Review: Black Sheep

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the advanced copy of this book. Below is my honest review.

Hello, fellow readers. I have to admit something. I've turned down ARCs of Rachel Harrison before. I know, I know. You're seeing that and thinking, "What's wrong with him? He should have jumped at the chance!" I know that now, and I'm here to make amends.

I picked up Black Sheep because it seemed like it would be a fun horror cult story. And it was. I mean, it was fun for me. It wasn't really fun for Vesper. It was brutal for her. It was so fun, in fact, that I read it in two sittings. I would have read it in one sitting, had I not started it at 1:30am or so after finishing another ARC and not being ready to sleep yet. I read 26%, felt myself crashing, and called it a night. Then, the following evening, I picked it back up and tore through the rest, reading until 3am. It was dang near impossible to put down.

Did I guess one of the big reveals? Yeah, but I'm not entirely sure it was supposed to be a shock to us as the reader. I think we're supposed to know about it and be watching for her to pick up on the clues that lead her to the revelation (see what I did there? Apocalypse pun!).

The author knew just how to end each chapter to make me say, "Okay, fine, I'll read ONE more" deep into the night. She plotted it almost perfectly, really made you feel connected to some of the characters.

I own my past mistakes - Rachel Harrison, please forgive me! I promise I'll make it right by reading your entire back catalogue as soon as humanly possible.

Absolutely and highly recommended to any and all horror/horror adjacent/urban fantasy fans. This was a total diamond of a story! Five stars!

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Review: The Stranger Upstairs

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine - Bantam for the early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

I'm majorly impressed. You guys, this is a DEBUT novel, and it reads like a seasoned pro wrote it. Seriously... it's got the right pacing, the right character depth, the right amount of horror and reality, the right plotting, the right balance of darkness and hope, the right point of views and perspectives. I can't help but be jealous, as an aspiring writer myself, of what Lisa Matlin has created here. I also can't wait to be able to say I was a fan from before day one, and follow her works for years to come, because trust me, she's going to be one to watch.

This novel was almost impossible to put down. I read it late into the night, finishing it and then being unable to sleep afterwards. It has the perfect chapter endings for that "just one more chapter" compulsion that leads to one or two sitting reads, and it definitely, absolutely paid off in droves for the time I invested into it.

I also loved how real she was in her acknowledgements at the end. It really inspired me to keep pushing on with my writing.

Highly recommended for fans of horror, thriller, haunted house, neighbor drama, relationship issue, secrets and lies revealed slowly kind of books. Heck, I recommend this for everyone who loves a good story. Pick this one up and you won't be disappointed.

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Review: Hemlock Island

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my immediate go-tos when it comes to books. Pretty much everything she writes is a resounding YES from me, and Hemlock Island is no different.

Kelley's first foray into full-length horror (she has a history of horror shorts in anthologies) is gripping and tense, dark and atmospheric, with a pace that will drive you to keep on reading late into the night.

While I must add some content warnings here (sexual assault, gore), the book is a typical horror in that it doesn't shy away from tough subjects, and in King-esque fashion, really builds on the history of who these characters are, deep inside, to push the story forward.

I did feel a little unsatisfied with certain aspects of the ending, so it was a four star read for me, but if you're a fan of horror, Kelley Armstrong, or well-developed characters in an absolutely perfect setting, then this one is for you. Definitely recommended.

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Review: The Sight

The Sight by Melanie Golding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for gifting me an early copy of this book. Below is my honest review:

This is my second book by Melanie Golding. I loved Little Darlings so much, and was really excited about this one. Apparently, I somehow missed getting my hands on The Hidden, so I'll have to remedy that as soon as possible.

The Sight involves a character named Faith who, since childhood, has had the ability to see how people are going to die when she makes eye contact with them. It causes strife on the family run circus she works for, both as a child and as an adult, when the powers are used. Most of the circus workers feel like it's an evil curse and not a gift, so they treat her very poorly over the years.

As the story progresses, we see her come to grips with her gift, learning not to shun it. Of course, it takes a long time, most of the book, for real progress to be made.

I wasn't pleased with one aspect of the ending, so I had to cut a star. I can't mention it here, because I don't want to spoil.

