New Book Review - Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Name - Thornhedge 

Written by - T. Kingfisher 

Narrated by - Laurel Lefkow 

Published by - Tor Books / Titan Books

Audiobook by - W. F. Howes Ltd 

Another Hugo Winner read, it seems I am somehow into the flow of reading award winning stuff. 'Thornhedge' is a novella that is much more than a simple retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. It is also much more than a tale of the witch who has cursed the beauty to eternal sleep in a new light. The story of Toadling has so much more to offer than a fairy tale done differently, it is the story of becoming more than what you were supposed to, learning to love people despite appearances, and letting go of your prejudices to try to do the right thing even if it's hard. And above all, it's a mesmerizing and fun tale.

It is hard to come up with new things to say for a work as thoroughly talked about as this one, so instead I will just write about the things I felt about it, things I picked out thinking back on it after finishing listening to it. It is apparent from the title that this book is about the barrier that Toadling has kept erect between her and the outside world for a long time, about the hedge of thorns she kept strong all throughout her life, making it impossible for her to truly connect with anyone from the earthly realm.

Toadling was stolen by the Fae, which was tragic; then she was brought up by the Greenteeth, who loved her in their own peculiar way and made her feel she belonged. But things again turned bad when she was tasked with dealing with her replacement, Fayette. This eventually began her predicament, as she spent over two centuries guarding the changeling while she slept in the tower behind a wall of thorns. But one day a curious and unusual knight appears to learn the truth of the magic in the tower and from here her new story begins.

The main character is so different from humans, yet she is utterly humane. She tries to find joy in being loved, being part of something, acknowledges that she is ugly but decides to find the truth of beauty in her monstrous companions. Even when she is tasked with protecting others from the harms that the change might cause, she tries to appease everyone somehow. She also thinks about mourning for everyone lost or dead. 

Yet she has a purer way of seeing the world, trying to find goodness and understanding in all the corners, trying to inflict no harm to anyone she encounters, and simply trying to hide behind her power of being able to transform into a toad. She slowly through beautifully poetic prose by Kingfisher experiences the world around her using her unique way of seeing things, and learns to love herself with the help of others.

Halim, while having that core goodness, is a quite a different character from her. He is a Muslim knight who might just be too curious for his own good. He is very optimistic in his every undertaking, tries to solve all problems by himself and trusts Toadling despite everything. I really enjoyed Kingfisher adding his perspective about his mother; as being a Muslim, I really felt it a nice addition that she acknowledged how much sons respect and adore their mothers and are influenced in every decision-making by their guidance in our culture.

The setting of Thornhedge is very similar to our world in some aspects while vastly different in others, especially dealing with the Faerieland and its inhabitants. But I loved the use of medieval tropes like knights, religions, and crusades to make the setting more adherent to our own convoluted histories. It would have been nicer if the setting were explored a bit more but this is Toadlings story, not the lands, so I guess it's fair.

This was surely a deserved Hugo Winner and it would be so much fun if the author decides to write more about this cast. But it was a lot of fun while it lasted.

4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear by Junji Ito

Name - Uncanny: The Origins of Fear

Written by - Junji Ito

Translated by - Jocelyne Allen

Published by - Viz Media LLC

First things first, I got this book from Edelweiss as an ARC, so thank you Edelweiss and Viz Media LLC for this opportunity.

It really is a joy to get under the skin of a creative mind, getting to learn how that brain of their works, seeing what influenced to create their masterpieces, and most of learning about their life and knowing that they are as normal an individual as us in many aspects. 'Uncanny: The Origins of Fear' is such a deep dive into the mind of one of the greatest horror manga artists ever, and it is very enjoyable.

The book has a gorgeous layout with many drawings and layouts from the mangaka, as well as some interesting bits of his life, from his early childhood up to his struggles to make a living, then finally turning into a full-time creator of mangas. It is not an easy path being one of the best, especially when you also have to learn enough to make it all matter, and it is also amazing to see how Junji Ito's mind works in deciphering meaning and ideas out of his everyday experiences.

The author divided the whole thing into five carefully thought out chapters. The first two work like an autobiography, with details from his childhood, his initial work as a dental technician, all the whole trying to write and draw mangas, to finally his breakout into the manga world slowly through his sheer determination and creativity. The most interesting part about these first two chapters is the fact how Ito writes about his various influences and how these moulded him; I really loved this because I am not very learned in Japanese manga history. I gained lots of recommendations from this section to enrich my TBR pile.

