Author: Robin

Review: The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

They had a seemingly happy marriage: he, a scholar of fantastical stories, and she, Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada, a wealthy heiress with a mysterious past. Despite their differences, the couple found solace with one another, and soon a bargain was struck in exchange for love – that the scholar could have her heart, provided he never inquire into her past. For a time, there was harmony, but when Indigo learns that her estranged aunt is on her deathbed, the couple return to the place where her story began, the House of Dreams. Within the manors walls, winding staircases, and dusty rooms, lie plenty of secrets far too seductive for the bridegroom to resist. As the house reveals the past of another girl, Azure, Indigo’s childhood friend long gone, he is willing to search between both reality and fantasy to learn the truth about his bride’s past, even at the expense of their binding promise.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is a luscious gothic feast, interlaced with fairytales, myth, and the treacherous secrets of a marriage. Wandering the halls of the crumbling House of Dreams, Chokshi spins her tale, interweaving fairy tales into the central narrative amidst broken promises and childhood dreams. Testament to everything I love about the gothic, this novel delivers a startling atmosphere, set around a crumbling manor and its ability to suspend the past. Chokshi absolutely dazzles, with poetic prose and the kind of fairytale spinning only she could bring to fruition. Everything inside me yearned to read this exquisite gothic debut from the moment it was announced, to step inside the House of Dreams and deconstruct the secrets hidden within its winding halls. The experience reading this was all the more mesmerizing, as I fell into Chokshi’s labyrinth of mystery, led deeper between the past of the house by Azure’s perspective, and the present day, with the bridegroom’s suspicions. There was quite the unsettling back and forth with these two, aided by the different tones employed – the shift from Azure’s childhood wonder, to the unfortunate realization that happened on both sides. I still can’t wrap my head around how beautifully written this novel is. Lush, dreamy writing is undoubtedly in Roshani’s wheelhouse, and this is my favorite of hers thus far. This book twisted my expectations up in knots until right at the very end, and each betrayal and exposed truth scored a little deeper. Infused with a kernel of romance, Roshani Chokshi breathes life into this resplendent and tragic gothic story. The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is everything I could possibly wish for in a gothic novel, and the way it slowly approaches the final act will leave you breathless in its downfall.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence, murder

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Lets Talk: Novellas

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With a little over a month left in the reading year, and still no end in sight with my yearly goal, I thought It would be interesting to visit the mountain of novellas that have been piling up these past few months. I spent a whole weekend reading my backlog of various novellas, both published and unpublished, in the hopes of getting ahead of my reading and discovering some new favorites. Several of these titles are coming from authors that have read in the past and loved, but there are a few standouts that I was wanting to try. I mostly stuck to science fiction fantasy this way out the gate but did hit some of the horror novellas that I had missed from my October reading. This novella romp was so much fun, so without further ado, here are my thoughts on the eight novellas I read over the weekend!

Novellas I loved

Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee

“I wanted to be one. I wanted to be the monster that kills other monsters.”

It shall come as no surprise that Fonda Lee wrote another book I’m completely obsessed with. Her previous Green Bone Saga series launched her to the top of my favorite fantasy authors last year, and when I heard about her upcoming novella I knew it was going to hit just as hard. Untethered Sky follows a young woman consumed by vengeance, and her career path as a Ruhker, trainers of the giant predator rocs that are taught to hunt the very Manticores that destroyed her family. This extraordinary novella confronts the limitations of obsession and the one-sided love between man and predator. Through the partnership between Ruhker and fledgling, Lee tries the bounds of love and loyalty, against inner nature.

Trigger warnings: violence, blood, death, gore

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Even Though I Knew the End by C.L Polk

“I called to the devil, and the devil came to me.”

Angels, demons, and magic combine in this gorgeously queer novella tinged with romance and heartache. An insightful and entertaining romp through 1940s Chicago, following a Lesbian detective determined to get back the soul she bargained away years ago, and thus secure a future with her great love. When I heard about this sapphic historical fantasy novella by C.L Polk I knew that I was in for a wild ride. I loved their previous historical novel The Midnight Bargain, so naturally, I had high hopes for their newest novella. Even Though I Knew The End is a well-rounded story that managed to deliver on every possible front. Inquisitive, Sapphic, and fun. Give it a try!

