colonialism have led to lots of corruption, wealth disparities, and lots of experiences with violence, even before Bimbo’s mother’s death. As Bimbo and his friends are driven by vengeance, and as Hurricane Maria is about to barrel down on the island and cause mass devastation on top of that, our characters are pulling together in the face of terrible odds, and for a sense of a need for justice that they won’t be able to achieve due to their circumstances and the systemic disparities they are living within. I was on the edge of my seat watching them all make these decisions, because while I KNEW that these were sometimes TERRIBLE decisions, I felt like Iglesias perfectly captured why they were doing these things because I understood the realities they they were living, and how it shapes each of them. Bimbo is especially a complicated and intriguing character, because while his mission to take out a VIOLENT DRUG KINGPIN with no real plan, and putting his friends in severe danger (and not being super forthcoming in some ways but that is all I will say) was absolutely CRAZY to me… but I also know that the grief and the loss meant that he had nothing to lose, and I couldn’t really fault him to a point. Iglesias is the kind of author who shows a huge picture of complex characters and dire circumstances, and you generally know that happy endings in his tales are hard to come by, but they are still great reads because he pulls out such emotion and poignancy with the bleakness. The repeated phrase in this book, ‘all stories are ghost stories’, is especially moving as we see their reality laid out bare.

“House of Bone and Rain” didn’t disappoint! Gabino Iglesias has created another unrelenting horror thriller that got under my skin, and surprised me in a lot of ways.

Rating 8: A merciless, creepy, and devastating story about friendship, revenge, desperation, and loss, with sprinkles of Cosmic-ish horror to go with the real world ones.

Reader’s Advisory:

“House of Bone and Rain” is included on the Goodreads lists “Horror to Look Forward to in 2024”, and “2024 Adult Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Speculative Releases by BIPOC Authors”.

Serena’s Review: “This Ravenous Fate”

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Book: “This Ravenous Fate” by Hayley Dennings

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Fire, August 2024

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

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

Book Description: It’s 1926 and reapers, the once-human vampires with a terrifying affliction, are on the rise in New York. But the Saint family’s thriving reaper-hunting enterprise holds reign over the city, giving them more power than even the organized criminals who run the nightclubs. Eighteen year-old Elise Saint, home after five years in Paris, is the reluctant heir to the empire. Only one thing weighs heavier on Elise’s mind than her family obligations: the knowledge that the Harlem reapers want her dead.

Layla Quinn is a young reaper haunted by her past. Though reapers have existed in America for three centuries, created by New World atrocities and cruel experiments, Layla became one just five years ago. The night she was turned, she lost her parents, the protection of the Saints, and her humanity, and she’ll never forget how Elise Saint betrayed her.

But some reapers are inexplicably turning part human again, leaving a wake of mysterious and brutal killings. When Layla is framed for one of these attacks, the Saint patriarch offers her a deal she can’t refuse: to work with Elise to investigate how these murders might be linked to shocking rumors of a reaper cure. Once close friends, now bitter enemies, Elise and Layla explore the city’s underworld, confronting their intense feelings for one another and uncovering the sinister truths about a growing threat to reapers and humans alike.

Review: One of the most fun parts of reading historical fiction is the broad swath of time periods and places one has to pick from! There’s almost always something new, with different places and times presenting a plethora of unique story opportunities. So now you have a book that not only explores 1920s New York City but pairs it with a lesbian vampire romance? Sounds super weird and super interesting!

While this wasn’t a perfect read for me, it still was a pretty good one! First of all, the setting didn’t let me down. I loved exploring this time period and its version of New York City, with its dark alleys contrasted with its vibrant night life. The author definitely succeeded in creating a sense of space with its specific vibe and culture. While I think a bit more could have been done with the world-building on the fantastical side, the author seems to effortlessly capture the essence of a large city.

Part of this comes down to her lyrical style of writing. I loved the turns of phrase and varied word choice the author used in crafting this book. If nothing else, this is a beautiful book to read on its own merits as a written product. I often find that a more lyrical approach to writing often results in a bit of a slower paced story, and so we have here. But like my experience with most books written in this style, I was happy to settle in and enjoy the ride, even if it wasn’t the most action packed at times.

I also enjoyed the characters, for the most part. However, Layla was doing much of the work here. I found her to be an interesting character, a young woman who had gone through much in her short life and was rising to meet the challenges placed before her. Elise was the more complicated one. Part of this is built into her character: she’s lived a very priveleged life and is in the midst of still trying to earn the love of an abusive parental figure. Both of these elements, while interesting, did leave her in the unfortunate position of being a very frustrating character to follow. It would be frustrating how little she recognized her own privilege at one point, and then infuriating not to see her stand up to the abuse in her life, even when she’s beginning to fully understand it. That said, these are complicated issues to write about, and there’s really no believable way to do it that wouldn’t run into the growing pain frustrations we dealt with here.

The romance between these two was also only ok. Unfortunately, I feel like the style of writing struggled most with clunky dialogue, and this impacted my ability to really invest in the love story between these two. On paper, this love story should have been right up my alley, but for some reason, it failed to really land for me.

Overall, this was a pretty fun read. I think it almost succeeds more as a historical book than a fantasy, as I feel like the style of writing was at its peak when it was describing the city of New York in this time period. The lore of the reapers, while interesting, didn’t feel quite fully fleshed out. I also thought some of the mystery aspects were quite predictable, with the villainous characters presenting very obviously as such. If you enjoyed historical fiction and aren’t burnt out on the resurgence of vampire fantasy, than this one might be worth checking out!

Rating 8: The lyrical style of writing is at its best when creating this fascinating version of the underworld of New York City in the 1920s!

Reader’s Advisory:

“This Ravenous Fate” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Queer Books Set in the 1920s and Queer Vampire books

Serena’s Review: “Down Comes the Night”

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Book: “Down Comes the Night” by Allison Saft

Publishing Info: Wednesday Books, October 2021

Where Did I Get this Book: NetGalley!

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

Book Description: He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.

Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she’s been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend–the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself.

The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths.

With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall.

Review: This is one of those funny books that made its way up my TBR list in a unique way. In that, I’ve now read and very much enjoyed two different books by Saft in the past, and then the other day while I was going through my backlog of NetGalley requests to find a new read, low and behold, there was a (several years old) book I’d requested from the very same author! It’s also clear that this might not be that unique of a situation, as the publisher has now re-released this book with this updated cover. Funny how that goes, when an author releases one or more books before they finally strike upon one that opens readers’ eyes to their potential, and then bam! That back catalog of book suddenly seems well worth a second look! A very similar thing happened with Syvia Moreno Garcia after she published “Mexican Gothic.” Of course, I was a fan before it was cool! 😉 Anyways, on to the review for this book.

I really enjoyed this one! Of course, it had a lot of things I like going for it from the start: a sympathetic leading lady, strong female friendships, creepy gothic vibes, and a lovely slow-burn romance. Let’s start with the main character! I really appreciated the overall arc that Wren travels over the course of the book. In the start, we see her struggling against the judgements and expectations of those around her, people she loves and respects, all of whom are telling her that her sympathy and emotional decision making are weaknesses that must be suppressed. As the story continues, we see Wren push back against this, slowly beginning to reclaim the power of her own sensitivities and instinctual kindness. But it’s not a straightforward journey, and I appreciated the “two steps forward, one step backward” nature of her story. It’s not an easy thing to throw off the expectations of those you admire and to instead choose to follow your own path, and we see Wren struggle more than once to follow through on what she knows to be right, in her heart.

While it took a bit to get there, I loved the time we spent in the gothic-inspire manor. It had all of the slow-build dread and lingering horror that one looks for in a haunted house. Saft’s lyrical style of writing shone particularly strongly in these depictions, and there were scenes and settings here that truly gave me the shivers. And, of course, on top of that we have enigmatic lord of the house, with all of his secrets to be slowly revealed. I did feel like some of these secrets and mysteries were perhaps a bit easy to guess, but it’s one of those cases where the conventions of this sort of story betray it a bit, as far as these reveals go. Even if the reader has their suspicions, the experience of the gothic story makes up for some of the predictability.

