Review: The Midnight Knock

The Midnight Knock by John Fram
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the pre-release copy of John Fram's The Midnight Knock. Below you'll find my honest review.

The Midnight Knock gets all the points for creativity. Definitely an original and weird story, with a much bigger plot than anticipated. The hook of the hotel full of people with one being a murderer is a great hook - it's used often for that reason - but this novel absolutely gave it an original spin on the WHY behind it.

I also really liked the formatting of the book. After a certain point, the title card is revealed again, with a new set of quotes, just like at the beginning, which added some believability to the events, and I loved that.

The characters were pretty interesting as well, but for all that some were developed pretty deeply, others (and I might argue some of the more intriguing ones) weren't developed enough for my taste.

There was some convolution to the story that also pulled me out of it a little.

All in all, I enjoyed the story and would definitely recommend it to closed room mystery lovers and horror fans. And I have to say, I think this one would make a REALLY good movie.

3.5 stars rounded up.

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Review: King Sorrow

King Sorrow by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the pre-release copy of King Sorrow by Joe Hill. Below is my honest review.

Absolute gem of a story. Even though it's really long, the overwhelming majority of it doesn't feel like it's superfluous at all, but rather that it's all important to the overall tale.

The key aspect of this story that really drives the success of the plot is the characters. Hill has created characters that are developed, have depth, and feel like people. I felt like I knew them to the core of who they were by the end of the story. They had flaws, foibles, strengths, feelings.

And King Sorrow himself was such a cool main antagonist. A dragon who binds himself to people with contracts that he uses against them through loopholes? It's so very fae-like, and I'm here for it.

But I also love how the story reveals that you don't always know the people you love as much as you think you do, how people can change and grow and branch out from your picture of them over time.

Five stars, highly recommended for Joe Hill fans, Stephen King fans, dragon fans, horror fans.

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Review: Blind Date with a Werewolf

Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs. Below you'll find my honest opinion.

I'd read three of these stories before, as they were previously released, but two were brand new! We finally got to see the last two of Asil's blind dates, and boy were they DOOZIES.

I'm really happy that we got more Asil. He's a really intriguing character, and I always get excited to see him on the page. And even more so in this, as he actually finds some healing and hope.

I can't say much without giving spoilers, so I'll stop there. But if you're a fan of Patty's Mercyverse, than this book is a must for some much needed side-character development love.

I'm still waiting for a Tom and Moira book (so glad we have some screen time with them here), but I'd also love an entire novel on Ruby's story!

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Review: The Last Witch

The Last Witch by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for the pre-release copy of The Last Witch by CJ Cooke. Below is my honest review.

CJ Cooke is a master of weaving in historical aspects to a supernatural story, and in The Last Witch, she knits a fascinating and magical tale based off of the true events of Innsbruck and their witch trials.

I'd call this a masterpiece of a story about a strong woman fighting against the society that treats her as lesser and the man that despises them all just because of their gender.

Definitely recommended for historical fiction fans who don't mind a hint of supernatural mixed in, just a small hint.

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Review: The Last Spirits of Manhattan

The Last Spirits of Manhattan by John A. McDermott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the pre-release copy of The Last Spirits of Manhattan. Below is my honest review.

I was super excited about this one when I saw it on Netgalley. Alfred Hitchcock? Haunted House? Ghosts and supernatural stuff? Heck yeah! Alas, the excitement ended at the blurb.

The story took a long time to get going, and then it didn't really feel cohesive to me in the right ways. I was just... bored? Uninterested?

Overall, I feel like it was a decent book that just wasn't for me. I did really enjoy Snug's character, I liked Pete and Carolyn just fine, and I enjoyed the little side story glimpses of Igor and Renfro.

If you like historical fiction with just a touch of otherworldly, and you don't mind a plot that's mostly "watch these people prepare for a party and then throw the party" with not a lot of actual action, then you'll probably enjoy this one.

Two and a half stars, rounded to three.

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Review: The Haunting of Paynes Hollow

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the pre-release copy of The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong. Below you'll find my honest review.

If you've never read any of Kelley Armstrong's works, what the heck are you waiting for? She's got time travel books. She's got wilderness thrillers. She's got horror. She's got urban fantasy. And she does all of it well!

This is her latest foray into the horror genre, and I loved it. The characters worked for me, and so did the fantastic setting. What's creepier than being pretty much cutoff from most of the outside world and not being sure if what's happening is supernatural or just humans? I can think of a few things, but not many. And she has so much riding on the outcome of her staying cutoff from the world, so she's forced to push through.

This one really pushed the idea of having to realize that your perspective isn't always right, that you don't always know the people around you, and that everything comes with a catch.

Highly recommended for horror fans and Kelley Armstrong fans. Hopefully, this one gets her some MORE fans!

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Review: 25 Days: A Novel

25 Days: A Novel by Per Jacobsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for a pre-release copy of Per Jacobsen's 25 Days. Below is my honest review.

Well, I'm currently rethinking my annual desire to rent a cabin for Christmas vacation and sit up in the snowy wilderness because Per Jacobsen has demolished the idyllic feeling of said vacation and replaced it with a slasher straight out of horror cinema.

The Grays decide to take a week vacation in a remote cabin up in the snowy mountains in early December. For Adam, it's a chance to reconnect with his wife Beth and strengthen what was slowly starting to unravel. Oh, and a chance to get their kids Abby and Chloe off of their electronics and spend time together as a family. So what's not to love about a cabin nestled in a clearing up in the mountains? It has a barn with fluffy little animals for the girls to play with, and it has a food stock in case a snowstorm traps them up there. It's basically a little slice of heaven for a family getaway. Or at least, it should be... unfortunately, someone has their eye on this little family and starts leaving progressively more violent presents in a stocking nailed to the barn door, and as the days pass like an advent calendar, the Grays start to realize that there's a high chance that they won't make it out alive.

Was it perfect? Nah, there were some trope-y moments and some dislikeable character moments, and there were quite a few suspend-your-disbelief moments. But was it fun? Absolutely - for us, the reader. Not for the Grays... yikes not at all for the Grays.

This would make an excellent movie. Maybe one day it will be!

Recommended for horror/slasher fans and fans of remote isolated settings.

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