YA Weekend Audio: All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Posted on October 17, 2021 24 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
All These Bodies by Kendare Blake
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: HarperAudio (September 21, 2021)
Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Matt Godfrey
It’s been years since I last picked up a book by Kendare Blake. Still, I remember the time I had with her Anna Dressed in Blood duology quite fondly, so when I first found out about All These Bodies, there were several key elements in the synopsis that really appealed to me, namely: the small-town setting, a true crime inspiration, and the possibility of a supernatural killer.
The majority of this story takes place in the late summer and autumn of 1958. A new panic is spreading across the Midwest, fueled by a series of bizarre murders where the victims are found with their bodies strangely drained of all their blood. Then one day in September, a teenage girl is found covered in blood standing outside her family’s farmhouse in rural Minnesota, while everyone else lay slaughtered inside. At first, authorities believed 15-year-old Marie Hale to be the sole survivor of a deadly home invasion, but after it was discovered that none of the blood found on her was actually hers, they began to view her as the main suspect.
Pretty soon, the police are connecting her case with the string of other murders in the area. Viewed with renewed scrutiny, Marie is held in prison and monitored while the investigation is ongoing. The entire country wants to know about this strange girl and how it’s possible she could have perpetrated such heinous crimes alone, and it is thought that she must have had an accomplice. Unfortunately though, Marie is choosing to remain tightlipped, and when she does finally agree to tell her story, she will only do so to Michael Jensen—the son of the sheriff who arrested her. As someone who is passionate about journalism and who wants to work for the papers one day, Michael is stunned when he is singled out this way, but also knows he cannot let this opportunity pass by, recognizing it as the only way to get to the bottom of the truth.
If you’re looking for a supernatural thriller, then move along because this is not the book you’re looking for. It’s not even all that scary, despite its horror tag. At the end of the day, the plot reads more like a mystery suspense, with lots of ambiguity and an open-ended conclusion. The fantastical aspects are also on the lighter side and treated with vagueness, which will leave readers with lots of questions. Bottom line, this is not a novel for those who prefer stories that flaunt their paranormal elements. Likewise, if you like clear-cut answers and closure, you will probably find yourself frustrated by what would be considered the end reveal.
However, if you can deal with a bit of ambiguity in return for a unique take on the vampire mythos, All These Bodies is certainly worth the read. Using the murders as a backdrop, the story explores the role of the media and the way it feeds off the public on their panic and their fascination and their need for answers. Michael is an interesting character, with one foot in both worlds, having been placed in an unusual position of being an outsider but also privy to the inner workings of the investigation. A journalist-in-training, he knows his goal is to seek the truth, but also sees the challenge of trying to cut through the desperation and hysteria.
Marie herself is shrouded in mystery, and mostly kept at arm’s length by design. As such, we really only have Michael’s point-of-view to go on, but eventually we do gain some understanding of Marie through his eyes as the two of them grow close. Still, one thing to know is that at no point does their relationship become overtly romantic; rather, they start to see in each other a worthy counterpart or a valuable ally of sorts, and this was a welcoming dynamic that I did not expect to see.
I also enjoyed the atmosphere, which is mostly generated by the story and questions surrounding Marie. The author manages to pull off a fine balancing act, holding back on the supernatural elements just enough to confound the situation. It was actually the setting that I was somewhat disappointed in, because I was unable to feel a connection to the place or the time. The overall sense of the world was simply not there, which may have played into my slight disillusionment over the ending. Without getting into any details in case of spoilers, I understood what Blake was trying to get at, but just wasn’t entirely convinced. Still, it’s not a reason to write off the entire book, especially since the rest leading up to that point was rather well executed.
Overall, All These Bodies is probably worth checking out if anything about the story piques your interest, though keep in mind it might not be the horror or paranormal novel the description leads you to believe. I also would recommend the audiobook narrated by Matt Godfrey, whose performance heightened the suspense and made this strange and mysterious plot feel even more tense and immersive.