I also really enjoyed the relationships in this book. Of course, the love story is the primary focus, and this was as sweet and lovely as you could wish for. There were even a few bumps in the road that I hadn’t fully anticipated which helped to add a greater level of depth to a relationship that could have become a bit too straight-forward. However, the more complex relationships came in the form of Wren’s best friend (and first love interest) and the Queen, Wren’s aunt. Through these female relationships, the book explores the challenges of close relationships, the ways in which those we care about can hurt us and misunderstand us more than anyone else. And, of course, likewise. The Queen, in particular, was an interesting character, because for much of the story, she’s almost cartoonishly horrible to Wren. So I was pleased to see a greater level of depth brought to her later in the book.

I will say, however, that now having read three books by this author, it does seem to me that she struggles with pacing towards the end of books. Like “A Fragile Enchantment,” the final third of this book is a roller-coaster ride of building conflict, a seeming resolution, only to lead directly into another conflict. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what the problem is, but there’s something off with the pacing and the reader’s ability to feel like the story is building to a true climax. Instead, you keep getting these mini climactic moments, not knowing which is meant to be the true one. It’s too bad, because the first parts of this book (and the others from Saft where I’ve struggled with a similar problem) are well-paced. It’s specifically an issue with the endings.

That said, I did enjoy how it all wrapped up, and the overall experience was good. Fans of this author, or those looking for a “cozy/gothic” fantasy story should definitely give this one a go!

Rating 8: Saft continues to impress with her incredible female leads and her swoon-worthy romances!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Down Comes the Night” isn’t on many Goodreads lists, but it is on Books with “Night” in the title.

Kate’s Review: “Ghost Camera”

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Book: “Ghost Camera” by Darcy Coates

Publishing Info: Poisoned Pen Press, July 2024

Where Did I Get This Book: I received an ARC from the publisher as well as an eARC from NetGalley.

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

Book Description: When Jenine finds an abandoned polaroid camera, she playfully snaps a photo without a second thought. But there’s something wrong with the a ghostly figure stands in the background, watching her. Fixated on her. Moving one step closer with every picture she takes.

Desperate, Jenine shares her secret with her best friend, Bree. Together they realize the camera captures unsettling impressions of the dead. But now the ghosts seem to be following the two friends. And with each new photo taken, a terrible danger grows ever clearer…

DISCOVER CHILLING NEW BONUS STORIES:

A woman survives a plane crash in a remote arctic tundra, accompanied only by a stranger who seems fixated on something moving through the blinding snow. A house stands empty. Hungry. Waiting for the children drawn to it like moths to a flame. A woman finds a shoebox filled with old VHS tapes. They have a note “Don’t watch. You’ll regret it.” And more!

Review: Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for sending me an ARC and an eARC of this novel!

While I have no doubt been enjoying Darcy Coates more ‘horror lite’ titles in “The Gravekeeper” Series recently, I am also always amped when she has some more intense horror stuff coming out. Because of this I was VERY excited to see the book “Ghost Camera” fall across my path. What I didn’t realize at first was that this book is actually a re-release of her novella “Ghost Camera” AND a collection of other short/shorter stories on top of it. Which was a-okay by me, because that means its’ just more Darcy Coates tales of terror to read through and be totally freaked out by. All of this sounds great. And man, it was really fun getting back into her freakier work.

As usual, I’m going to highlight my three favorite stories from the collection, and then review it as a whole.

“Ghost Camera”: This is the titular story in the collection, and one of the longest ones as well (and had previously been published on its own as a novella). Jenine finds a retro Polaroid camera in an old lighthouse, and decides that she is going to play with it a bit. But when she looks at the pictures, she sees what appear to be ghosts coming closer and closer to her. She reaches out to her friend Bree for help in investigating, but they soon realize that she’s in grave danger. I love how this one builds up, with creeping ghosts getting more and more hungry and desperate with every photo taken. Coates really shows off her descriptive skills in this one, as the ghosts are SO goddamn scary in my minds eye.

“The Run to Broken House Ridge Lighthouse”: I love an urban legend that has a ghoulish twist, and this story is very much like one you’d tell around a campfire. A group of young adults are hanging out on a beach, and decide to test a local ghost story about racing a ghost to the lighthouse. This one is quick and pretty unrelenting in its building dread, and I really liked the urban legend of Cami Alan and what happens if you lose the race to the top of the lighthouse. It feels like the kind of local haunting tale you would find in any community with a dark history, and it made for an effective horror story. And once again, man, that imagery. I feel like Cami Alan is another spectre that is going to stick with me long after the read is over. I think this was quite possibly my favorite in the collection.