Sadly for those who hadn't read much work of Junji Ito, the last three chapters delve into spoiler filled territory, as Ito delves deep into his creation process through numerous examples of his works. These three deal with his exploration of how he gets his ideas, to his points of view and inspiration about some iconic characters he created, ending the last chapter by going into a detailed glimpse into his drawing process with some delightful arts on display.

As a non-fiction book, this was quite enjoyable. This should cater especially to the taste of readers who are already his fans. But that doesn't mean there isn't enough to enjoy for casual readers of him or the people just starting to get into his work. The drawings throughout the book are honestly enough for any enthusiast of manga to collect this one.

A resounding 4.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - The Summer War by Naomi Novic

Name - The Summer War

Written by - Naomi Novik

Narrated by - Ella Lynch 

Published by - Del Rey / Penguin

Audiobook by - Random House Audio

Telling a story in the vain of classic fairy tales is more easily said than done. And Novik did a brilliant job of pulling off a layer of mesmerizing prose; the first two thirds of the book flowed so brilliantly with its richly imagined little setting and the trio of siblings with their individual voices. But the last third and the ending were just worked out a little awkwardly, leaving me wondering if the author could have maybe taken things in a different direction for a better closure.

Naomi Novik is a well-known writer in fantasy circles, always praised for her beautiful depiction of fairytale-inspired prose and setting. And her fluency in this regard is felt from the beginning. The tale of the centuries-long Summer Wars and our heroine Celia getting caught in it with her family started very engagingly. With emphasis on style rather than substance to tell the story, the author created a fully fleshed heroine and also her two brothers, both unique in their own way.

Celia in her hormone-induced emotional angst curses her oldest brother Argent for never finding love in his life. Then after Argent left, she grew close to her middle brother Roric, who is quite an interesting character in his own right. Then she tries to break the curse, but unfortunately gets caught in the animosity of the two kingdoms herself. 

The story starts with beautiful and lyrical prose, introduces its characters and world brilliantly, but somehow loses momentum towards the end. It changes its direction quite unsuspectingly and gives a rather patched up ending not giving all the characters proper closer. Roric was the best character and surely deserved more time to shine, and Argent, on the other hand, gets a fast and all of a sudden romance shoved in his face and dealt with poorly.

A novella with so much promise that never fully delivered, this gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

Name - Small Things Like These 

Written by - Claire Keegan 

Narrated by - Aidan Kelly 

Published by - Faber & Faber

Audiobook by - Faber & Faber Audio

This was a rather slim book, but packed a heavy punch in terms of the message on offer. Focuses on a time in the not so distant past, on a seemingly civilized setting, where people were acting quite hypocritically, acting blind to injustice and the needs of others and one man performing quite a small yet heroic act.

The setting is 1985, in a small Irish town, during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Our narrator, Bill Furlong, a coal merchant and family man, is quite busy during this time of the year. But one morning, while delivering an order to the local convent, he makes a shocking discovery which forces him to confront both his past and the present reality of a town controlled by the church.

The prose is simplistic, often using words of Irish dialect that forced me to use the internet to decipher meaning, but gave a feeling of authenticity. The story has no serious conflict; the pace is slow, yet the soothing calmness with the poignant inner monologues by Furlong kept me continuing on listening instead of going back to the other thriller I was listening to also at the time.

Furlong is a simple man, growing up through the kindness of a rich widow, didn't know his father, lost his mother early, but acquired a keen sense of morality due to his upbringing. His sense of morality is quite often absent in solvent people and unfortunate ones alike. And his willingness to work hard for his family and deciding to help others despite his own condition is what makes him the hero and the simple story remarkable.

This book also enlightened me about a small but significant bit of history, teaching me about Magdalene laundries in Ireland and atrocities being committed there using religion as cover, and in the guise of healing 'Fallen Women'. Yet another instance of history where social dogma and moral indifference triumph over basic humanity.

The narration by Aidan Kelly was quite unique, making me feel like Furlong is such a way, as often becoming quite melancholic and thoughtful. Without divulging much more, I want to just end the review by quoting one line from Furlong's inner monologue - 'Was there any point in being alive without helping one another?'

4.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young

Name - A Plagued Sea

Written by - Kim Bo-young 

Translated by - Sophie Bowman 

Series - Lovecraft Reanimated 

Published by - Honford Star  

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Honford Star for this opportunity.

