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drakaina16's reviews
2013 reviews
Where Monsters Pray by Trisha J. Wooldridge
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
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? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy.
This is an excellent collection, mostly horror with a dash of fantasy and sci fi. There are some very heavy themes explored here, presented in a very clever way. I enjoyed the poetry and art as well. 4.5 stars
The Last Unicorn Sacrifice in New Hampshire ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Unicorn and the Old Woman ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Mass of the Greatest Sin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eating Sins For Fun and Profit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
At Least the Chickens are All Right ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Better Horrors and Garden ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heart of Frankenstein ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Mary Shelley’s Baby ⭐⭐⭐.5
Turnpike Mary Answers Prayers ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
I Am My Own Mother ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swamp Gas and Faery Lights ⭐⭐⭐.5
How to Write Like a Woman ⭐⭐⭐.5
Fixed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her Eyes Hold the Secrets of the Ocean and the Moon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gardens of New Bubastis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an excellent collection, mostly horror with a dash of fantasy and sci fi. There are some very heavy themes explored here, presented in a very clever way. I enjoyed the poetry and art as well. 4.5 stars
The Last Unicorn Sacrifice in New Hampshire ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Unicorn and the Old Woman ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Mass of the Greatest Sin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eating Sins For Fun and Profit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
At Least the Chickens are All Right ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Better Horrors and Garden ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heart of Frankenstein ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Mary Shelley’s Baby ⭐⭐⭐.5
Turnpike Mary Answers Prayers ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
I Am My Own Mother ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Swamp Gas and Faery Lights ⭐⭐⭐.5
How to Write Like a Woman ⭐⭐⭐.5
Fixed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Her Eyes Hold the Secrets of the Ocean and the Moon ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gardens of New Bubastis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Daughter's Drawings by Nick Botic
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? No
4.25
Daughter's Drawings is a very creepy book, but one that ultimately fell a bit flat for me. It is a nice mashup of thriller and horror, and the family's situation is distressing. However, I felt like there were some odds and ends that didn't tie up quite to my satisfaction. Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed the book and it was well-written. 4.25 stars
Chisel the bone by Renee S. DeCamillis
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? It's complicated
3.5
Thank you to BookSirens and Encyclopocalypse Publications for providing a review copy.
This is the follow-up to last year's The Bone Cutters, which I enjoyed. The book starts not long after the events of the first book. This book is much more of a straight up horror novel, while the first leaned more bizarro. The story expands quite a bit, with much more backstory. 3.5 stars
This is the follow-up to last year's The Bone Cutters, which I enjoyed. The book starts not long after the events of the first book. This book is much more of a straight up horror novel, while the first leaned more bizarro. The story expands quite a bit, with much more backstory. 3.5 stars
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Gig of the Damned: Slay the Competition by Phrique
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
Gig of the Damned is an absolute blast! Not only is it laugh out loud funny, but the gore is so good. It is a loving homage to the slasher drama The action scenes were written so well, I could picture everything in my head. I was very surprised that this is a debut novel - I'm already excited for future titles. 5 stars
The Monster Variations by Daniel Kraus
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to Cemetery Dance for providing a review copy.
The Monster Variations is a book about growing up and losing your innocence. It is suffused with nostalgia and longing. When you hear Cemetery Dance, you think of horror, but I wouldn't say this book quite qualifies. What horror is present is quiet; the silent horror of growing up, realizing your parents are human too, and of course, the mystery surrounding who is hitting kids with a truck. It's a beautiful, literary meditation on growing up. 4 stars
The Monster Variations is a book about growing up and losing your innocence. It is suffused with nostalgia and longing. When you hear Cemetery Dance, you think of horror, but I wouldn't say this book quite qualifies. What horror is present is quiet; the silent horror of growing up, realizing your parents are human too, and of course, the mystery surrounding who is hitting kids with a truck. It's a beautiful, literary meditation on growing up. 4 stars
The Nightmare Box and Other Stories by Cynthia Gómez
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy.
As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book. Stories that center BIPOCs, queers, and feminine rage? Yes, please! This collection did not disappoint, and I look forward to reading more by Cynthia Gómez. 4.5 stars
Lips Like Sugar ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
A Kiss to Build a Dream On ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Nightmare Box ⭐⭐⭐.5
Will They Disappear ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Road Out of Nowhere ⭐⭐⭐.75
Huitzol and the Rope of Thorns ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Teachers’ Association ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Weight of It ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Red Brick ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Someone Else’s to Destroy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Unburied ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Hot and Cold ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
As soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book. Stories that center BIPOCs, queers, and feminine rage? Yes, please! This collection did not disappoint, and I look forward to reading more by Cynthia Gómez. 4.5 stars
Lips Like Sugar ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
A Kiss to Build a Dream On ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Nightmare Box ⭐⭐⭐.5
Will They Disappear ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Road Out of Nowhere ⭐⭐⭐.75
Huitzol and the Rope of Thorns ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Teachers’ Association ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Weight of It ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Red Brick ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Someone Else’s to Destroy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Unburied ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Hot and Cold ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
In The Tall Trees by Angel N. Van Atta
challenging
dark
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? No
4.25
When I read The Child last year, I did not love it. I admit I was hesitant to pick this one up. I'm glad I did, though, because I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's so hard to write in a child's voice, but I feel like Angel Van Atta was mostly successful. There is a definite sense of dread and tension throughout the book and I thought the ending was very satisfying. I'll definitely be picking up In the Tall World. 4.25 stars
Stitches by Hirokatsu Kihara
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
5/5 for the art
Only 3/5 for the stories
Only 3/5 for the stories
Stories I Forgot by Chaz Williams
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
This is an excellent debut short story collection from Chaz Williams! I loved his novella, so I was eager to read and review Stories I Forgot. It did not disappoint. Mr. Williams is definitely one to watch. 4 stars
Pillar of the Community ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Keeper of Haunted Trails ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Those Flashing Lights ⭐⭐⭐.5
My Last Halloween ⭐⭐⭐.75
Douglass Park Massacre ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hate So Strong ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Last Will and Testament ⭐⭐⭐
Whatever Happened to Mrs. Johnson ⭐⭐⭐
My Best Friend ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Roommate ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Innocence Lost ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Want to Wake Up ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an excellent debut short story collection from Chaz Williams! I loved his novella, so I was eager to read and review Stories I Forgot. It did not disappoint. Mr. Williams is definitely one to watch. 4 stars
Pillar of the Community ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Keeper of Haunted Trails ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Those Flashing Lights ⭐⭐⭐.5
My Last Halloween ⭐⭐⭐.75
Douglass Park Massacre ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hate So Strong ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Last Will and Testament ⭐⭐⭐
Whatever Happened to Mrs. Johnson ⭐⭐⭐
My Best Friend ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Roommate ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Innocence Lost ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I Want to Wake Up ⭐⭐⭐⭐