Bookshelf Roundup: 10/16/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on October 16, 2021 17 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
I always love getting Orbit book mail! Earlier this month, a finished copy of Warriors of God by Andrzej Sapkowski arrived from the publisher. This is the follow up to The Tower of Fools, which was okay. I’m too much of a fan of the author’s Witcher books to just give up on this new series though, so if I have time this fall, I wanted to give this sequel a try before I make up my mind about this trilogy.
With thanks also to Minotaur Books for the surprise arrival of Echoes of the Dead by Spencer Kope. This is the fourth installment of a series called Special Tracking Unit, but the good thing about these types of series is that their individual volumes are usually written as stand alone cases/stories. I’m kind of digging the premise of the series, which follows a world famous “tracker” known for his ability to follow a person’s trail anywhere, and in this one he is tasked to find a group of four high-profile friends who went missing in the Sierra Nevada range.
Thanks to the kind folks at Subterranean Press, I also received this gorgeous, humongous ARC of Holy Terror: Stories by Cherie Priest. This is the author’s first collection of short fiction, and weirdly, even though I’m not big on anthologies, I’m actually pretty excited about this one. I’m currently reading her book Grave Reservations and it’s reminding me of all the reasons I love her style. I’m especially interested in a couple of the standalone novellas collected in here, but there are also some stories that take place in her series like Clockwork Century.
In the digital haul, I’d like to thank HarperAudio for a tri of exciting new ALCs: Trashlands by Alison Stine, Any Sign of Life by Rae Carson, and The Seven Queen by Greta Kelly which I’m so excited about because I loved the first book The Frozen Crown. And I gotta know how that cliffhanger resolves!
And with thanks to Listening Library, I also received ALCs of Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (hard to believe the third book is upon us already) as well as ReDawn by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson, which is the second volume in the Skyward novella series. I’ve just recently reviewed the first one, so I’m ready to dive right in.
Reviews
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke (4 of 5 stars)
Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson (3.5 of 5 stars)
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw (3 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Friday Face-Off: Favorite Book of Magic
Posted on October 15, 2021 9 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
~ a cover to a FAVORITE BOOK OF MAGIC
Written in Red by Anne Bishop
I reached further back this week for one of my favorite books with magic, since this was the novel that re-sparked my interest in Anne Bishop’s books and made me a fan of her urban fantasy. In the world of The Others, the mundane and the supernatural coexist in a fragile balance. As long as the humans keep in line, the creatures of magic will tolerate sharing their living space.
Let’s take a look at the covers:
From left to right:
Roc (2013) – Voyager (2013) – Portuguese Edition (2015)
Polish Edition (2013) – French Edition (2014) – German Edition (2016)
Winner:
I like several of these, but if you asked me which one would stand out most if I saw all of them on a shelf together, I would have to go with the Portuguese edition. That fiery color just makes it pop!
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Novella Review: Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Posted on October 14, 2021 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tor.com (October 19, 2021)
Length: 128 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The cover to Cassandra Khaw’s Nothing But Blackened Teeth is really something else. I mean, I kind of hate it but I also really love it, if that makes sense. It’s definitely one of the most disturbing covers I’ve ever seen, such a nightmare-inducing sight that I can barely even stand to be in the same room as the book most nights. And yet, as a lover of scary stories, how could I resist the temptation? Not possible, of course.
So, steeling myself, I dove into this dark and broody tale following a group of childhood friends as they travel to a Haian-era mansion in Japan to celebrate a union between two of their own. For Nadia, having her wedding at a haunted house has been a forever dream of hers, one that her likewise adventurous husband-to-be Faiz was happy to make come true. They’ve invited their three friends Cat, Lin, and Philip to come along, though in truth, things aren’t really all that friendly between the five of them, as they’ve all dated each other at some point, resulting in a history full of hurt feelings and bitter grudges.