This one started so well, had so much potential, the main character was portrayed with such finesse, yet somehow did not achieve what it promised. The Lovecraftian atmosphere was created with perfect nuances, racial angles were explored a bit, and the twists were also utilized quite well. Yet it could have been so much more poignant with a bit more work.

Kim Bo-young is one of the most famous science fiction writers in South Korea, has received various awards in his country, and one of the few writers from Korea to be translated into English. As far as I am aware, she had two collections published in English prior to this; 'A Plagued Sea' is her first novella published by Honford Star.

This novella is part of The Lovecraft Reanimated project by Honford Star, which translates Korean speculative fiction writers reimagining the works of horror master H.P. Lovecraft, giving them their own unique signature updating these stories for modern sensibilities.

The author manages to capture the true atmospheric charisma of the Cthulhu mythos in her attempt at recreating a modern version of 'The Shadow over Innsmouth'. Her interpretation incorporates the truly horrifying existential dread of Lovecraft, with even modern technological forms of communication unable to alleviate the despair of being locked in isolation, abuse, and racism in the form of social media posts and the characters using internet forums to create awareness and propaganda regarding the mysterious incidence of Haewon village.

The character of Moyoung was a fine creation, with her desperation and anguish over not being able to save her niece, her almost illogical yet understandable hatred towards the infected, her inner struggle of not being able to become a member of the villagers nor being able to be a member of normal society, and her manic paranoia in trying to deal with the source of her calamities. But sadly the other characters didn't get as much attention and felt rather like placeholders compared to her.

The author touched on the sense of racism, social stigma, and uncalled for abuse towards the unfortunate infected, but didn't really elaborate on this aspect of the story much, which in my opinion could have elevated this retelling to a whole new level. Rather she focused on the grotesque and monstrous horror angles of the story, which resulted in a fun reading experience nevertheless.

The prose was quite a delightful read; I simply loved the first chapter that introduced us to Muyoung and her niece, and also the chapter which revealed the new species. Sophie Bowman did a brilliant job with the translation, as I never really felt like I wasn't reading the book in its native form.

This was a fun read, made me interested in the Lovecraft Reanimated series as well as other stories from Kim Bo-young, but it also felt like a missed opportunity at creating the perfect Lovecraftian horror for the modern age due to its shortcomings.

3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - One Day All This Will Be Yours by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - One Day All This Will Be Yours

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Narrated by - Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Published by - Solaris (Rebellion Publishing Ltd.)

Audiobook by - Penguin Audio 

The characteristic charm of Tchaikovsky that I adore is to be found all over this novella. Interesting protagonist, enjoyable and humorous prose, and a truly unique and well-thought-out setting to boot. But maybe I just wasn't reading it at the proper time, but I felt it should have been shorter or it lacked a bit of something giving it that extra edge.

This is yet another different kind of attempt by the author to write about the end times with his signature sense of humor and masterfully flowing prose. There was time traveling hijinks abound with lots of entertaining jokes at the expanse of historical figures and periods.

The protagonist was an irritable man and despite having a grey moral compass, he was very relatable as a narrator based on his circumstances. This really was a story of the times of COVID, incorporating the general chaotic psychological landscape on offer at the time.

But, I really wish I could have read it during the time when we were isolated and panicked and would have probably appreciated it much more.

Nevertheless, I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - The Bone Door by Frances White

Name - The Bone Door 

Written by - Frances White 

Narrated by - Honi Cooke 

Published by - Hanover Square Press 

Audiobook by - Harlequin Audio 

This one was quite a journey to listen to, emotionally draining at times, dealing with some hard and brutal stuff, quite a lot of twists and skillful unraveling of plot, but also a bit too long or over explaining at times. But overall, certainly one of the surprises of the year so far.

The story details the journey of Hop and the strange companions he picks up along a mysterious labyrinth while being chased by a dark being. The kids have all seemingly lost their memories, and throughout their journey they slowly regain knowledge of what they are and how they came to be trapped in the maze.

The characters are portrayed brilliantly and their emotional journey is sure to resonate with readers. But despite their age, this one is definitely a book for adults with its serious subject matter and depiction of mutilation and death all throughout. Yet, it is also a book of hope, of second chances and the fact that even the most hopelessly damnable character has some inner goodness.

