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soobooksalot's reviews
968 reviews
From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-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
2.5
Sacrificial Animals left me a bit torn.
It's the struggle between appreciation of a writing style, and not meshing at all with plot elements.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy for feature!
Adult brothers Nick and Joshua have been called to return home, by their father Carlyle. Their childhoods were by no means idyllic, punctuated by abuse. Now Carlyle is dying and wants his sons with him in Nebraska, along with Joshua's wife Emilia. Carlyle's hatred toward her because of her race appears to fade for Joshua, as he and his father reconcile.
The story alternates "then" and "now" chapters, with the dark complexities of family relationships.
There are many interesting themes and plot points in Sacrificial Animals, but as the title suggests, animals play a fair part the story. From the opening pages, animal death is in the undercurrent, and unfortunately it turned me off of connecting with the story.
Debut author Kailee Pedersen is undoubtedly a talented writer, and Sacrificial Animals would be worth checking out once aware of the animal elements.
Released on Sept. 7.
It's the struggle between appreciation of a writing style, and not meshing at all with plot elements.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted copy for feature!
Adult brothers Nick and Joshua have been called to return home, by their father Carlyle. Their childhoods were by no means idyllic, punctuated by abuse. Now Carlyle is dying and wants his sons with him in Nebraska, along with Joshua's wife Emilia. Carlyle's hatred toward her because of her race appears to fade for Joshua, as he and his father reconcile.
The story alternates "then" and "now" chapters, with the dark complexities of family relationships.
There are many interesting themes and plot points in Sacrificial Animals, but as the title suggests, animals play a fair part the story. From the opening pages, animal death is in the undercurrent, and unfortunately it turned me off of connecting with the story.
Debut author Kailee Pedersen is undoubtedly a talented writer, and Sacrificial Animals would be worth checking out once aware of the animal elements.
Released on Sept. 7.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, and Racism
Found: An Anthology of Found Footage Horror Stories by Gabino Iglesias, Andrew Cull
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Cain Consequence by Sal Cangemi
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Humour meets the otherworldly in The Cain Consequence.
As a concept, The Cain Consequence is the phenomenon where large groups of people misremeber the same given thing in the same way. (Not to be confused with our Mandela Effect.)
Thank you to Hellbound Books for my ebook for review!
The Consequence is named for Barclay Cain, a famous occultist who tried to bring his wife back from the dead, and inadvertently shifted elements of reality.
TV actor Rex Dolan, witch Julia, plus Bubby and Stu (eventually known as The Malevolent Four) are in search of Haunted Land and Barclay himself.
The Lands are many, ie. Church Land, 80s Land (mayor Tiffany Gibson), Motivational Speaker Land, Senior Citizen and Millenial Lands, PC Land, Porn Land (treasurer Woody Hardon), TV Land, Vegan Land (formerly Texas, eek).
Author Sal Cangemi has gone all out on this book.
It's a quick, manic, nasty, and action-packed read, and I very much enjoyed all the pop culture nods. I'll admit I didn't always know what was happening, but it really didn't matter. It also wraps up with a great ending.
The Cain Consequence was full of entertainment, and I recommend it for something completely different.
As a concept, The Cain Consequence is the phenomenon where large groups of people misremeber the same given thing in the same way. (Not to be confused with our Mandela Effect.)
Thank you to Hellbound Books for my ebook for review!
The Consequence is named for Barclay Cain, a famous occultist who tried to bring his wife back from the dead, and inadvertently shifted elements of reality.
TV actor Rex Dolan, witch Julia, plus Bubby and Stu (eventually known as The Malevolent Four) are in search of Haunted Land and Barclay himself.
The Lands are many, ie. Church Land, 80s Land (mayor Tiffany Gibson), Motivational Speaker Land, Senior Citizen and Millenial Lands, PC Land, Porn Land (treasurer Woody Hardon), TV Land, Vegan Land (formerly Texas, eek).
Author Sal Cangemi has gone all out on this book.
It's a quick, manic, nasty, and action-packed read, and I very much enjoyed all the pop culture nods. I'll admit I didn't always know what was happening, but it really didn't matter. It also wraps up with a great ending.
The Cain Consequence was full of entertainment, and I recommend it for something completely different.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Violence
Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
4.0
Dearest by Jacquie Walters
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"~baby blues~
A cutesy term for yet another way a woman's body will try to rob her of the joy of her child's earliest days."
Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my gifted copy of Dearest for review!
Subject-wise, this isn't an easy read.
Debut author Jacquie Walters does not shy away from the ugly and difficult moments of postpartum life. But she expertly weaves this in with a more complex tale of mothers and daughters, of being a troubled spouse and family member, in the lens of new motherhood.
And at times, takes this into the realm of horror.
Flora is our unreliable narrator, navigating the birth of daughter Iris severely sleep-deprived, anxious and possibly hallucinating.
While waiting for husband Connor to return from deployment, her estranged mother Jodi comes to help Flora at home. As well as Flora's childhood imaginary friend Zephie.
