I‘m super into ‘found artifact‘ books right now. Fantasticland does this right. As the interviews go on, unreliable narrators describe a modern Lord of the Flies situation. The set up: a hurricane Katrina situation destroys Disney-esque theme park and the social contract of those left behind. I appreciated the plot and characters; exposition in line with Rashomon. An excellent book. Creative in setting and storytelling.

Absolutely a must read! This book is wonderful and Emily Jane is a talent to watch. The best part for me was how normal problems and relationships are endearing, with spaceships (a bit of a) second thought. This is a love story of life here, and out there. Intelligent life is wherever you find it, even if it‘s a choncky cuddle cat (not a spoiler. A fact.)

Ruins of Detroit and ruins in people. Haunting but triumphant in prose, creativity, and style. Elements of the need to express (damaging) art at a larger level, yet the baddie is naïve and confused. The characters fighting are in typical positions, but written with care of the individual. Beukes has a gift: flaws are fine tuned into the compelling. Hard to put in words. The story speaks for itself.

Incredible. Combining the world of internet sleuthing and lost to found person-from USA to Ireland, the ‘net forms a bond. Four narrators, with secrets and sensitivities. I recommend listening to the Audiobook. Combine Lotzs‘ excellent narrative with narrators truly immerses as the plot plays out.

I‘m growing on Sarah Lotz. While listing to another book of hers, I just finished this one. Set from extreme depth to extreme height (caves to Everest), the focus on the psychological/paranormal/trauma of the central characters drew me in. The idea of a shadow, real as a person, but only seen by one. Mind over matter, but the matter of madness extends a hand (even if unwanted).

When your internal monologue switches to Anderson Cooper (admittedly, mine has at some points), because your family is now ‘possessed‘ to do unspeakable disgusting things based on media brain rot…well, should you think you‘re any better? Our media consumption is the downfall of society in this story. One I consider amazingly crafted and particularly disturbing. Ironically unironically sharing on social media, hashtag. 😁

VanderMeer and his Southern Reach series is a study in the surreal. This installment is the ‘prequel‘. We start a point that still has anchor between Area X and the ‘lost coast‘ (Florida area, I think). We start with spies and gators and the creeping distortions of another universe. We are then transitioned into the spear provoking the events of Annihilation and beyond. Excellent. Must read other books before to fully enjoy this one.

This was a fantastic read and incredible ride! I like how this series follows a background character as well as the mains, but this book was very captivating. From Stalins oppressive Russia to Denmark to a heart pounding end-I couldn‘t put it down.

The second installment of the Nina Borg series is ok. It explores how discrimination and the Roma people (sincere apologies if I did not use the correct word) as outcasts. Other characters are introduced. I could see where it was going from a mile away, so I just moved on mid-read to book 3 (The Nightingale). However, a pick because of the writing and subject matter.

Maud lives under the thumb of her oppressive father, a religious zealot with sins. The manor house crumbles as his sanity does, as told through his journal-parallels only he can see mirroring a medieval manuscript. The reader can see the megalomania take him; Maud pays the price to keep her beloved fen (wild marshland) safe. I loved this book, and less than 500 words cannot do it justice!

I randomly picked this up and need to read the prequel now! A journalist, a detective, and the subject of ptsd…seeing things whilst subconsciously grasping for patterns. Loved the book. Good if you are a fan of Scandinavian-noir and need a new lead.

In this heart pounding novel, twists and turns take the reader from Eastern Europe to Scandinavia. Love that this sub genre of Scandinavia-noir has a protagonist who isn‘t a cop. However, I‘m excited to read the entire series!

I think I had my fill with the Victorian motif. The Ghost Writer was amazing. I‘ll admit I didn‘t really get past the first few chapters of The Asylum. Maybe just wasn‘t feeling it, and it could be that it was so familiar as a trope. Since I can‘t give a proper review, I‘ll give it a so-so as benefit of the doubt.

A short book worthy of long praise. Finding a place (safe to some or strong to another), loss, and a great balance of Irish mythology and cryptic disaster (which was a good move because the character matters more). Told by the protagonist, the past and present overlap. The ending was great, as was the journey. Fighting to belong, while fighting loss.

The 5th installment of the Children‘s Home series crafts the most creepy find (aka, a creepy doll) to put in motion the narrative. Sigurdardóttir keeps the reader mesmerized with twists, turns, and loose threads that lead to a tight knot, which ensnares who and why. The line between reality is crossed by the presence of the cursed doll. Another great book!

The 4th installment of Sigurdardóttirs‘ Children‘s Home series confronts domestic abuse, non-consensual filming of sexual acts, and humiliation from the impact. A man found hanged with a nail imbedded in his torso in an Icelandic lava field starts the case. The ending is sad and satisfying, and the resolution is one of “If you had been there/If you had seen it/I betcha you would have done the same”. A great read within a great series.

A work of modern gothic. Harwood keeps readers engaged with a tale spawning from the narrators‘ experience; the additions of intertwining ‘lost‘ stories written prophetically years before. It has all elements that keep readers guessing, doubting, and enchanted. Supernatural or madness? Research or recluse? Cannot say more good things-just reading it is an experience!

The third installment of Sigurdardóttirs‘ children‘s home series will resonate with social media generation, and victims of bullying. In this installment, the crimes are intertwined. The murder of bullies; how their viciousness to victims created a ripple effect. The scheme is sorrowful, meticulous and nauseating. Hits home thematically. Personal note: Please be kind to others. This is fiction, but kindness is real.

The second installment of the Children‘s Home series does not disappoint. Like the first, Sigurdardóttir goes all in on story, macabre death and twisted pasts fracturing lives. Det. Huldar and psychologist Freyja don‘t take away from the story, which I liked. The book is a thriller and true page turner.

Incredible in the same way a fast paced and scandalous procedural is. The stories Sigurdardóttir writes are always a treat. This debut in a newer series is typical of the Nordic/Baltic crime genre. Yet for all the darkness and gore, her inventiveness in how the crime is uncovered applies real world tech and her knowledge to her creative narrative. Devouring the series!

Ok. Just a no for me. I really couldn‘t finish it so I just looked up the ending. I guess if I listened to the podcast I would understand it, but reading was dense as the writing was more “this not that but also this but also not this” type of storytelling. And not a lot of story, to be telling the truth.

Disorienting and a house occupied by either mold or malevolence. A couple moves in. A neighbor is hostile. And both experience a house inflicting illness. Everyone has a story of the scandal and story - but the ‘why‘ is of no importance. Told from his/hers rapid short chapters, the reader is, literally, in the grip of the home, people, and delirium. How do you leave unscathed? Is it an infection passed on? A thrilling read!

An interesting take on pending apocalyptic genre. The narrative is told as interviews and how small children survivors turn from media miracles to targets of hate or conspiracy. Interesting as no child themselves speak to the story. Gripping read, as you get into it. Can be predictable at times, given the current realities of events unfold in the story.

I love Adler-Olsen. His Department Q series and other stand alone novel, The Washington Decree are fantastic. I couldn‘t get into this one. It is a very interesting concept: WWII and 2 British soldiers having to fake insanity to survive a mental ward behind enemy lines. Those aren‘t spoilers. The meandering pace and narrative is hard to follow. Maybe I‘ll return to it. But right now it is meh.

Gentrification, corporations, decay and death. Oh, and fungi. Always that. In this book, the author uses urbanization and ‘synergy‘ speak to craft a narrative where POV of characters in all strata are tied to the same sinkhole:Toronto. The building up and being devoured down in the guise of buildings shows people don‘t matter, but the bottom line does. Well, until the bottom begins to become sentient. Great and creative!

The opening chapter sets the frame of why each character investigating or involved knows grisly crimes are not entirely man-made. Acknowledgement from humans of their local elder god, active participation of ‘magic‘, cult as normal. The final act is ok. I would say transparency took a lot from the direction, and suspense was last minute. So-so, but a good read if there is time.

Cutter and Sullivan have a new twist on how screwed up self-help DIY videos can be! With a hypnotic manly-man swaying the husband far over-it is not just the fright of a ‘turned‘ loved one. In true style, Cutter uses the land and the things which squirm out to set the scene. Sullivan creates the character, the type who fall for what man/family is. More world building (no Home Depot pun intended!)

After reading some of Rossons‘s current work, I found that The Mercy of the Tide was atmospheric, impactful, and beautifully haunting. Imagine how sorrow and loss becomes a vortex of grief. And yet, the sudden tragedy is just a warning for a larger catastrophe. There is a string of connection with characters, though all are individuals. A short, but terrific, read.

Power and control. These elements are explored in multiple ways from various angles in Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. Teen pregnancy, 1970s lingo, witches and zealots. Forces pressuring until-pop!-love and loss and anger and independence create, within our heroines, a powerful control: the knowledge that they are in control. Hendrix hits it out of the park again!

In order to really understand the lore in this book, you need to have read Fever House (the ‘prequel‘ from Rosson). While Fever House is chaos, The Devil by Name is chaos with purpose. This is a good read, but hard to get into if you don‘t know the background. So-so rating for that.

This story is one of suffering. The suffering of parents, those of the victim and those of the victimizer; the cruelty of voyeurs latching onto conspiracy theories. The story is told by each character (one exception) in a linear fashion. Not a crowd of characters, enough to see the justifications to protect or avenge.

Reddit is one place that spawns compelling authors. Kilewers‘ debut novel is no exception. The dimensions of one‘s own mind and fear of being ‘erased‘. The obsession we have with old homes/places. Impossible space like House of Leaves. And brilliant composition. Glad I picked this book up-I couldn‘t put it down!

Wannabe Hunter S. Thompson, strung out on a lack of attention, laughs during an exorcism. The story unfolds in found form notes from the brother; documents the unraveling of Jack Sparks. The fictionalization fixated on his ego, before the ego fixates on him. Arnopp gives the non-believer trope a new kick. Stubborn to the end…but who is really cashing in? Loved the book.

From the start, The Queen hooked me in. Cutter defused, yet sticks, to the horror genre. From Little Heaven to The Deep (both reviewed!). Elements of Carrie/Insects/Heroine Worship/Friendship…the narrative is thrilling. Also, Tony Soprono makes an appearance. Plus, Cutter has included some world building threads…gabbagool.

While reading, it took me a while to grasp the story through the number of characters; some writing seems to leave the reader wondering if they missed the first book (this is a standalone, though could be a series). That said, it raises the stakes and grips the reader with the final act. Walks the line between a formulaic read and frightening resolution.

Fast paced and focused. The protagonist is a fierce mother, and far from a “final girl”. I appreciated how the focus is on the situations faced by many-eviction, employment, etc.-actual horrors. I wish more was said about the setting/background, but it‘s intentional. It‘s a great story and quick-but great-read.

The looming family secret in the eerie mansion, a snow storm, and exits wasted at every turn. Nordic noir meets a group with various motivations stuck in the forlorn mansion. Though the protagonist has facial blindness, Sten plays down her handicap with a flourishing story. It makes for a great page turner.

Really terrifying. In a way that combines the most unknown-what is the darkest part of the sea, how far will we go to find what is needed most (for the motivations of characters and consequences beyond what they control). A full circle plot that made my heart pound and drop as the story continued. Another Cutter Classic!

Cutter has a gift for stories set in desolation, combined with conjured horrors. The elements of the plot may seem disconnected (3 mercenaries, one cult, many monsters). It has shades of the film ‘No Country for Old Men‘; with unease and anticipation. Characters are great. There is backstory. And illustrations that pop up, but do not distract the reader. Overall, slow burn but worth the inferno!

I‘m not going to lie. I physically could not finish this, because the story is buried by exposition I feel is needlessly added by Chizmar. A cool concept of roadside memorials for those who got in a car wreck are so personal. It would be phenomenal to have a narrative there, in the setting of the Appalachia. Instead, the reader is distracted (frustrated) by the POV first person annoying narrator. There was potential in plot. Style? Not my jam.

I read this a while ago. It left me feeling that the author tackled a twisted theme using expert storytelling. Building up characters, a family history, and the readers abject horror with a mounting unease. Excellent book. Dissecting a family and generations of trauma that impacted each woman, all inflicted by one man.

This book reminded me of No Country for Old Men, The Wild Bunch, and True Grit. With Anne, a bank robber and cult survivor stalked by a horror with a shifting face. There are epic shoot-outs, and general unease. This is a genre game changer. A must read.

Birds are symbols of freedom. Yet Arron is trapped by grief. And stalked by his mind, this creepy kid, and the fact that he came back to a cursed house. The Bird Eater is intense. The history of the haunting is told in memories. There are elements that provide clues that a generational haunting manifests in people. The story is twisted, poetic, and original. Ahlborn is a top writer in the horror genre.

Wow. A thriller that combines genres: crime, thriller, psychological intrigue, and the supernatural. I found the story engrossing. The self doubt of the character, the doubt you feel about others…there is no doubt that Solvinic is a talent.

Hallett stands out as a star in storytelling. In The Examiner, the story unfolds as a collection of Doodle messages, WhatsApp, etc. the story involves a group project (horror unto itself), and a clash of artists…or a chaotic scheme of mixed-up-meddling madness (with mystery). Hallett must be read to be appreciated. Awarded with distinction.

What makes family? Blood, bond, or disturbance in generational trauma? This story by the fantastic Ania Ahlborn contains elements of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, southern gothic, and distorted minds. But it‘s not a gore-fest. Michael internally struggles against his ‘family‘; his ‘brother‘ Reb focuses on twisted vengeance. I thought this was an excellent book. It asks: how much blood it takes to break a ‘family‘? A person? A mind?

Four brothers, 3 of whom are conjoined at the head. The 4th, our narrator, is Thomas: the apathetic son in gentry of a deep southern town of Kingdom Come. With the bayou granny witches, the debauchery of Thomas and the town, and more than one family secret. Truly creative, within the genre of the southern gothic tradition. I enjoyed it. It‘s quick and strangely human. The normal is abnormal. Cast of characters well developed, and coherent plot.

Ghosts of gulag prisoners. The cruel Siberian winter. Drawn to this unknown: an American reality television director and British cameraman. As the story progresses, locals are introduced only to be reduced. The gulag ghosts are set dressing; forces of old worship provide actions. Not sure how faithful the story is to the folklore tradition (a minus). The characters are secondary. Not what I expected, but a good story. Intense, and a quick read.