Another strong point is the mesmerizing world building, keeping me guessing what might be in store in the next chapter. The heavy themes are present dispersed between detailed and deliberately slow reveals as the author attempted to continue enchanting.

Honi Cooke did a masterful job of narrating, creating distinct voices for each of the characters, giving them unique personalities, and also conveying the emotional content quite brilliantly.

My only real complaint is that some of the dialogues and interactions just seemed to drag a bit too much, unnecessarily lengthening the prose. About 100 pages could have been cut off, making the book a tighter and compacter experience; then again, maybe the author was trying to emphasize the emotional depth even further somewhat.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will give it 4 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - Feral and Hysterical by Sadie Hartmann

Name - Feral and Hysterical: Mother Horror’s Ultimate Reading Guide to Dark and Disturbing Fiction by Women

Writer - Sadie Hartmann

Published By - Page Street Publishing

This is the second book by Sadie Hartmann dedicated to creating lists of horror fiction recommendations. This time her focus is entirely on horror written by women and the book is arranged neatly into different topics listing her recommendations, each with a synopsis and her own thoughts about the books in a short review.

I really loved some of the creative list making and vibe selections and while like any normal reader wasn't much enthusiastic about a few categories. But therein lies the true depth on offer here, as the author really attempted to cater to almost every kind of taste that different readers have.

There are also five small essays by an interesting selection of authors shining even more light into female experience and expertise regarding understanding horror medium. These added a fine sense of variation among the lists and reviews.

Another great thing about the book is the great artwork on offer dispersed all throughout the book, almost perfectly conveying the mood for each list. In a reference book like this, these brilliant sketches really added an extra reason to keep coming back for more.

Hopefully she will keep writing this kind of books about books in the future, maybe about other genres, maybe about films or TV shows. I really like her prose style and her genuine sense of love for the works and her energetic approach.

I am gonna give this 4.5 out of 5 stars (mostly cause I liked the first one even more).

New Book Review - Preaching to the Choir by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - Preaching to the Choir

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Series - Terrible Worlds: Transformations 

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Solaris Books for this opportunity.

It seems Tchaikovsky can write in any genre, as this time he tries his hand in writing horror and provides yet another short yet impactful and enjoyable novella. This one has touches of fantasy, gothic and body horror immersed in a fast paced story with bits of real world tidbits to keep the readers googling stuff.

The story follows our protagonist Elena Mendes as she travels with her boyfriend Ross Enderbough to his family mansion Enderby for a rather very special occasion, where she meets with the suspicious and mysterious family members, soon discovers their creepy traditions and witnesses some horrific family secrets.

Compared to other books by the author this one is quite lacking in humor, much more descriptive and atmospheric and there is also rather a distinct lack of plot twists. But despite being predictable at times, it's the prose and execution that made this one such an enjoyable read.

Like most of Tchaikovsky's work, the pages seem to file away, as I kept thinking of just another chapter before other stuff and found out that I'm almost. In these day and age of everyone being so damn busy, and huge and daunting books flooding the market, short and precise reads like this continue to deliver a short breather.

This one gets a spooky 4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - King Sorrow

Name - King Sorrow

Written by - Joe Hill

Narrated by - Ari Fliakos and multiple other voice actors

Published by - William Morrow / Headline 

Audiobook by - William Morrow 

To review a book like 'King Sorrow' is quite difficult, as there is little left to be said about such a much talked about book, and it's still even more difficult comparing it with all the hype that it created as one of the best books of the year. But thankfully, it does deliver on its promises while also having a few minor issues keeping it from archiving perfection.

This is my first read of Joe Hill, and boy can he spin a great tale? Although he did remind me a bit about his father, he created his own unique sense in creating his characters and an epic take spanning a lot of time in their life. The horror elements were among the best parts of the book keeping the readers guessing if the nightmare will ever end.

The most fascinating thing about the book is the characters, who are fleshed so brilliantly, with their unique traits making them feel so relatable despite often not being lovable. Hill kept us guessing at who might or might not survive till the end and ending provided quite an emotional closure to this charismatic cast.

The novel was a hefty one, almost 900 pages in length (26+ hours for me as I listened to the audiobook), could have been easily crafted into a series with its multiple stories at different times in the life of characters doing the unintentional bidding of the King. The whole setting is not explained in detail, keeping a sense of mystery regarding the supernatural element of the book, and the bits of humor dispersed were quite charming.