“Untamed Things”: I gotta say, I’m glad I wasn’t reading this one while on my flight to San Diego, because, spoiler alert kinda, it starts with a pretty gnarly plane crash. But Coates does something I didn’t expect here, and instead of a straight up horror tale I found this one to be more dark fantasy with a lot of hope sprinkled into it. When the plane she is on crashes, leaving her stranded on a desolate mountain, Ana is terrified and completely alone. When another passenger named Chloe suddenly appears and says that they are going to get out of this together, Ana is surprised but relieved. But as they try to traverse across the mountain to the front of the plane, Chloe lets Ana know that they are being followed. And what’s following them isn’t of this world. This one had a really high tension almost from the jump, and as Ana and Chloe were trying to escape whatever it was that was chasing them, I was on edge not only because of the obvious danger, but also because of how Coates slowly reveals some tricks and twists. It’s an interesting take on certain phenomena experienced by survivors in highly dangerous situations. I really, really loved it.

As a whole this is a stellar collection that has a lot of variety in length, theme and fright levels. While some of the stories didn’t connect as much to me, overall I really thought that they show a huge range, and also really show that Coates has no interest in pulling punches when it comes to nightmare fuel she wants to heap onto her readers. Coates is consistently scary for me when she writes stories like this. The woman has range!

“Ghost Camera” is a fun collection of horror tales. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good scare, but also keep it in mind for any scary reading you want to do for the ever creeping towards us Halloween Season! There’s something for everyone in this book!

Rating 8: Another triumphant work by Darcy Coates, this time gathering some spooky and truly scary stories in a horror collection that kept me on edge.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Ghost Camera” isn’t on any Goodreads lists as of yet, but it would fit in on “Spooky Short Story Collections”.

Serena’s Review: “Bound to the Shadow Prince”

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Book: “Bound to the Shadow Prince” by Ruby Dixon

Publishing Info: W by Wattpad Books, July 2024

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

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

Book Description: In order to protect her kingdom from the wrath of a vengeful goddess, Princess Candra must remain locked inside a tower for seven years. Seven long years without a friend―or a lover―by her side. And shut inside the tower with her? A Fellian, the enemy of her people, a fearsome warrior race complete with wings and claws and fangs. Nemeth is terrifying, cruel, and disturbingly magnetic. Candra should kill him for his supplies, but she’s desperate for his company…and his touch.

As time inside the unchanging tower rolls on, Candra uncovers the man behind the stony facade. And when their tenure hits an unexpected snag, Candra and Nemeth are forced to make a difficult choice. They’ll need to face an outside world they no longer recognize, one that threatens their lives and their surprising love.

Review: While I’m aware of the phenomenon that is Ruby Dixon’s “Ice Planet Barbarians” series, I’ve been a bit hesitant to jump in. While I enjoy SFF romance, I’m also incredibly picky with the balance between the fantasy elements and the romance. Plus, I’ve never really pushed my boundaries on the romance genre with more wacky paranormal beings than your usual vampires and werewolves. All of that to say, when I saw that she was releasing a stand-alone romantasy title, I though this would be the perfect opportunity to see what all of the fuss was about!

I’ll be honest, I went into this one fairly skeptical, ready to shift away to my every-growing TBR pile at the slightest provocation. And, initially, that’ s the way I thought it might go. The first few chapters before we get to the tower were a bit of a slog as I found it difficult to really like any of the characters on the page, including our heroine. But hoo boy! The minute the story got to the tower, the love interest was introduced, and the general stakes of the plot (being trapped in a dark tower for seven years) settled in, I was locked in!

If nothing else, Dixon’s style of writing is the definition of “approachable” and “engaging.” She simply has a fun and snappy way of writing that is quick to pull readers in and make the story feel action-packed, even when, objectively not much is really happening (again, see the fact that our main characters are stuck alone in a tower.) Given the restrictions of this setting, it was truly impressive how engaging Dixon made this portion of the story. It was so engaging, in fact, that I was almost disappointed when the story shifted in the second half of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed a lot of that as well. But I will say that I probably would have been more than happy to have spent the entire book simply in the tower with our two main characters.