The story is actually told from Cat’s point of view, and her animosity towards the bride is immediately made apparent, since she never got over the fact Nadia once stole Phillip from her, back when the two of them dated. It is later revealed that the feeling is mutual, as Faiz also used to date Cat, something that still very much bothers Nadia to this day. However, all this pent-up hate and frustration turns out to be no match for the negative energies of the house where, according to a famous legend, was where a young bride had herself buried alive after her fiancé was killed on the way to their wedding. Notoriously unhinged, her restless spirit, a ohaguro-bettari, is said to be still haunting the halls, waiting for the ghost of her lost love, while demanding sacrifice from innocents and visitors who dare enter her domain.
At 128 pages, Nothing But Blackened Teeth was a short read, and at the end of the day, I suppose a novella is the perfect format to tell this kind of story. By that, I mean it’s not complicated. Much of the book is given to the endless drama between this group of frenemies, and ultimately, the collective weight of their emotional baggage pretty much cripples any kind of meaningful character development. Essentially then, all you have left is the horror plot that matters, and it’s one that’s pretty straightforward.
Here’s what I enjoyed: I’ve always had a fondness for Japanese mythology, especially the huge body of legends and folktales surrounding yōkai or supernatural creatures that include monsters, spirits, and ghosts. Didn’t really take me long to realize that this book wasn’t scary at all (it was a bit too over-the-top for that), but that was fine because it had the creep-factor and the atmosphere, both thanks to the wonderful way the author built up the mansion’s disturbing details and history.
As for the rest, I confess my feelings are somewhat mixed. This being my first book by Cassandra Khaw, I’m unfamiliar with her writing style so I’m not sure if the prose here is how she usually writes or just an affectation which she adopted for this story only. While at times her descriptions felt overly embellished, dialogue is another matter, coming across as shallow and simple. The words “soap opera script” came to mind, given the kind of fickle characters we’re dealing with. As you can imagine, taken together, the two clashing forms made for a jarring experience.
I also don’t think you’re really meant to like any of the characters, but it was very bizarre how this aspect was handled. Clearly a lot of effort was put into trying to make them sympathetic, because otherwise there wouldn’t have been so many words invested into everyone’s backstories which included a long list of their relationship problems, insecurities and hang-ups. If this was meant to humanize them though, or make them more relatable or pitiable even, it completely backfired on me, as I didn’t even make it halfway before I was ready for the ohaguro-bettari to tear them all to pieces. In that sense, I guess, the book scores another win, because everything goes to hell in the ending, but in a good way where the blood and guts are literally flying.
Still, bottom line, I can’t say that I was overly moved by this novella, though it had its moments of creeping dread and genuine spookiness. However, I can also say that it was the perfect length, and despite my issues with the prose or the thoroughly unsympathetic characters, the entertainment value was enough that I’m honestly not sorry I read this. Nothing But Blackened Teeth might not be anything too special, but as someone who enjoys horror stories with a cultural and mythological bent, it was a fun way to spend a couple hours in the afternoon as we head into the Halloween season.
Waiting on Wednesday 10/13/21
Posted on October 13, 2021 11 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong (May 31, 2022 by Minotaur Books)
As you know, Kelley Armstrong is the author of one of my favorite mystery-thriller series right now, and with Rockton still going very strong, I was a little surprised to see that she’ll be debuting another new detectives series pretty soon. But hey, I’m certainly not complaining! Mallory sounds like a character I’d love to meet, and I also love that there is a time travel/supernatural element.
“In this series debut from New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong, a modern-day homicide detective finds herself in Victorian Scotland—in an unfamiliar body—with a killer on the loose.
May 20, 2019: Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. While out on a jog one evening, Mallory hears a woman in distress. She’s drawn to an alley, where she is attacked and loses consciousness.