I have to suggest the reader to try to listen to the audiobook, as the voice acting and sound effects made it that much more visceral, almost making me feel like the dread of facing the dragon at times and being part of the unlucky group of friends.

My little complaints are regarding the slow start and the author not bothering with trimming a bit of the fat, making the experience more streamlined and fast-paced.

In the end, I will give this 4.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - The Hunger by Marsheila Rockwell

Name - The Hunger 

Series - Marvel Zombies 

Written by - Marsheila Rockwell 

Published by - Aconyte Books 

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Aconyte Books for this opportunity.

This certainly had the potential to be a very enjoyable book, with an interesting premise and some promising characters used. But ultimately too much banter and using Deadpool without focusing on his strengths made this one good while yet lasted but almost instantly forgettable upon finishing the reading.

This one deals with the patchwork team of Sanctum Sanctorum librarian, Zelma Stanton, witch Nico Minoru, monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone, and Deadpool coming up with a convoluted plan and trying their best to stop the zombie menace. The characters on offer were quite a well thought out team representing some lesser known Marvel heroines, and throwing in Deadpool had a certain sort of risk. 

The main issue with the book for me was the handling of Deadpool, making it seem like  he was only included for his popularity and used rather half-heartedly. There is also a bit too much banter for my liking and while the prose was a breeze to read I kept wondering when the action would begin.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read but nothing happens that leaves an impression and seemed like the whole excursion by the characters was rather pointless by the end.

3 out of 5 stars from me.

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About Marvel Entertainment

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For more information visit marvel.com. © 2023 MARVEL

New Book Review - Extremity by Nicholas Binge

Name - Extremity 

Written by - Nicholas Binge

Published by - Tor Publishing Group

Oftentimes, there are some reads which seem quite fun as you read it, but start to lose some of its fun and coherence when you examine it closely, more so with the perspective of hindsight. 'Extremity' is such a book. A fast-paced mystery and sci-fi hybrid that is a thrilling enough ride while it lasts, but quite forgettable once you are done.

This book is told through the first-person viewpoints of three characters: one veteran, one rookie, and one former police detective. The narrative style seemed a bit odd initially, but soon became comfortable enough and I as a reader was swept away by the blistering pace of plot progression. 

Some plot holes or rather unexplained plot points did make the enjoyment a bit hampered, but the interesting characters and the unexpected directions of the conflict kept me entertained up to the mini cliffhanger ending.

The main problem is that the author hammered through the science fiction bit of the story in his attempt to focus on the thriller aspect. Maybe he did this to keep stuff rolling for future sequels, but the story suffers from keeping the reader a bit unsatisfied when thinking back after finishing the book.

I will probably check out future books if any sequel does come out to see how the author explains the setting further. Meanwhile, this gets 3 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Godzilla Minus One by Takashi Yamazaki

Name - Godzilla Minus One (novelization)

Written by - Takashi Yamazaki

Translated by - Evan Ward

Published by - Seven Seas Entertainment 

Godzilla Minus One is a masterwork of how to tell a simplistic yet impactful story in a profound way. It follows quite a predictable formula but due to the strength of the inherent message and brilliant execution, it turns into something to rejoice for ages to come.

I had an interest in revisiting the experience, so I immediately picked up the novelization of the film as soon as I found out about it. And thankfully the book does deliver with some delightful new scenes and a glimpse into the psyche of some of the characters.

Uniquely, Godzilla Minus One is not just a monster movie, but features the struggles of a post-war country who are on the losing side facing yet another disaster and trying to overcome it this time on their own terms. The characters are quite vividly imagined, making the readers sympathetic to them and feeling anguish or joy alongside them in this all too human tale.

Almost everyone who is a genre fan has surely seen the movie or heard about it. This novelization just gives them another chance to re-enter this world.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Exiles by Mason Coile

Name - Exiles

Written by - Mason Coile (Andrew Pyper)

Narrated by - Ashley Morton 

Published by - G.P. Putnam's Sons / Baskerville 

Audiobook by - Penguin Audio

'Exiles' is a conglomeration of genres mixing a backdrop of sci-fi with bleak and uncompromising horror with a sense of pervading mystery packed in a tight package of fast moving thriller. While this combination seems like a hard thing to do masterfully the audiobook version with its emotionally packed narration does quite a wonderful job of delivering a memorable performance.