I also really enjoyed our main characters. Candra was a fun POV character, though as the story continued, I did find myself wishing for a bit more from her with personal growth or a more defined character arc. Some of the late-book action does speak to some changes in her perspective, but it still wasn’t a lot. But what we do get is still enjoyable! On the other hand, I really loved Nemeth! I’ll admit, again, that part of my hesitation about the “Barbarians” series and this one was how well the romance would translate for a very, um, non-human love interest. But Nemeth is so endearing in almost every way that you can’t help but love him! He was bookish and bashful, but also protective and confident when it mattered. It was also nice to have a love interest who so easily embodied the caretaker role in the relationship without this being commented on or seen as in conflict with any of his other character traits.

I will add here that that this book is DEFINITELY spicy, so readers should have that in mind! I knew it would be, of course, but this book makes “Bride” look like, well, a blushing bride as far as some of its spicy moments go. One thing that stood out in the positive for this book vs. other very spicy books that I’ve read was the timeline and progression of the romance. All too often, romantasy has an “instalust/instalove” problem where the book is so eager to get to the love scenes that character work and plotting suffer, ultimately making the spice scenes read as undeserved. Here, not only do you have to read a significant ways into the book to get to the love scenes, but the in-world timeline is over a year before Nemeth and Candra really start becoming intimate in any way. It was refreshing!

As I mentioned, the second half of the book took a major shift in the plot. And while I liked a lot of what this brought into the story, this is also the part of the book that I struggled with more. For one thing, given the nature of what is going on in the story, the numerous spicy scenes in this later half of the book started to feel like they were breaking up the pacing. They also began to feel a bit repetitive, and I think the book would have been better served, ultimately, to have cut out a few of these. There was also the seemingly required third act/late game challenge of trust thrown into the romance. This is a staple of romance plotlines, where right towards the end something goes terribly wrong (distrust, miscommunication, etc. etc.) that makes our characters start questioning their relationship. I almost always hate this part of romance novels, as I rarely feel as if these moments feel justified or believable. So, too, here. Some of the distrust we see is so obviously misplaced in light of the entire rest of the story that it was almost laughable. For all that I enjoyed the fact that this love story took place over the course of years, it made this late-game trust issue all the more silly. These are characters who recently fell in love or who haven’t had time to fully understand one another. As typical for me with these twists in romance novels, I began to roll my eyes a bit during this part.

Overall, however, this was a really fun read! It’s heavy on the spice and romance, so readers who enjoy that will likely love this one. I was also impressed with the measured pace of the romance and the endearing love interest. I’ll definitely be checking out more from Dixon in the future!

Rating 8: Fast-paced and fun with a nice love story at its heart, definitely one for the spicy romance readers!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Bound to the Shadow Prince” can be found on this Goodreads list: 2024 – Paranormal Romance (Standalones and 1st in Series)

Book Club Review: “A Study in Emerald” & “Snow, Glass, Apples”

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We are part of a group of librarian friends who have had an ongoing book club running for the last several years. Each “season” (we’re nerds) we pick a theme and each of us chooses a book within that theme for us all to read. This June we celebrated our 10 year anniversary of book club. So in celebration of that milestone, we are re-visiting authors we read way back in those first few years of our book club. For this blog, we will post a joint review of each book we read for book club. We’ll also post the next book coming up in book club. So feel free to read along with us or use our book selections and questions in your own book club!

NOTE: At the beginning of July, accusations of abuse and sexual assault were made against Neil Gaiman by two women. When our book club selected, met and read “A Study in Emerald” and “Snow, Glass, Apples” and we wrote our reviews, this information had not yet come to light. These accusations are deeply concerning and upsetting. Since we had committed to review these books on the blog before these accusations came to light, we’ve decided to post our reviews of these books to fulfill that commitment. That said, if you or someone you know needs help or wants to find someone to speak with confidentially, HERE is a link to RAINN’s resource page, which also links to more information about the organization in general and how to support victims of sexual violence.