May 20, 1869: Housemaid Catriona Thomson had been enjoying a half-day off, only to be discovered that night in a lane, where she’d been strangled and left for dead . . . exactly one-hundred-and-fifty years before Mallory was strangled in the same spot.
When Mallory wakes up in Catriona’s body in 1869, she must put aside her shock and adjust quickly to the reality: life as a housemaid to an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. She soon discovers that her boss, Dr. Gray, also moonlights as a medical examiner and has just taken on an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself. Her only hope is that catching the murderer can lead her back to her modern life . . . before it’s too late.
Outlander meets The Alienist in Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time, the first book in this utterly compelling series, mixing romance, mystery, and fantasy with thrilling results.”
Book Review: The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
Posted on October 12, 2021 18 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Berkley(October 5, 2021)
Length: 368 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
After The Nesting last year, I just knew I had to get my hands on more of C.J. Cooke’s work. So, when the synopsis of The Lighthouse Witches promised more of that same Gothic suspense and atmospheric goodness, I was quite anxious to dive right in.
Our story begins in 1998, as artist Olivia Stay arrives on Scottish isle Lòn Haven along with her three daughters Sapphire, Luna, and Clover. Commissioned to paint a mural inside an ancient lighthouse supposedly built on the ruins of prison for witches, Olivia knows very little about the client who hired her or why he wanted the work done, but she’s desperate for work and also looking to start fresh in a new place.
Her teenager Sapphire, however, is quite unhappy about having been uprooted from their old home and is taking her anger out on her mother and sisters. Exploring on her own, she comes across an old tome left near the lighthouse filled with accounts of the witch burnings that happened on the island back in in the 1600s. The residents of the village, friendly as they are, also seem to be deeply superstitious, believing in the old stories about changelings, and it doesn’t help that for such a small place, Lòn Haven has a long and disturbing history of children randomly disappearing.
And then the unthinkable happens. Two of Olivia’s daughters go missing, setting her off on a panicked search. But in the end, only one girl is found. Fast forward twenty-three years later to the present day, we follow Luna, now a grown woman expecting her first child. Her life is a bit of a mess, having been estranged from her mother Olivia and now having relationship troubles with her boyfriend, which is putting even more stress on her already high-risk pregnancy. Through it all though, Luna has never given up searching for her lost sisters, and then one day, she unexpectedly receives news from the police that Clover has been found. Excited to be reunited with her sister, who should be around thirty years old by now, Luna is shocked to arrive at the station to find a little girl.
At first, her heart sinks knowing this can’t be Clover, but at the same time, the child looks exactly like her seven-year-old sister who went missing back in 1998. Not only that, she also sounds exactly like her, knows all the things that only Clover would know. It shouldn’t be possible, but the more time Luna spends with the girl, the more she is convinced that she is her sister. But how to explain the fact that she hasn’t aged a day since they last saw each other?
Basically, there are narratives from three timelines that make up The Lighthouse Witches—the one in 1998 told from Olivia and Sapphire’s POVs, the one in 2021 from Luna’s POV, and the last one told through diary entries from the old book, which I won’t comment on any further in case of spoilers. As you can imagine, all that jumping around can get a little dicey, and I won’t lie, there were definitely moments where things got confusing. Still, for the most part, I thought the author handled the POV switches very well, alternating and contrasting the timelines in a way that delivered the most tension and impact.
That said, it does take a while for the three arcs to build and weave together some semblance of a conflict, so patience is required until the main plot can get off the ground. Once you hit a certain point though, the mystery reaches a climax, and the rest of the novel unfolds at a breathless pace. I would say if you enjoyed The Nesting, then there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy The Lighthouse Witches too, and in fact, in certain respects, I liked this one better. Both books begin with a single woman relocating to a remote place to start a new job, and both also involve creepy children. Then there’s the paranormal element, which is even more pronounced in this novel, and that’s great news if that’s your jam. This time, I also wasn’t as hung up on certain questionable explanations or leaps of logic, because the presence of the otherworldly and uncanny gave the plot a lot more leeway.