Trigger warnings: death, misogyny, homophobia, forced institutionalization

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The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

“Mothers fly away like migrating birds. And fathers die too young”

The Crane Husband is a peculiar story of a fifteen-year-old girl managing the affairs of her family after the death of her father. When her mother brings home a crane to stay with them, generations of family trauma and grievances are brought into the open as her mother begins to lose herself piece by piece in the crane’s menacing clutches. Barnhill composes an unsettling futuristic fable that is part retelling and part inquisition into abuse, abandonment, and children placed into parental roles far too young. The Crane Husband skillfully details a family slowly falling apart and a horror at the center of the household. The perfect novella for anyone looking to read a futuristic spin on Japanese folklore tangled up in a sinister family tragedy.

Trigger warnings: death, illness, domestic abuse, blood, violence,

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The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

“Myths are full of lies. This is not one of them.”

The Salt Grows Heavy is a gruesome tale tracking a mermaid who destroyed her husband and his kingdom, and a plague doctor as they wander an entangled forest. They happen upon a strange village, where children compete in a brutal game for a chance at immortality and supposed saints safeguard the treacherous truth. Cassandra Khaw delivers easily the most horrific and violent novella I have ever read. There’s a dangerous underbelly to its language that slowly ensnares you at its surface, and once beneath, morphs into something truly terrifying. Seriously, the descriptions in this were bone-chilling and morbid to the point of needing to put the book down at times. The Salt Grows Heavy is the perfect novella for horror (and bloodthirsty mermaid) fans.

Trigger warnings: blood, violence, gore, murder, disembowelment, torture

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Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo

“Singing Hills knew that the truth showed up in its own time, often late and entirely unlooked for”

Nghi Vo continues The Singing Hills Cycle, following the cleric Chih as they travel to the Riverlands to record the prominent tales of the martial artists that torment the area. Chih and Almost Brilliant journey with two young women and an older couple whom they quickly fall in with while navigating the changing landscape. Nghi Vo once again delivers a stellar addition to her Singing Hills Cycle series with Into the Riverlands, a novella that continues to emphasize the power of storytelling and the passing down of stories through the generations. Vo lets us peek behind the curtains of various fables and myths to view the kernel of truth at their center. This is a brilliant series that continues to delight year after year. Can’t recommend it enough!

Trigger warnings: violence, death

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The Scourge Between Stars by Ness Brown

“It sounded like the seismic breath of stars…It sounded like a conversation between gods”

The Scourge Between Stars is a thrilling science fiction horror novella about a temporary captain that confronts the threat of an alien intruder whilst trying to keep the crew alive on a ship approaching extinction. Everything about this was just incredible. It reads like a full-length science fiction novel from the amount of detail Ness Brown poured into the worldbuilding and the wide array of characters present. From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat as Jacklyn unearths the truth about this threat and deals with the pressures passed down by her absent father. An incredible story of perseverance and the deep manifestations of trauma contended within the wide expanse of space. Look no further for your next thrilling queer sci-fi horror, it’s here.

Trigger warnings: death, violence, blood, gore

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Novellas I Didn’t Love (as much)

The Two Doctors Gorski by Isaac Fellman

“If she had ever thought of herself as a rose, it would be a withered one -crisp, dry, delicate”

Annae is a graduate student focused on psychiatric magic, but she harbors the uncanny ability to read the minds of the people around her. Her abilities allow her to protect herself and provide her colleagues and superiors with exactly what they expect. With a premise as amazing as this one, the actual story was very much a letdown. The Two Doctors Gorski is the perfect example of a novella that was attempting too much and was confronted with its own limitations. I appreciated the conversation this was trying to have with academic abuse and women starting a career in a male-dominated field, but its short page count left more to be addressed, and there was simply too much going on that I was left pondering over many unanswered questions.