The plot follows three humans (one female and two males) going on a mission to Mars where they would live out the rest of their lives and prepare the way for other explorers following their footsteps. Awaiting them are three robots who built and now maintain their habitat. 

The story from the beginning is quite unpredictable, never really informing the reader much about the direction or about the main characters, creating a sense of mystery. The thrill slowly builds and the focus shifts from an exploration story to turn into horror focusing on alien environment and personal struggles.

The thing I liked about the story is the slow reveal for the reader of the fact that despite otherworldly setting, robots and possible alien menace, the horror actually is much more personal relying on the history of personal trauma and psychological instability. 

None of the characters are lovable, but it is quite understandable why they are motivated in acting in specific ways. The cunning and manipulation by the apparent antagonist while his/her identity is revealed give the emotional impact yet another jolt.

Maybe this story was custom built in such ways but the performance by Ashley Morton was simply outstanding, delivering such emotional narration, especially in the final third of the book, is remarkably memorable. The ending hit like a gut punch, which is both an accomplishment by the author and the narrator.

Sometimes after starting the book I came to know that the author is with us no more, which is such a shame, as it seems he was currently at the pique of his craft. At least, he lives us with a backlog of past works to explore in the future.

This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - The Hungry Gods by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - The Hungry Gods 

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by - Emma Newman

Series - Terrible Worlds: Innovations 

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

Audiobook by - Tantor Media 

Another Adrian Tchaikovsky novella, another innovative and interesting work involving a richly imagined world incorporating relatable and charismatically depicted characters. Nowadays, his work means contender for best of the year list.

This time the setting is a post-apocalyptic resource-depleted world, with animal-inspired factions embroiled in struggle for survival suddenly turned upside down by the arrival of four technologically advanced beings claiming to be gods.

The prose by Tchaikovsky is as enjoyable as ever, seeming to glide through the world building and introducing the main players. The obvious ecological rhetoric is done quite artfully making us ponder if this might occur in our future if we keep on polluting our surroundings. 

The characters are quite skillfully fleshed, having their own purposes and motivations to guide them through to the ending which is quite satisfying as is often the case with the author. I liked Beaker and Iffy the most and would have liked to read more about them.

Hoping to get more releases for this series in future as I will remain trying to finish reading all of available Tchaikovsky stuff (a daunting task indeed). This gets 4 out of 5 stars from me.

New Book Review - Horror for Weenies by Emily C. Hughes

Name - Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know About the Films You're Too Scared to Watch

Writer - Emily C. Hughes

Published By - Quirk Books

Maybe I do like non-fiction books about other fictional works or maybe I do great research and pick up the best in these kinds of books, but anyways 'Horror for Weenies' is yet another solid entry of referencing book on movies, focusing on great horror films from various subgenres.

Firstly, a warning, if you don't want to know the whole plot about the movie on offer don't read that chapter, as it discusses the whole plot with nice little snippets by the author, which is a great addition if you saw the movie or if you decide to watch it before reading the specific chapter.

The author's prose was quite enjoyable, the 'why it matters' section was simply outstanding and the book recommendations she offered at the end were like the icing on the cake. I really enjoyed reading about her viewpoints and her insight into the movie makings and tidbits.

Someone who was very afraid of horror stuff in childhood (the sound of the X-files theme song was enough to send me hurriedly to bed), but started to love horror as a genre as I grew up due to its versatility and awesome catalogue to enjoy, this book was a very enjoyable experience indeed.

I will give this full marks based on the purpose it was trying to accomplish, 5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - Walking to Aldebaran

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by - Adrian Tchaikovsky 

Series - Terrible Worlds: Destinations

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

Audiobook by - Tantor Media

Adrian Tchaikovsky is an author who is a pure workforce with the versatility of a computer. And his unique prose style and ability to convey so much enjoyment in a wide range of lengths and his genre versatility make reading any of his fiction a wholesome and unpredictable experience. 

'Walking to Aldebaran' is a novella-length tale of science fiction told in the first person that can also be perceived as a metaphor for dealing with the trauma of isolation or torturous ordeals. The build up is a bit slow at first, but the slow reveal of the twist was quite intriguing. And the ending was very satisfying to say the least.

The prose uses quite a lot of humor and pop-culture references to make the shock have that much more impact and after the reveals towards the end the readers realize there were various hints dispersed throughout the story all along.