As with most novels that can be described as moody, twisty, slow-burn Gothic suspense, The Lighthouse Witches probably won’t be for everyone, but if you happen to be on the lookout for that kind of story and won’t mind a somewhat indeterminate supernatural angle, then this book is for you.
Most Anticipated Releases of 2021: October to December
Posted on October 11, 2021 24 Comments
Time to look ahead to the Science Fiction and Fantasy reads I’m most excited about in the months of October to December! Not only is it fun to organize my reading and to make lists, they also have the added benefit of focusing my attention to the highly anticipated releases that I’d like to check out. This year, I decided to try something a little different by posting a list every quarter to make the TBR more manageable. There’s already an impressive tower of books on my to-read pile, and while I’m under no illusions that I’ll be able to read them all, hopefully I can get to most of them (and also put some new books on people’s radars)!
The last three months of the year are always a bit lighter in terms of releases, which is why November and December are always great for catching up with the books I may have missed earlier in the spring and summer, plus November is also Sci-Fi Month so you’ll probably see me cover more titles than are listed here. That’s why I’ve really tried to cut down on my must-reads this quarter, I promise!
So what are your most anticipated releases for the final quarter of 2021?
October
October 5 – The Light House Witches by C.J. Cooke, Cackle by Rachel Harrison, A Spindle Splintered by Alix E. Harrow
October 12 – The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock
October 19 – Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw
October 26 – Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest, These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant
November
November 2 – The Seventh Queen by Greta Kelly, A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske, The Veiled Throne by Ken Liu,
November 9 – Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente
November 16 – Leviathan Falls by James S. A. Corey
November 23 – The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart, Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson
November 30 – Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee
December
December 7 – The Liar’s Knot by M.A. Carrick
YA Weekend Audio: Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
Posted on October 10, 2021 22 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Series: Book 1 of Skyward Flight Novellas
Publisher: Listen Library (September 28, 2021)
Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins
Author Information: Brandon Sanderson | Janci Patterson
Narrator: Suzy Jackson
Sunreach by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson is the first novella set in the Skyward universe, and even though it stars a different character, I believe having Skyward and Starsight under your belt would be highly beneficial before starting this. Sunreach also appears to serve as a bridge to the events in the upcoming third novel of the series, Cytonic, set to come out in November.
In Sunreach, we follow protagonist FM, one of the Defiant Defense Force pilots back on the planet Detritus. Now those on the planet must figure out a way to escape before the forces of the Galactic Superiority return to finish them all off. In the meantime, FM’s Skyward Flight squadmate Spensa has discovered the key to unlock the secret of their enemy’s hyperdrives—a species of cytonic slug known as the Taynix. With their stranded friend Minister Cuna trapped far way on the outpost of Sunreach, it has become even more crucial to discover how to harness the power of the slugs so they can make the jump to rescue her.
There’s a lot to process here for a novella, even though at just over 200 pages, it’s considered to be on the longer side. Still, this is why I would recommend reading the first two novels as a prerequisite, or else much of the nuance would be lost. For one, the importance of Spensa’s role would be more difficult to understand, as well as the social dynamics between all the pilots of Skyward Flight. The side plot with the slugs would also lack the same impact, for example, if you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Doomslug yet.
As for FM, she is a fantastic protagonist and I’m glad she got to have her own story in Sunreach. That said though, I still feel she made for a better supporting character in the main series. While that might just be an effect related to the writing style, in general I didn’t think she was exceptionally well developed here beyond what would be expected, and of course, having prior knowledge of her character was helping a lot with that. Granted, through FM’s eyes we got to see the bigger picture of what’s happening on Detritus, and her interactions with others like Jorgen or Rig gave us plenty more insight on their lives and personalities, so we’re still talking a lot of positive effects.