Included in that star reduction is my confusion as to the first time her powers showed up - did it happen while she was sleeping, rather than when she made eye contact? My curiosity towards that inconsistency was hard to shake.

All in all, another win for Golding. I can't wait to catch up on The Hidden and very much look forward to whatever great tale she comes up with next.

Definitely recommended, especially for fans of dark, horror-adjacent-but-not-quite-horror paranormal tales that have deep characters and gripping plots.



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Review: Sleep No More

Sleep No More by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and to DAW for gifting me an early copy of this book and its followup, The Innocent Sleep. You'll find my honest review below. If you haven't read the rest of the series, especially Be the Serpent, please skip this review. I'm avoiding spoilers, but it might still reveal a little more than you'd want to know.

I don't even know where to begin... after the cliffhanger that Seanan McGuire so cruelly left us with at the end of Be the Serpent (I can still hear her maniacal laughter, unless that belongs to The Summer Queen...), I have been living in a state much like Toby - blurred, unreal, and going through the motions. This book brought me back to reality in all the right ways.

First, we have an entirely new world, thanks to You Know Who, evil jerk that she turned out to be... or do we? It seems that a few territories have been affected by magic, changing those who live inside them to who She wants them to be - to get the inconvenient ones out of her way, to trap her enemies where they don't question her, and to remake some parts of Faerie over into the one she always wanted. Of course, her magic isn't entirely capable of all of that, but that doesn't mean she is without a plan. Thankfully, not everyone is as vulnerable to illusions as the rest, but alas, dear Toby is VERY entrenched in her new life and new reality.

Cue the outsiders rocking her world.

This one was a romp through Toby's history, through the world of Faerie as we know it - and as She made it anew, and towards Toby's future.

Highly recommended for urban fantasy fans, folklore fans, Fae story fans... but PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, start at the beginning. Don't just jump in here. You'll regret missing SO MUCH.

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Review: All the Dead Shall Weep

All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery/Saga Press for gifting me an early copy of this novel. Below is my honest review.

I'm not sure what's up with this one, but it feels... unfinished. It feels like the middle of a larger book, with lots of random action but no real plotline driving the story forward. Honestly, it felt like an episode of a TV show where some of the season-long main storyline is progressed a little bit, but there is no start or finish to a storyline for the specific episode.

In addition to this, there is some conflict between Lizbeth and Eli that makes absolutely no sense. It felt forced and contrived, and I wasn't a fan of it, especially considering it's bashed in your face the whole book.

There's also one part where it's just like "Oh, dead, okay." I was taken aback that it was so nonchalant.

And I wasn't pleased with how the Native American character felt extremely stereotypical and tropy, rather than realistic or respectful.

There were pros to this book though. Lizbeth and Felicia's relationship takes front and center, and they grow closer as sisters. We also get to see more of Lizbeth's mother and stepdad and friends in her hometown. We get to see the extent of Felicia's abilities, and we get to meet quite a few potential suitors for her for the upcoming Wizard Ball, where she might be expected to find a husband. And let's not forget the mention of Agatha Christie, or the name drop at the end that sets up some serious implications for future books.

I still enjoyed the book overall, mostly because it does push the story forward and I have enjoyed the rest of the series, so I'll definitely pick up the next book when it comes out. But I can't recommend this one nearly as much as the earlier ones in the series. It just wasn't as strong.

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Review: The September House

The September House by Carissa Orlando
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for gifting me an early copy. Below you'll find my honest review.

I am absolutely floored by the quality of this debut! I will definitely be keeping an eye on Orlando's career and reading her future novels.

This one is a horror novel, yes, but it's one of those that you're never quite sure what's going on - is it in her head, is it real, are we even following actual events - all of those usual questions involved with a psychological horror story.

I won't spoil the truth, but I will say, regardless of whether they exist or not, Orlando has created some amazing secondary characters in the forms of the spirits, including the supposed antagonist of the novel. Then she goes about setting up the "is it real or not" angle perfectly. It made the book really hard to put down, as it was compelling.

Highly recommended for horror fans. I will definitely be on the lookout for news of subsequent novels from Carissa Orlando, as this one was a gem!

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