This is a wonderful #forthcoming collection of flash and short stories about monsters of all kinds - #vampires #werewolves #witches #ghosts #ghouls #aThis is a wonderful #forthcoming collection of flash and short stories about monsters of all kinds - #vampires #werewolves #witches #ghosts #ghouls #aliens and of course, the worst monster of all... humans!
Lori's debut contains some of the most human monsters and monstrous humans I've read in a while. The relatability factor is high with this one.
The Monsters Are Here is a unique mix of horror and urban fantasy with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in for fun and that makes it the perfect halloween sidekick.
I listened to this on audio and quite enjoyed it in that format. The pacing and narration were spot on and made for a fun travel companion on my ride I listened to this on audio and quite enjoyed it in that format. The pacing and narration were spot on and made for a fun travel companion on my ride back and forth to work.
A strange haunted house novel in which AI is the ghost? Oh yes, please.
A robot who believes something dark has infiltrated his system and causes him to terrorize Henry, his pregnant wife Lily, and their two guests? Hello darkness my old friend!
Bloody and violent deaths in a state of the art house that has locked you in with no means to escape? Uhm, bring on the body count!
A twist you don't see coming that turns everything onto its back? Jaw. Say hello to the ground!
I listened to this on audio for about an hour and a half and I'm thinking this is not the way to read thoh no, I'm on a weird DNF journey apparently.
I listened to this on audio for about an hour and a half and I'm thinking this is not the way to read this book. I understand nothing. And I want to... soooo badly....more
Another book inhaled in nearly one sitting and it was oh so good.
An inherited Victorian home complete with elusive housekeeper, a handsome and mysterAnother book inhaled in nearly one sitting and it was oh so good.
An inherited Victorian home complete with elusive housekeeper, a handsome and mysterious neighbor who makes you herbal tonics to get the artistic juices flowing, and your young daughter suddenly developing a relationship with a new imaginary friend... uhm, yeah, you better run, bitch!
But of course, you don't. Because if you did, there would be no book. You do what normal people would do and rationalize the weird things away, quite easily at first - the stress of the recent breakup with your baby daddy, and the move, and being out here in the woods, alone, must be messing with your mind - until things just start stacking up, slowly at first, sure, and then all of a sudden, quite quickly, and then who are you kidding, now it's too late, and man you should have ran when you had the chance!
Obviously that's an oversimplification of Castrodale's The Inhabitants. There's so much more to this book and rather than trying to write it all out, what I will say is that if this isn't already on your to-buy list, if it's flown under your radar up to this point, you've got no excuse now. Be prepared to get your hands on it, and let it work its slow burning, atmospheric, keep you guessing till the end, badass magic on you!
If you peel back the many layers, at its core, I believe The Inhabitants is really a story about the incredible bond that exists between a mother and her child, the impact grief and trauma can have on us, and the power of the past when you fail to exhume your ghosts properly.
I thought this book sounded wild and requested a review copy.
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Mid way check in: this book is breaking my brain.
~~~~~~~~~I thought this book sounded wild and requested a review copy.
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Mid way check in: this book is breaking my brain.
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Honestly, I am not sure what I just read. I believe this is taking place in a near-future post eco-collapse environment where a government agency referred to as RSCH took advantage of the chaos and began instituting extreme new social, educational, and gender rules and norms for its Citizens. Individuals are fitted with permanent AR contacts that record and upload memories directly to RSCHs infrastructure and are used as a means to monitor conformity. Any deviation to the social or dietary regimens is met with strict retraining, amputations slash body modifications, or axeing (which I think is a form of kidnapping) in the hopes of rehabilitating the person. Though, depending on the level of deviance, I think some people are just disappeared.
It's written in a highly experimental format that plays with language and structure A LOT. Part fragmented novel, part poetry, part found footage/transcripts/government postings, it was really difficult to follow. I mean, Cavar makes you WORK for it, you guys. And I don't even know if I got it. I could be really far off base here. My head was literally SPINNING throughout the entire thing.
Early reviews are all glowing, so this could totally be a me-not-you thing, but as someone who tends to dig experimental fiction, I'd be really surprised if I'm the only one who will struggle with this.
Pick this one up if you have an appreciation for sci fi authoritarian dystopia with trans and disability representation. For a vibe check, if you like the concepts in Darin Bradley's Dystopian Cluster series (Chimpanzee, Totem, and Noise), or the writing style of Blake Butler, this may also be for you too.
If you do end up checking it out, I'd love to know what you think! ...more
When you work the night shift and need a smoke, you end up at the local graveyard because it's the closest place off campus to sneak a cig. You meet oWhen you work the night shift and need a smoke, you end up at the local graveyard because it's the closest place off campus to sneak a cig. You meet other nicotine addicted, sleepless, late night weirdos there too and develop a kind of unspoken insomniac club. All's cool until the night you all notice a freshly dug hole in the ground and let Occam's razor take care of the rest.
This fungal thriller is a really quick read that flows fast off the page but with all loose ends and no resolution?! Are you being serious right now? That's how this book is going to end?!
I think my digital review copy is missing a couple chapters because there is no possible way it just hangs there like that. Send it back to the author. They have more work to do. They failed to understand the assignment.
Holy gross, batman. I read it in one sitting because I was certain if I put it down, I wouldn't be able to stomach picking it back up again.
A revengeHoly gross, batman. I read it in one sitting because I was certain if I put it down, I wouldn't be able to stomach picking it back up again.
A revenge curse, that became more than the creator had initially anticipated, is passed from person to person through sex, like a super infectious chain letter (where my Gen Xers at?!). To undo what was done to you, you must do it to someone else, and FAST. You are running out of time, biatches!
The body horror in this one was so nasty I almost vomited in my mouth. I promise you won't look at sex the same after this one.
I stumbled across this book through a re-tweet from the author announcing its release. Whoever says posting to Twitter isn't effective is dead wrong. I stumbled across this book through a re-tweet from the author announcing its release. Whoever says posting to Twitter isn't effective is dead wrong. I am positive I would not have had AL Davidson's book hit my radar otherwise. And I'm really glad it did.
It's a queer space rom-horror that intertwines alien and fungal terror for a ridiculously captivating read. Yes, maybe I'm coining a new sub-genre term. Just go with it, yeah? And hellooo... do you see that cover?
London and Temple have been apart more than they've been together since they started working with the Zeus Project. London's compromised health keeps them locked away in a remote outpost while they perform autopsies on deceased crewmembers who've suffered strange and worrying deaths, while Temple is captain of a team that's been sent to a distant planet to begin terraform procedures. In addition to their health issues, London is also suffering from anxiety, depression, and may be starting to go a little crazy... doors they know they've locked are starting to open on their own, they swear they hear movement and whispers in the lower level of the outpost, and the bodies that are being sent to them, which are without a doubt very dead, also appear to be somewhat alive, even though London knows that can't be possible.
This one is a bit of a slow burn, with a higher focus on the relationship between London and Temple, but once the weirdness starts up, the book gets kicked into high gear. It's an emotional, slightly gory, terror filled journey out amongst the stars.......more