As I listened to this as an audiobook, I would also like to mention the brilliant narration by the author which added quite a lot to the experience (although as English is not my first language I had a few problems with some accents).

This gets a well deserved 4 out of 5 stars from me and I'll surely delve deeper into the works by Adrian Tchaikovsky soon.

New Book Review - How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix

Name -  How to Sell a Haunted House 

Writer - Grady Hendrix

Published By - Berkley Books

Grady Hendrix can write in a very engaging style; with his unique mixture of horror and dark humor; his relatable, interesting and well developed cast of characters and his unique knack of using well used tropes in fun ways to entertain. But unlike his previous writings this one does drag a bit in the middle and might have done well with cutting out 100 or so pages. 

After their parents' sudden death Louise must deal with the house they left behind and her complicated relationship with her brother Mark, while also dealing with something sinister that also inhabits their childhood home. Throughout the story we get to slowly learn more about the eventful history of the house and her family. 

The prose by Hendrix was as enjoyable as ever, with his unique style of slowly divulging information and coloring his characters. I especially enjoyed how he brilliantly transformed Mark from an annoying and selfish prick into someone who is quite smart and thoughtful and sympathetic person. 

Despite the strength of the characters, the story really suffered from the plodding pace during the second half the book. It does pick up its tempo closer to the ending, but by then finishing it felt like a bit of a chore. 

I will definitely check out future works by the author, especially because I really like his character building and sense of humor. I just really he keeps things a bit more compact and focused. 

This was a mixed bag, 3 out of 5 stars from me. 

New Book Review - 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered

Name - 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered

Writer - Sadie Hartmann

Published By - Page Street Publishing

Well, if you are like me and have gotten into the intriguing world of horror fiction in the last few years after traversing through other branches of genre fiction, this book is specifically curated for the likes of you. If you are like me, you have often wondered if it was possible to ignore the vast richness of the past works of horror fiction and check out the good stuff from the last decade this book is for you. If you just want to test out the different sub-genres of the immensely versatile world of horror for the first time, well, what do you know, this book is also for you. 

'Sadie Hartmann' did a brilliant job of just taking post 2000 books and making a huge list putting in varied tastes of modern readers into consideration. There are also some delightful author spotlights focusing on some lesser known yet highly imaginative authors who are emerging into the genre as future giants. Also some short non-fiction pieces from some of these authors. 

I really loved the way Sadie arranged her recommendations into various sub-genres (would have loved a few more like space horror, medieval horror, etc. though) and then listed them with not only a synopsis type post but rather her take on the novel or collection. I loved her little at a glance feature below the review particularly. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to people like me who love books about books, and also to people looking for some solid modern horror recommendations and also to people who are trying to get into the genre. Solid and thoroughly enjoyable reading material. 

I'll give this one full marks, 5 out of 5 stars. 

New Book Review - Do or Die by Josh Reynolds

Book - Do or Die 

Writer - Josh Reynolds 

Series - A Zombicide Novel

Published By - Aconyte Books

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Aconyte Books for this opportunity.

I started reading this one having previously enjoyed the 2nd book in the series and with a bit of certainty that I would enjoy the further adventures of these interesting characters despite the overall familiar setting. Reynolds tries to spice up the adventure by setting up the story in the Everglades in Florida and adding some even more horrific monsters and equally dangerous humans. 

Westlake, Ramirez and company travel to the Everglades in search of more hidden caches of resources and friendly survivors, but things are way different than before as Westlake is falling apart both physically and mentally due to his transformation and there are strange animals and humans around to make their plight very difficult. The incoming hurricane and the issues between some new members and the usual gang makes matters even more edgy. 

The prose is depicted through various viewpoint characters, and the jumping of perspective was a bit much at times. It was really fun to return to the favorites like Westlake, Clavera and Kahwhita while the new characters and antagonists gave their own perspective to the ongoing struggle. I just really wish it had more chapters from the viewpoint of Westlake and Calavera.

From the get go it was apparent that some of these characters will not survive till the end, yet it was hard to say goodbye when the time came. The pace was as blistering as expected with no time for respite and the author did the action bits quite brilliantly.  The ending was also better than the last book despite being a bit predictable from the last one third of the story. 

I would really love to read more about this character although I am quite certain this will be the final adventure of this gang. It was definitely fun while it lasted. 

4 out of 5 stars from me.