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drakaina16's reviews
2013 reviews
Slashvivor! by Stephen Kozeniewski, Stevie Kopas
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.5
Thank you to the authors for providing a review copy.
Holy shit, this book was so much fun! I'm realizing that game show horror might be one of my favorite really niche subgenres. They're always such a good time, and I enjoyed every bit of Slashvivor! Even though the cast of characters is filled with sadistic murderers and mutants, I kind of liked all of them. The story itself is very smart and funny, and Dawn is a badass main character. I would love to see her story continue. 4.5 stars
Holy shit, this book was so much fun! I'm realizing that game show horror might be one of my favorite really niche subgenres. They're always such a good time, and I enjoyed every bit of Slashvivor! Even though the cast of characters is filled with sadistic murderers and mutants, I kind of liked all of them. The story itself is very smart and funny, and Dawn is a badass main character. I would love to see her story continue. 4.5 stars
After: The Shock by Scott Nicholson
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
The out-the-gate Christian proselytizing is not it for me
A Dark and Rising Tide by Debra Castaneda
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I was already familiar with Debra Castaneda via The Root Witch, which I thought was a really cool and unique story. I enjoyed it a lot. This book, however, blew me away. Nature and the ocean are already scary as hell, so add a big storm and something from the deep and I'm all in. It is deeply unsettling and fraught with tension - it gave me a bit of real-world anxiety which is pretty rare. 5 stars
Orphans of the Atercosm: A Collection by C.F. Page
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.75
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
If you're a fan of cosmic horror in the vein of Thomas Ligotti, I think you'll definitely enjoy this collection. The stories are all really eerie. I hope C.F. Page finds a publisher for "Nocturnium," because I was intrigued by the excerpt. 3.75 stars
The Globster of Cape Frankfurt ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Boondoggle ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Born of Blood [A Love Story] ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hand ⭐⭐⭐.5
Nocturnium ⭐⭐⭐
If you're a fan of cosmic horror in the vein of Thomas Ligotti, I think you'll definitely enjoy this collection. The stories are all really eerie. I hope C.F. Page finds a publisher for "Nocturnium," because I was intrigued by the excerpt. 3.75 stars
The Globster of Cape Frankfurt ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Boondoggle ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Born of Blood [A Love Story] ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Hand ⭐⭐⭐.5
Nocturnium ⭐⭐⭐
Try Not to Die on Slashtag: An Interactive Adventure by Jon Cohn
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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? No
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Vincere Press for providing a review copy.
I always have so much fun with the Try Not to Die books. When I found out there were doing a version of Slashtag, I knew I had to read it. Slashtag is one of the best books I read last year and getting to play along was tons of fun. While you don't need to have read Slashtag to enjoy this book, I highly recommend doing so because it's awesome. 5 stars for the 5 times I died on Slashtag.
I always have so much fun with the Try Not to Die books. When I found out there were doing a version of Slashtag, I knew I had to read it. Slashtag is one of the best books I read last year and getting to play along was tons of fun. While you don't need to have read Slashtag to enjoy this book, I highly recommend doing so because it's awesome. 5 stars for the 5 times I died on Slashtag.
Grey Dog by Elliott Gish
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for providing a review copy.
This is a very interesting historical horror book that I feel would best be described as "backwoods gothic." It is slow as molasses, but I found Miss Ada Byrd to be a fascinating, well-rounded character. The book is written in an epistolary style, told through diary entries. That said, I wanted a bit more from the ending, but due to the style it is rather abrupt. 4 stars
This is a very interesting historical horror book that I feel would best be described as "backwoods gothic." It is slow as molasses, but I found Miss Ada Byrd to be a fascinating, well-rounded character. The book is written in an epistolary style, told through diary entries. That said, I wanted a bit more from the ending, but due to the style it is rather abrupt. 4 stars
The Elric Undoing by Cassandra Celia
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to like this book, and I did finish it. But I kind of wish I had DNF'd. The emotion I mostly felt when reading it was frustration. Pyet is unlikeable and spends most of the time moaning. The ultra-slow, confusing reveal didn't do the book any favors and the ending wasn't really worth the slog.
Those You Killed by Christopher Badcock
challenging
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Thank you to DarkLit Press for providing a review copy.
This book is eerie, surreal, dreamlike - and also all too real. It is incredibly well-written, and therein lies the rub. Massive trigger warnings for heroin addiction. If you've ever wondered what goes through a heroin addict's mind when they're trying to get clean, wonder no more. This book has you covered. I'm almost 9 years clean from heroin and very solid in that, but this book could definitely be triggering. The story is super cool and I really rooted for the protagonist. 4.5 stars
This book is eerie, surreal, dreamlike - and also all too real. It is incredibly well-written, and therein lies the rub. Massive trigger warnings for heroin addiction. If you've ever wondered what goes through a heroin addict's mind when they're trying to get clean, wonder no more. This book has you covered. I'm almost 9 years clean from heroin and very solid in that, but this book could definitely be triggering. The story is super cool and I really rooted for the protagonist. 4.5 stars
The City by S.C. Mendes
challenging
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
4.75
I have had The City on my TBR for at least 2 years, and I'm angry at myself for not having read it sooner. The mashup of noir and horror (noirror?) is a favorite of mine. We get a hard-boiled detective who is so much more than the typical grumpy, gruff protagonist of a noir novel. As well as characters I really cared about, with The City itself being a truly unsettling place. I'm going to read the second book as soon as possible. 4.75 stars
Muse by LCW Allingham
dark
mysterious
sad
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
4.75
Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy.
Having been familiar with LCW Allingham's short fiction, I jumped at the chance to review Muse. I devoured this little novella in one sitting, and it was delicious. Coming from the perspective of being a "failed" artist myself, the concept of this book is as thought-provoking as it is sad. It managed to surprise me and hurt my feelings and I have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for a while. 4.75 stars
Having been familiar with LCW Allingham's short fiction, I jumped at the chance to review Muse. I devoured this little novella in one sitting, and it was delicious. Coming from the perspective of being a "failed" artist myself, the concept of this book is as thought-provoking as it is sad. It managed to surprise me and hurt my feelings and I have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for a while. 4.75 stars