drakaina16's reviews
2013 reviews

Where Monsters Pray by Trisha J. Wooldridge

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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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Daughter's Drawings by Nick Botic

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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

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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
Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna

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challenging emotional funny reflective fast-paced

5.0

Gig of the Damned: Slay the Competition by Phrique

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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

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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 Nightmare Box and Other Stories by Cynthia Gómez

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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

In The Tall Trees by Angel N. Van Atta

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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

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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
Stories I Forgot by Chaz Williams

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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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