Trigger warnings: death

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Spear by Nicola Griffith

“A name, she thinks, is what makes a person who they are. A name is how they know themself”

I had high hopes for Spear, a novella twisting Arthurian legend and chronicling the journey of a young woman disguised as a man trying to find her place among knights and kings. The beautiful prose sharply hit its mark and I fell easily into the flow of the ever-shifting narrative. This feels like the type of story read by the fire on a cold winter night, that warms your bones and brings comfort in times of need. Spear is a fantastic queer fantasy novella, but there were several things that held it back. The prose, while stunning, weaved a dense web that made it hard to navigate the events that occurred, and the last half was very slow going. Not my least favorite novella, but not worth contending with my other favorites.

Trigger warnings: death, violence, infertility, blood

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So ends my weekend journey into my various novellas of the past year. Many of these have an expected publication in the coming year, so be advised that most of the quotations above are coming from a proof and are subject to change. I had such a fun time with this. I’d been feeling a bit behind on my reading goal and uninspired as to what to read next so this helped me a whole lot! I will definitely be keeping up with any new novellas in the upcoming year and looking out for any new ones to read that are already published. If any of these sound interesting, please consider pre-ordering a copy through the links provided, and do let me know what you think when you get around to reading!

Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Decades of fighting have left Viv the orc barbarian tired of bloodshed. One last mission makes her the owner of Scalvert’s Stone, a mythical artifact with untested power that paves the road to her next adventure, opening a coffee shop in the city of Thune. Viv’s fresh start doesn’t come easy after a life of battle, and renovating the cafe space may be the least of her problems. Convincing the residents of Thune to give her unfamiliar drinks a try, facing the uncontested powers within the city, and the return of old enemies could quickly crumble the life of peace she is desperate to maintain. To successfully pull off her plan, Viv will need to enlist the help of her new partners in order to get the cafe back on track, which just may provide her with the perspective that she has been missing all along.

Legends & Lattes is easily the coziest fantasy novel I have ever read, centered around an orc barbarian turned entrepreneur Viv and her trials and tribulations in opening a coffee shop. Debut author Travis Baldree serves up a lighthearted and easygoing tale that feels like being wrapped up in a warm blanket with a piping hot cup of coffee. Following Viv, as she journeys to the city of Thune to start her new adventure, I was instantly carried away by the sights of the city, and the mouthwatering pastries and food described in ever-expanding detail. This is definitely a feast for the senses, combined with an incredible attention to detail. My favorite moments in particular were the chalkboard menu updates that were described after each new morning pastry addition. They all sounded so delectable I wished for nothing more than to jump into the page and enjoy a steaming cinnamon bun myself. As the cafe expands and takes on new upgrades, so are we introduced to our lovely cast of characters Viv, Cal, Thimble, and Tandri. I adored them all, especially Thimble and his careful attention to his breakfast pastry creations, and Viv and Tandri who had such a heartwarming love story. Every passing addition to the cafe team imparted such a strong sense of coming together, along with that found family component I was hoping for. Legends and Lattes is, at its heart, about community and friendship, and how personal quests for transformation cannot be accomplished alone. Look no further for a fantasy that doesn’t forgo a warm atmosphere and layers heavily on all things cozy. Legends and Lattes is the perfect book for anyone that has ever dreamed of ditching their responsibilities to open up a cafe or bookstore, or is in need of a well-earned escape. 

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing this arc

Trigger warnings: fire, violence, sexual harassment

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Review: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Gyre is part of a one-person expedition mapping a cave system on the mining colony of a distant planet, but after basically lying her way into the job for the substantial paycheck, she soon finds herself in way over her head. The cave is filled with the bodies of past explorers that met an unfortunate end, and the surface team tasked with monitoring her surrounding environment is not a team at all, but a grieving young woman determined to unbury a graveyard. Lured into a false sense of security by the promised payout that will allow her to track down the mother that abandoned her, Gyre continues her descent, but the cave system is not what she expected, and her handler will stop at nothing to push forward. Confused and alone in the dark, Gyre makes one unsettling discovery after the other. Supplies have gone missing, tunnels completely shifted, and as she encroaches deeper into the darkness Gyre begins to suspect that she may not be entirely alone.