There are many triggers here, even for those of us with "normal" (what even is that) postpartum experiences. It's heartbreaking, eerie, and filled with secrets.
I absolutely couldn't put Dearest down and look so forward to what Walters writes next.
Recommended!
"Your mother's sadness is all her own. That's the only way she'll let it be."
Released on Sept. 17.
A cutesy term for yet another way a woman's body will try to rob her of the joy of her child's earliest days."
Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my gifted copy of Dearest for review!
Subject-wise, this isn't an easy read.
Debut author Jacquie Walters does not shy away from the ugly and difficult moments of postpartum life. But she expertly weaves this in with a more complex tale of mothers and daughters, of being a troubled spouse and family member, in the lens of new motherhood.
And at times, takes this into the realm of horror.
Flora is our unreliable narrator, navigating the birth of daughter Iris severely sleep-deprived, anxious and possibly hallucinating.
While waiting for husband Connor to return from deployment, her estranged mother Jodi comes to help Flora at home. As well as Flora's childhood imaginary friend Zephie.
There are many triggers here, even for those of us with "normal" (what even is that) postpartum experiences. It's heartbreaking, eerie, and filled with secrets.
I absolutely couldn't put Dearest down and look so forward to what Walters writes next.
Recommended!
"Your mother's sadness is all her own. That's the only way she'll let it be."
Released on Sept. 17.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The Hospital by Leslie Wolfe
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Lightning Bottles is one of those special novels that you know will land on your favourites list before you're anywhere near finished.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy of Marissa Stapley's newest for review!
Jane Pyre - a Canadian churchgoing girl and member of the parish band, Samson's Mullet. (Best name ever.)
Elijah Hart - a Seattle-based musician in a band, Marvel Boys, with his childhood friends.
A twist of early technology brings them together from afar, and they form the legendary band The Lightning Bottles.
It's at the heart a love story - between Jane and Elijah, and for music. But it also tears into addiction, loss and grief, sexism in the music industry, intellectual property, public persona versus private life.
The Lightning Bottles takes place in multiple timelines in the 1990s, an especially influential time in music for my early-adult life.
The locations are many I've visited, bringing an added vibrancy to the story. Add in an underlying mystery tying the timeframes together, and it was all I could do not to skip to the end to find out how it all played out. Then put it aside at times so it wouldn't end.
(Also, take note of an Easter egg related to Marissa Stapley's debut novel.)
I loved this book. Absolutely recommended.
For release on Sept. 24.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy of Marissa Stapley's newest for review!
Jane Pyre - a Canadian churchgoing girl and member of the parish band, Samson's Mullet. (Best name ever.)
Elijah Hart - a Seattle-based musician in a band, Marvel Boys, with his childhood friends.
A twist of early technology brings them together from afar, and they form the legendary band The Lightning Bottles.
It's at the heart a love story - between Jane and Elijah, and for music. But it also tears into addiction, loss and grief, sexism in the music industry, intellectual property, public persona versus private life.
The Lightning Bottles takes place in multiple timelines in the 1990s, an especially influential time in music for my early-adult life.
The locations are many I've visited, bringing an added vibrancy to the story. Add in an underlying mystery tying the timeframes together, and it was all I could do not to skip to the end to find out how it all played out. Then put it aside at times so it wouldn't end.
(Also, take note of an Easter egg related to Marissa Stapley's debut novel.)
I loved this book. Absolutely recommended.
For release on Sept. 24.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock's works fairly early on - Psycho, Rebecca, The Birds, and my favourite, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Stephanie Wrobel's newest, The Hitchcock Hotel, weaves classic screen references together into this fun and satisfying thriller.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy for review!
Alfred Smettle is the owner of The Hitchcock Hotel, a property devoted to his favourite filmmaker, the Master Of Suspense.
He invites his former classmates and members of his college film club - Grace, Zoe, Samira, TJ and Julius - to gather for a reunion weekend.
And soon, in true Hitch fashion, there's a body in the mix.
The story uses tried-and-true mystery elements - a locked-room (hotel) whodunnit, a Clue-like gathering of characters, dark academia backstories, and some great twists and reveals.
I thoroughly enjoyed this unique thriller - recommended!
For release on Sept. 24.
Stephanie Wrobel's newest, The Hitchcock Hotel, weaves classic screen references together into this fun and satisfying thriller.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy for review!
Alfred Smettle is the owner of The Hitchcock Hotel, a property devoted to his favourite filmmaker, the Master Of Suspense.
He invites his former classmates and members of his college film club - Grace, Zoe, Samira, TJ and Julius - to gather for a reunion weekend.
And soon, in true Hitch fashion, there's a body in the mix.
The story uses tried-and-true mystery elements - a locked-room (hotel) whodunnit, a Clue-like gathering of characters, dark academia backstories, and some great twists and reveals.
I thoroughly enjoyed this unique thriller - recommended!
For release on Sept. 24.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0