Book: “A Study in Emerald” by Neil Gaiman and Rafael Albuquerque (Illustrator), Rafael Scavone, Dave Stewart (Illustrator)

Publishing Info: Dark Horse Books, June 2018

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Repeat Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Description: The complex investigation takes the Baker Street investigators from the slums of Whitechapel all the way to the Queen’s Palace as they attempt to find the answers to this bizarre murder of cosmic horror!

From the Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, Nebula award-winning, and New York Times bestselling writer Neil Gaiman comes this graphic novel adaptation with art by Eisner award winning artist Rafael Albuquerque!

Kate’s Thoughts

It’s interesting. As someone who loves a good mystery and thriller, I haven’t read TOO much Sherlock Holmes (outside of the stories I read in middle school for English class, and “The Hound of the Baskervilles” for book club way back when). And as someone who loves horror, I haven’t read ANY H.P. Lovecraft. But I know enough about Holmes, Watson, Baker Street, and Cthulhu thanks to the pop culture and literary zeitgeist. So I could absolutely appreciate a LOT about “A Study In Emerald”, which brings the mythos of Lovecraft’s cosmic horrors to Baker Street and Victorian London. It’s a creative mashup, and I found the story up to the task.

I really enjoyed the creeping horror of this tale, and how it does harken back to the classic Holmes cases, and not just through the characters that we see on the page. There are fun references to other mysteries, there is definitely a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle air to the way that the story unfolds, and the way that Gaiman weaves in the Old Ones and Cthulhu into the story and makes it just seamlessly fit in is really fun. It also works as an interesting comment upon the Colonialist impact that England was having across the world, as the Old Ones are coming in and ruling over everyone with a malicious intent towards power and conquest. And I always enjoy the artwork of Raphael Albuquerque, and his style works really well in this story. It’s compelling and fun, and while it’s a stand alone short story it feels very established. It’s a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it very much.

Serena’s Thoughts

I loved this book! There were so many clever ideas all mixed together in a way that felt totally fresh and unique. And given how many adaptations and variations there have been on Sherlock Holmes and Watson, producing something that feels truly original is quite the accomplishment! Of course, the primary factor there comes down to the inclusion and use of Lovecraft’s classic horror creatures. But there is definitely a way that this could have gone very wrong. Instead, Gaiman never over-played his hand. And while the alternate timeline/history of this world and the role the Old Ones play in it was very interesting, at its heart, the story is still very much a classic Sherlock Holmes mystery. From the framing of the story from the companion’s perspective to the use of verbose language with only limited dialogue, it all felt perfectly in line with the tone of the original. Despite the fact that there are tentacled royalty ruling the world!

I also enjoyed the big twist at the end. As a big Sherlock fan, I was suspicious that this was where we were headed fairly early, but that still didn’t diminish how effective it was. I also think that it was subtle enough that it could still play as a pretty big twist for the majority of readers. It was a clever case of “look at this hand and not the other,” using the Lovecraft elements to great effect. The art also worked perfectly with the overall tone. The sepia color palette worked well to create a sense of the time period, and the inclusion of the little advertisements between chapters was excellent.

Really, my only criticism is that in some ways it felt like the prequel to a series. I immediately went on Goodreads hoping to line up the sequel. But alas. I’d definitely read more in this world if given the chance, and I think this is a great read for all Holmes fans out there!

Kate’s Rating 8: A creative mash up of two literary icons makes for an interesting adaptation that works incredibly well.

Serena’s Rating 9: Clever and unique, which is truly an accomplishment considering the plethora of adaptations out there for both Holmes and Lovecraft’s creatures!

Book Club Questions

  1. What were your thoughts on the surprise reveal at the end of the book? Did you see it coming? Did you think it fit well?
  2. Did you like the theme as the monarchs of Europe actually being Old Ones from Lovecraft’s stories?
  3. Did you enjoy the throw back advertisements that separated the sections of the story?
  4. This is a graphic novel that was told purely in captions and with little to no actual speech bubbles. Did you like this creative choice?
  5. What did you think of the art style of this story? Did you feel like it fit the tone of the narrative?

Reader’s Advisory

“A Study in Emerald” is included on the Goodreads lists A Study in Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraft in Victorian Era.