The Luminous Dead is the perfect combination of spooky and gay, wound up in a psychological thriller investigating the traumas of two young women and the ties that bind them. Told entirely from the perspective of caver Gyre as she navigates the expansive cave system of her home planet Cassandra-V, Starling’s confined narrative contests with the limitless scope of the underground. The vast network of caves becomes a nightmare, where the emotions and mental state of Gyre and her inconsistent handler Em begin to fray. I’m a big fan of the use of the surrounding environment as an extension of the emotions of these characters, where unique traumas can be realized and overcome. The Luminous Dead took this to an extreme degree. The plot manages to draw out the horror contained within, with the thirty-some dead cavers, cave collapses, and missing gear, alongside Gyre’s slow loss of sanity. This isolation is fully brought home with there being only two characters in the story, while finicky Em enters and exits on her own agenda, leaving Gyre to fend for herself and parse her handler’s inconsistencies. There were so many little moments throughout where I felt aligned with Gyre in not knowing what to believe or trusting anything that was being seen. The general fear of being watched, having her suit tampered with, or being controlled was terrifying to observe. Situating the novel around the exploration of a system of caves was enough to maintain suspense, but the psychological torment of Gyre was even more dreadful. Her hallucinations and the prevailing slow build toward her loss of self became incredibly anxiety-inducing to witness. Until its unexpected ending, I really had no idea if she would leave the cave alive. Secluded and horrifying, The Luminous Dead is the internal journey of two women united by trauma towards healing by exorcising the past. An unsettling atmospheric read that chilled me to the very core.

Trigger warnings: death, parental death, parental abandonment, forced drug use, body horror, vomiting, suicidal thoughts

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Review: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

For interior designer and impeccably put-together Astrid Parker, failure is out of the question. After her botched engagement over a year ago, Astrid has held tight to the reins of her life lest her world crash and burn around her. When the opportunity to design the renovation of Bright Falls Everwood Inn appears in front of her, Astrid soars. Since the renovation will be televised on a popular home improvement show, it may just be what she needs to put herself back on the map. What Astrid doesn’t intend is to butt heads with lead carpenter Jordan Everwood, who despises the plans that Astrid has for renovating her family home. Tension sells better than anything, and when the producers of Innside America ask them to up the ante, Jordan and Astrid clash until their deep dislike for one another is threatened. All Astrid has ever done is what is expected of her, yet there is a chance for her to live the life she truly desires if only she can let go of the rigid control that she has clung to for so long.

Ashley Herring Blake pens another queer romance reminiscent of Schitt’s Creek and the romantic comedy, with lovable characters, emotional depth, and classic small-town charm. Astrid Parker delighted in the first installment of the Bright Falls series and I was elated when I heard the sequel would center around her own love story. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail completely outsells, elevating her character and developing an enthralling rivals-to-lovers romance at its center. If there is one thing I have come to expect from Herring Blake, it’s the unique situations that she crafts for her characters. This secondary romance is no different, concentrating on a home-improvement show and the antics between interior designer Astrid and lead carpenter Jordan Everwood. Oftentimes I find it difficult to engage with the rivalry trope, especially if the set-up isn’t there or the rivalry isn’t founded on anything concrete, but that was not an issue here. The first chapter establishes an exquisite antagonism with a coffee spill gone wrong and a vengeful Astrid caught in the crossfire. This led to some of the most glorious romantic tension and palpable on-page chemistry as the story unfolded. There is nothing more telling I can say about this other than it completely ruined me. Astrid Parker’s story is about the trials surrounding creating the life you truly want for yourself, against a world pulling you in an entirely different direction – how the people in our lives can sometimes show up right when they’re needed, even if it doesn’t make sense at first. By way of this, Ashley Herring Blake has given voice to a pervasive fear of failure, and just what it means to figure out your sexuality later in life. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail is a sensational follow-up romance to Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, and is shaping up an incredible continuation for the Bright Falls series.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing the arc.

Trigger warnings: death, depression

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Lets Talk: Gothic Reads for the Fall Season

Robin4 Comments

Everything gothic, from retellings, to gothic horror

Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year, and what better way to celebrate its arrival than by sharing some of my favorite gothic novels from the last two years. If you’re like me, then fall is the time that you reach for gothic novels and horror more than anything. Something about the leaves falling and the temperature dropping puts me in the mood to read about desolate castles, blood, and murder. Even if you aren’t the biggest gothic fan, fall is undoubtedly the perfect time of year to give it a try or another shot. This post will reach everything from vampires to haunted castles, and retellings. Of course, these are just a select few of my favorite gothic reads. Regardless of the time of year, I am always looking for more, so please drop a recommendation if you feel like it. Spooky reading!

