ALC Book Review: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

August 7, 2024July 17, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Horror
Length: 336 pages
Author: T. Kingfisher
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: August 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

NEW [TO ME] AUTHOR ALERT.

Alright, I’ve heard a lot about T. Kingfisher’s books. And when I had the opportunity to get an audiobook early for her newest release I took it as a sign. I enjoyed this! It’s probably one of the most horror-esque books I’ve ever read but didn’t go past whatever arbitrary line I have in my head that would have creeped me out. This had a good level of creep for me.

I liked the story too. It was intriguing and I kept coming back to it wondering what would happen next. I thought the audio production was well done and can easily recommend that format if you’re interested in reading this one.

This kind of gave me Mother Gothel vibes but make it a whole lot darker. I liked the atmosphere and seeing what kind of drama was going to unfold next. I thought the characters were well written and kept things interesting. The pacing slowed down a bit for me and I was waiting for things to get wrapped up. Otherwise, a great read, I think I would try another book by Kingfisher!

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Horror
Language: low
Violence: high
Content Warnings: emotional abuse, controlling someone through magic, murder, loss of life

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ARC Book Review: The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance Sayers

November 14, 2023October 26, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Horror/Historical/Paranormal
Length: 480 pages
Author: Constance Sayers
Publisher: Redhook
Release Date: November 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of A Witch in Time comes a haunting tale of ambition, obsession, and the eternal mystery and magic of film.

1968: Actress Gemma Turner once dreamed of stardom. Unfortunately, she’s on the cusp of slipping into obscurity. When she’s offered the lead in a radical new horror film, Gemma believes her luck has finally changed. But L’Etrange Lune’s set is not what she expected. The director is eccentric, and the script doesn’t make sense.

Gemma is determined to make this work. It’s her last chance to achieve her dream—but that dream is about to derail her life. One night, between the shadows of an alleyway, Gemma disappears on set and is never seen again. Yet, Gemma is still alive. She’s been transported into the film and the script—and the monsters within it—are coming to life. She must play her role perfectly if she hopes to survive.

2015: Gemma Turner’s disappearance is one of film history’s greatest mysteries—one that’s haunted film student Christopher Kent ever since he saw his first screening of L’Etrange Lune. The screenings only happen once a decade and each time there is new, impossible footage of Gemma long after she vanished. Desperate to discover the truth, Christopher risks losing himself. He’ll have to outrun the cursed legacy of the film—or become trapped by it forever.

Thank you to Orbit Books for the gifted ARC.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS ONE.

I finally finished this and it was not what I was expecting. This weird combination of curses, demons, vampires, historical, movie stars, romance, and more. I wanted it to all work together and it just…didn’t.

For the initial 40-50% I felt pretty invested. I was rolling with the slow nature and curious how things were going to start connecting. And when they did is when this book lost me. It gave me the sense of things being added to solve the plot that’s been created rather than a natural movement through the story. The random romance did not fit and for a horror book I never once found myself creeped out.

Neither of the main characters were remarkably memorable. Everything was okay. That’s the best way I could describe it unfortunately. The ending worked out well enough (though I still have some questions??). This was my first book by the author and I was really excited for it and now I’m honestly not sure what to think.

Overall audience notes:

Horror/Historical/Paranormal
Language: a little strong
Romance: closed door
Violence: moderate
Trigger/Content Warnings: substance abuse, mentions of suicide, loss of a parent, multiple deaths

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Book Review: Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep #1) by Mira Grant

November 3, 2023November 10, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Thriller / Horror
Length: 440 pages
Author: Mira Grant
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: November 14th, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy.

Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost.

Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

THIS WAS SO GOOD.

What’s a genre I never read? HORROR. But this book came highly recommended and I was told it’s a must because MERMAIDS and y’all, it delivered.

I loved that there was so many points of view. The people above the ocean and the creatures below the ocean. There were many different angles and types of thoughts on this ship and I loved that this showed every nuanced side of the story. It made everything feel real and authentic to how things would probably be going down in this situation.

This was definitely giving me Jurassic Park (a favorite of mine) + murderous mermaids and I was easily convinced that I needed to read it. I loved the morality discussions and how much gray area was being brought about as research needed to be accomplished.

Things were intense, spooky and I could not stop listening. I do think my enjoyment level was increased because of the audiobook. The narrator did a FANTASTIC job of giving every character their own style and it brought the book that much more alive in my mind. Highly recommend that route if you’re interested.

I don’t want to say much more because it’s filled with twists and sinister turns that are best brought out by reading it on your own. Just know, this is an easy recommendation for me to give.

Overall audience notes:

Horror / Thriller
Language: some strong
Romance: quick fade to black / closed-door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: high contents of gore and blood, multiple deaths, gun violence, poisonings, etc.

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Book Review: Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) by Katherine Arden

April 12, 2021October 9, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Middle Grade Horror
Length: 218 pages
Author: Katherine Arden
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

New York Times bestselling adult author of The Bear and the Nightingale makes her middle grade debut with a creepy, spellbinding ghost story destined to become a classic

After suffering a tragic loss, eleven-year-old Ollie only finds solace in books. So when she happens upon a crazed woman at the river threatening to throw a book into the water, Ollie doesn’t think–she just acts, stealing the book and running away. As she begins to read the slender volume, Ollie discovers a chilling story about a girl named Beth, the two brothers who both loved her, and a peculiar deal made with “the smiling man,” a sinister specter who grants your most tightly held wish, but only for the ultimate price.

Ollie is captivated by the tale until her school trip the next day to Smoke Hollow, a local farm with a haunting history all its own. There she stumbles upon the graves of the very people she’s been reading about. Could it be the story about the smiling man is true? Ollie doesn’t have too long to think about the answer to that. On the way home, the school bus breaks down, sending their teacher back to the farm for help. But the strange bus driver has some advice for the kids left behind in his care: “Best get moving. At nightfall they’ll come for the rest of you.” Nightfall is, indeed, fast descending when Ollie’s previously broken digital wristwatch, a keepsake reminder of better times, begins a startling countdown and delivers a terrifying message: RUN.

Only Ollie and two of her classmates heed the bus driver’s warning. As the trio head out into the woods–bordered by a field of scarecrows that seem to be watching them–the bus driver has just one final piece of advice for Ollie and her friends: “Avoid large places. Keep to small.”

And with that, a deliciously creepy and hair-raising adventure begins.

NO SCARECROWS FOR ME.

Wow this was SPOOKY for a middle grade read! Had me shivering a few times at the absolute creepiness of those scarecrows. Hard NOPE. I will not be hanging around a corn maze or pumpkin patch after dark, better believe that.

This was a good book though. A quick audio book read that kept me interested and worried for all involved. It was an interesting tale and strong characters. I enjoyed Ollie. She really fit the middle school narrative (in a good way). Ollie was coping with loss, friendships and finding a way to take on the fear in front of her.

It’s fast-paced and reminds me of why I love Arden’s writing [if you’re new here, The Winternight Trilogy is one of my favorite series EVER]. I will happily keep reading anything she publishes and this is no exception. An eerie atmosphere with budding friendships really brought this book home. I have definite plans to continue this series!

Overall audience notes: