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drakaina16's reviews
2102 reviews
In The Eyes, In The Shadows by Gage Greenwood
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
Oh man, where to start? This book devastated me, just picked away at little scabs. Most importantly, it made me FEEL something. I have always loved Gage's books, the way he writes. This book sees that already impactful writing at full force, packing gut punch after throat punch. Having experienced the death of my father (whom I had a complicated relationship with) and the loss of the ability to do the one sport I loved more than anything, I related to Jackson on a visceral level. This book is beautiful and haunting and heartbreaking and I loved it so much. 5 stars
Oh man, where to start? This book devastated me, just picked away at little scabs. Most importantly, it made me FEEL something. I have always loved Gage's books, the way he writes. This book sees that already impactful writing at full force, packing gut punch after throat punch. Having experienced the death of my father (whom I had a complicated relationship with) and the loss of the ability to do the one sport I loved more than anything, I related to Jackson on a visceral level. This book is beautiful and haunting and heartbreaking and I loved it so much. 5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Suicide attempt
Circus of the Dead: The Novelization by Joshua Millican
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Thank you to BookSirens and Encyclopocalypse Publications for providing a review copy.
I will admit that I have never seen Circus of the Dead. It's one I kind of always meant to watch, and then would promptly forget existed again. Josh Millican is an auto-read for me, so reading the book was a no brainer. I definitely won't forget to watch the movie now! "Sadistic circus clown" is a new favorite subgenre of horror. I can't rate how it compares to the movie, but I had a great time with the book. 4.5 stars
I will admit that I have never seen Circus of the Dead. It's one I kind of always meant to watch, and then would promptly forget existed again. Josh Millican is an auto-read for me, so reading the book was a no brainer. I definitely won't forget to watch the movie now! "Sadistic circus clown" is a new favorite subgenre of horror. I can't rate how it compares to the movie, but I had a great time with the book. 4.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and Sexual violence
Golgotha Motor Mountain by Matthew Erman, Lonnie Nadler
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 63%.
The art is absolutely fantastic, but I couldn't get into the story.
Love Wanes, Fear is Forever: A collection of horror stories by Justin Boote
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
This collection should have something to please everyone. From the paranormal to creature features to creepy crawlies, these stories run the gamut, and I quite enjoyed all of them. (I did not rate the drabbles in the collection individually, as I find them hard to rate accurately, but I did like them all.) 4 stars
The Resurrection of William Stillmore ⭐⭐⭐.25
Spiderman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bringing Them Back ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Babysitter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Arnold's Bane ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
A Waiter's Revenge ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Combustion ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Melting Man ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Terror of Thetford Forest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Down There ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
A Good Samaritan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rainfall ⭐⭐⭐.75
This collection should have something to please everyone. From the paranormal to creature features to creepy crawlies, these stories run the gamut, and I quite enjoyed all of them. (I did not rate the drabbles in the collection individually, as I find them hard to rate accurately, but I did like them all.) 4 stars
The Resurrection of William Stillmore ⭐⭐⭐.25
Spiderman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bringing Them Back ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Babysitter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Arnold's Bane ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
A Waiter's Revenge ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Combustion ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Melting Man ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Terror of Thetford Forest ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Down There ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
A Good Samaritan ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rainfall ⭐⭐⭐.75
The Beasts of Vissaria County by Douglas Ford
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I will admit that I spent the first third of the book vaguely confused. The writing was so good and the story interesting enough that I kept reading it, and I'm so glad that I did. There is a lot going on in The Beasts of Vissaria County. Part southern gothic, part creature feature, part family drama, part the evil that men do. The threads seem rather disparate at first, but by the end it all came together. 4.25 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Stalking, and Suicide attempt
Chopping Mall: The Novelization by Brian G Berry
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Thank you to BookSirens and Encyclopocalypse Publications for providing a review copy.
Everyone has that shitty little movie that they will defend unto death, and Chopping Mall is mine. It is everything I love about 80s schlock horror, and the book captures the vibe perfectly. It's just as cheesy, with excellent descriptions of the over-the-top gore. If you loved the movie, you'll have so much fun with the book. 4.5 stars
Everyone has that shitty little movie that they will defend unto death, and Chopping Mall is mine. It is everything I love about 80s schlock horror, and the book captures the vibe perfectly. It's just as cheesy, with excellent descriptions of the over-the-top gore. If you loved the movie, you'll have so much fun with the book. 4.5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Weird Dinosaurs: The Strange New Fossils Challenging Everything We Thought We Knew by John Pickrell
informative
medium-paced
4.0
The Last Watch of Red Rock by Chaz Williams
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
I always know I'm gonna have a good time with a Chaz Williams book. He has a way of writing old tropes in really interesting settings. Here we have a creature feature that takes place in a prison, making for a claustrophobic environment. While pretty fast-paced overall, it rockets towards a barn burner of an ending in the last half of the book 4.25 stars
I always know I'm gonna have a good time with a Chaz Williams book. He has a way of writing old tropes in really interesting settings. Here we have a creature feature that takes place in a prison, making for a claustrophobic environment. While pretty fast-paced overall, it rockets towards a barn burner of an ending in the last half of the book 4.25 stars
Ditch of the Damned by Ryan Hoyt
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
Ryan Hoyt has definitely cemented his place as a "must-read" author. I loved Raventree Hollow, and this collection is a nice little addendum to that book. Although the stories can definitely be read on their own, having read RH first adds some more depth to the stories. 4 stars
Ditch of the Damned ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Senior Class ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Butterscotch ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Hoarder's House ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Freddy Goodman (Ain't No Good Man) ⭐⭐⭐.5
Ryan Hoyt has definitely cemented his place as a "must-read" author. I loved Raventree Hollow, and this collection is a nice little addendum to that book. Although the stories can definitely be read on their own, having read RH first adds some more depth to the stories. 4 stars
Ditch of the Damned ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Senior Class ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Butterscotch ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Hoarder's House ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Freddy Goodman (Ain't No Good Man) ⭐⭐⭐.5
The Gods Among Them by Joe Scipione
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to the author and Wicked House Publishing for providing a review copy.
I am always on board for cosmic horror; it's one my favorite subgenres. This book is cosmic horror with heart. It's strange and oddly sweet. A bit of a slow burn, I was utterly fascinated with the characters. Joe Scipione writes some of the most fully fleshed-out, realized characters that I've read. Wicked House is consistently turning out some of the best indie horror I've read, and The Gods Among Them is no exception. Easy 5 stars
I am always on board for cosmic horror; it's one my favorite subgenres. This book is cosmic horror with heart. It's strange and oddly sweet. A bit of a slow burn, I was utterly fascinated with the characters. Joe Scipione writes some of the most fully fleshed-out, realized characters that I've read. Wicked House is consistently turning out some of the best indie horror I've read, and The Gods Among Them is no exception. Easy 5 stars