Book: “Snow, Glass, Apples” by Neil Gaiman and Colleen Dorman (Illustrator)

Publishing Info: Headline, August 2019

Where Did We Get This Book: The library!

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

Repeat Author: Neil Gaiman

Book Description: A chilling fantasy retelling of the Snow White fairy tale by bestselling creators Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran.

A not-so-evil queen is terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter and determined to repel this creature and save her kingdom from a world where happy endings aren’t so happily ever after.

From the Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, Nebula Award-winning and Sunday Times-bestselling writer Neil Gaiman (American Gods) comes this graphic novel adaptation by Colleen Doran (Troll Bridge).

Kate’s Thoughts

I already love a fairytale retelling, especially if it is a bit dark and twisted. And I have come to enjoy “Snow White” more as of late because my daughter got a Snow White dress during our Spring Break trip to Disney, which has made me all the fonder of the story. But then you add in not only a version that is told from the perspective of the Evil Queen AND it has a vampire Snow White?? OH HELL YES. Gaiman knows how to do dark in his stories, and this one is SO creepy and twisted, telling a story about a young queen who finds herself a stepmother to a monstrous vampiric child, and wants to keep her kingdom safe from the predatory nature of the girl whose skin is white as snow and lips are red as blood. Snow White’s Evil Queen is so two dimensional in the original tale and many tales that came after it, so for Gaiman to not only make her the protagonist but to also make her flawed but generally a good hearted woman who is trying to use magic to help her subjects is so excellent and such a breath of fresh air. I loved the subversions in the magical elements, and how it harkens to the source material but tweaks it into something new. And something REALLY disturbing.

And I absolutely loved the art style in this book. It feels like a combination of medieval tapestries and art deco aesthetic, and there are so many gorgeous details that leap off the page. It’s truly breathtaking, with few actual panels but free form mural-esque spilling into each other. But it still remains linear and easy to follow along with the very detailed and complex designs. Our book club host asked us what our favorite image was, and I had such a hard time picking because there are so many amazing images.

I loved “Snow, Glass, Apples”. What a compelling reimagining of “Snow White”.

Serena’s Thoughts

I also really enjoyed this one! Probably no great shocker as I love fairytale re-tellings, especially twisted versions of the story. This one, told from the perspective of the “evil” step-mother succeeded on a lot of fronts. First of all, I absolutely adored this art style! I found myself reading this one much more slowly than the first, simply because I wanted to look at all the intricate details on every singled panel. There are several pages that I would buy and frame and put up in my home library, they were that beautiful. I also really enjoyed the “stream of consciousness” style the art used, with several spreads effectively moving the reader through the page without the use of panels or blocks.

I also enjoyed the twist on the “Snow White” tale. I wasn’t prepared for just how dark it was going to get! Fairly early in the story, the reader is introduced to the major “twist” to the tale and you think “Ok, I get where the darkness is going to go.” And then you get about two-thirds of the way and and it’s like “Oh! Nope, this went way darker and in a way more disturbing direction than I had expected!” For the most part, I think this darkness all worked. That said, there were a few brief moments and details that did feel like they were there purely for shock value and not any real narrative purpose.

Overall, I thought this was a very interesting re-imaging of the classic tale. I think the art really stole the show for me. And while I think many fans of dark fantasy will enjoy this one, it’s definitely NSFW, so keep that in mind if you’re reading it in public!

Kate’s Rating 9: A disturbing but horrifically gorgeous reimagining of Snow White.

Serena’s Rating 8: Horrifying in the best way, but the gorgeous art was really the win as far as I’m concerned!

Book Club Questions

  1. What did you think of following the Queen’s POV in this story? Are you used to seeing her side of the “Snow White” story?
  2. Did you buy into the idea of a vampire Snow White? Why or why not?
  3. What are your thoughts on how Gaiman subverted the witchcraft in this versus the original?
  4. What did you think of the aspect of the Spring Faire in this tale and how it related to the Queen’s motivation in the story?
  5. Did you like the art style in this? Did it fit the tone of the tale?

Reader’s Advisory

“Snow, Glass, Apples” is included on the Goodreads lists Snow White Retellings and Graphic Novels with Fairytale or Mythical elements

Next Book Club Pick: “Superman Smashes the Klan” by by Gene Luen Yang