Gothic Recommendations

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

T. Kingfisher is a new author I have discovered this year, with an extensive backlist in both fantasy and horror. Their new novel, What Moves the Dead is an unsettling gothic retelling of The Fall of the House of Usher. Following the retired soldier Alex Easton, coming to the aid of a dying childhood friend, we explore the house of Usher run amok with mushrooms and unpredictable wildlife, and set around the malevolent murky depths of a lake. What Moves the Dead has a suspenseful build to it, leaning more towards the classic horror I have come to love. Perfect for the everyday Poe fan, or someone looking to read more of the genre.

Trigger warnings: Body horror, animal death, death, war, suicide, gore

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House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

Queer horror has definitely had a resurgence this year, and House of Hunger is one of my favorites of them all. There’s a sprawling estate with plenty of secrets inside and a vampiric regime that preys on impoverished women. Henderson has perfected the gothic atmosphere, combining the horrific, an analysis of desire, and a sweeping narrative that ensnares the senses. Following heroine Marion, as she applies for the position of bloodmaid, and discovers the truth behind the illustrious houses of the North, this novel delves deep into its corrupted heart. House of Hunger comes packed with a gruesome twist that you won’t want to miss!

Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence, gore, murder, torture

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A Dowry of Blood by S.T Gibson

An exquisite reimagining of Dracula’s Brides in the form of an open letter from the first bride Constanta; A Dowry of Blood is an achingly haunting and beautiful novel that spans centuries in the life of its narrator. S.T Gibson devises an evocative narrative, chronicling the quiet descent from love into violence over many years. This queer polyamorous vampire novel has re-debuted this October through Orbit and what better time to read it than the Halloween season. Everything about this is exquisite, a combination of sapphic yearning at the opera, found family, and a moving exploration of relationship abuse.

Trigger warnings: Emotional abuse, blood, death, murder, abuse

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Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

Continuing the trend of retellings, Juniper & Thorn is one of my favorites, a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree that just released this year. Honestly, Ava Reid is THE author for fantasy and the gothic, and they always manage to deliver an impeccable story that ticks all the boxes. Juniper & Thorn is a phenomenal story full of monsters that await you down dark hallways and the ones within. Its examination of survivorhood, defiance, and the monstrous is something I will carry with me for a long time. If any gothic horror is going to stick with you, it’s going to be this one.

Trigger warnings: violence, emotional abuse, gore, blood, death, murder, body horror, cannibalism, eating disorder (bulimia), vomiting (graphic), sexual assault, antisemitism, xenophobia, drug use 

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The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

The Death of Jane Lawrence has been aptly compared to Crimson Peak, with a narrative so mind-boggling it completely threw me over. Set in a dark version of Post-War England, we follow the bright and practical Jane Shoringfield as she makes a marriage of convenience centered around a bargain she won’t be able to uphold. This is one of the most brilliant and unnerving books that I have ever read within the horror genre. Starling weaves a startling story with layers that cannot be fully parsed with just one glance and one that I continue to think about to this day. It’s gothic horror with a historical layer and a side of discontent.

Trigger warnings: Blood, gore, medical procedures, drug use, child death, death, gaslighting

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Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

An instant recommendation of mine is always going to be Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is comped as Rebecca meets The Yellow Wallpaper, and honestly, nothing could be a more accurate comparison. A gothic that burns slowly and then doesn’t catch its breath until the very end —complete with a twist that still keeps me up at night, Mexican Gothic is a great venture into gothic horror. Moreno-Garcia is one of my all-time favorite writers, with an insane capacity to genre-shift and spin the stories that stay with you. Mexican Gothic is arguably her most well-known novel, and for good reason. It’s got a creepy family estate, and a horrific family legacy to unpack before its smashing conclusion.