In terms of the writing, as I’ve alluded to before, it’s a bit different. It doesn’t read exactly like Sanderson, which makes me think Patterson was given a fair amount of creative autonomy on this project, but she does make an excellent effort at making Sunreach stay true to the Skyward novels while still giving FM her own unique voice. One thing I did note though, is that compared to the main series, this feels slightly more YA, with greater emphasis given to the romantic side arc, as well as a lot more “cutesiness” added to the parts with the slugs whereas Sanderson’s handling of them involves more of the cheesy kind of humor.
Bottom line, you should probably check out Sunreach if you’re a mega fan of the Skyward series, which I admit I am, though at the end of the day, these novellas are probably meant to supplement the main novels given the “companion story” vibes. Regardless, I had a good time catching up with these characters and it’s always a delight to visit this world again. I was also fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to review the audiobook, which was a quick and fun listen, superbly narrated by the fabulously talented Suzy Jackson, as always.
Bookshelf Roundup: 10/09/21: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on October 9, 2021 17 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
A big thanks this week to the awesome folks at Tordotcom for an ARC of Comfort Me With Apples by Catherynne M. Valente. I always love the anticipation of picking up one of her books because you never know what you’ll get, she’s so full of interesting and out-of-this-world ideas. The publisher also sent me a finished copy of Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw. That cover is so creepy! I’ve already read this one though, and it was super quick – a review will be up very soon
Thank you also to Orbit Books for a review copy of The Quicksilver Court by Melissa Caruso, sequel to The Obsidian Tower. I love the author’s work and I can’t wait to continue this series.
It’s the beginning of a new month so we have quite a few audiobooks in the digital haul. With thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for listening copies of the following: Verspertine by Margaret Rogerson is one I’m excited to get to, and I’ve been seeing some great reviews for it already; Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest looks a little different from the author’s previous works, which has me very curious; Where They Wait by Scott Carson is a horror thriller about a journalist researching a new mindfulness/white noise app that is giving people nightmares, and oh my goodness does the synopsis sound freaky; and finally, Every Star A Song by Jay Posey is the sequel to Every Sky A Grave and I’m looking forward to continuing the series.
Also thank you to Dreamscape Media for a listening copy of The Corpse Flower by Anne Mette Hancock. I confess, this one was kind of an impulse request, but when I saw the description I just couldn’t resist. Originally written in Danish, an English translation is finally being released (with the print version published by Crooked Lane Books) for this psychological thriller which definitely also has a frightening vibe to it.
My thanks as well to Penguin Random House Audio for providing listening copies of Star Wars Visions: Ronin by Emma Mieko Candon which is inspired by the first episode of the new Disney Plus animated series, as well as Pearl by Josh Malerman which, um, sounds pretty out there based on the publisher description, but hey, I’m willing to give anything a try when it comes to this author.
Reviews
Mordew by Alex Pheby (3.5 of 5 stars)
Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry (2 of 5 stars)
What I’ve Been Reading
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read!
Friday Face-Off: Chills
Posted on October 8, 2021 16 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“Anything at all that almost makes you too scared to pick up the book (your own pet hate)”
~ a cover that gives you CHILLS
You Let Me In by Camilla Bruce
There’s nothing really that will scare me enough to not want to pick up a book, but there are few things that will probably make me shudder a little if I see them on the cover. Broken dolls, with their empty staring eyes is a biggie. Bloody teeth or nails are another. And finally, seeing dead things on the cover, that always makes me feel a bit icky. The book I chose this week is a pretty good example.
From left to right:
Tor Books (2020) – Bantam Press (2020) – German Edition (2020)
Spanish Edition A (2021) – Spanish Edition B (2021) – Transworld Publications (2021)
Winner:
Well, I know which covers I won’t be choosing, which definitely narrows down the options. I do like the Tor Books version, but in terms of being interesting and eye-catching, I’m going to have to go with the German edition.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
The BiblioSanctum 