Trigger warnings: Violence, death, body horror, sexual assault, sexism

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This is coming a bit late into the season so I’ve already had the chance to revisit a few of these and try some new reads. The books above remain my absolute favorites of what the gothic has to offer, and if you try and like any, be sure to reach out and let me know. Every single one of these authors has other works I have adored, and I cannot recommend delving into their backlist, especially if you liked any of them. Currently, any and all of Jennifer McMahon’s books are on my upcoming reading list, as well as a few of Paul Tremblay’s horror novels. Both authors have provided a fascinating dive into the horror genre and I hope to read more before the season is out!

Review: Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

As the only mortal of the Gorgons, Medusa knows true weakness. Residing with her sisters in their windswept cave by the sea, she and the Gorgons are fully at the mercy of the whims and desires of the gods. When the sea god Poseidon enacts a violence against her in the Temple of Athene, Athene takes her revenge, transforming Medusa from a young woman into a monster. Armed with a head full of snakes and a piercing gaze that can turn any viewer to stone, Medusa becomes a proper Gorgon. Resigned to never harm a living thing, she retreats to a life of solitude, until a quest blinded by arrogance places the hero Perseus on her shores. With quests and complicated deals at play, limiting the scope of her power may be impossible when divine intervention reigns supreme and women are mere tools for the beings above.

Natalie Haynes transforms the Medusa story we’ve been fed into a layered history of the women at its center and the monster we’ve all been taught to fear. Stone Blind delivers exactly the kind of retelling I have been craving, inexplicably rich, lyrical, and wound up in tragedy. Distinctive with this one is the emphasis on the intersection of time and place, with all characters that coalesce in the Medusa myth. There is not a singular focus on the figure of Medusa, as Haynes grasps at the threads binding the story together, fashioning an elaborate tapestry that rivals that of Athene. I was pulled into the story almost immediately with Medusa’s golden childhood by the sea, completely torn asunder by the acts of violence against her by Poseidon and Athene. Like the tide returns to the sea and back again, there is a constant give and take in Haynes’s narrative, with seemingly insignificant events that take shape, strike, and then fade into the background. Every action leaves behind an echo that lingers, leaving an imprint on every event that takes place further on. There are a broad range of voices present, from godly beings to nymphs, and even animals lending their eyes to the narrative voice. With every delicate line and merciless moment, Haynes dismantles the complex relationships and powerful forces at play within the Medusa myth, creating a wholly authentic view of the monster and existing as a woman within the sphere of the gods. As the focus shifts back to Perseus, it’s clear that existing in spite of these overtly monstrous qualities can equate to a loss of agency in the wrong hands. Stone Blind is the kind of story that will forever be imprinted upon me, long after I have managed to look away from its pages. Natalie Haynes crafts a Medusa retelling that will withstand the test of time, bringing new meaning to the Medusa figure and every woman held within the confines of her myth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review.

Trigger Warnings: rape, death, sexual assault, violence

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Review: Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

The year is 1952, and Irene Lamontaine, head of the illustrious Lamontaine soap empire has died, leaving behind a substantial family seat vacant. Irene spearheaded the family’s soap empire to its current position with her signature and everchanging scents, held secret behind the gates of the family estate Lavender House. On the estate, the inhabitants have secrets of their own, secrets that require keeping outsiders at bay, and an understanding staff. When Evander Mills, a recently fired cop of the San Fransisco police department is contacted by a mysterious widow to investigate the circumstances surrounding her wife’s death, he finds himself behind its illusive walls for the first time. Reaching deeper into the family’s past, Andy soon finds himself beset by petty squabbles and family jealousy, but Irene’s death wasn’t an accident, and even between a family united by secrets, there are some worth killing for.

Lavender House has been aptly described as a 1950’s Knives Out mystery, surrounding a queer family, their confined existence, and the deadly secrets they keep hidden. Perfectly situated in its place in time, Rosen assembles a cloying ambiance for this novel, with an overpowering scent of deception that permeates the stuffy halls of Lavender House and unto the very page. Passing through the gates of the house aside the narrator Evander Mills, the real mystery begins once inside, as the motivations and history of each of the characters are exhumed. It was at this point of the story, that I was officially hooked. So much of what I love about the family mystery narrative is the entangled motivations and complicated relationships that are played out from start to finish. Lavender House has the added layer of the Lamontaine family being comprised entirely of queer people that have found solace, and ultimately family, with one another. For that reason, this novel is very much a stark examination of queer lives during the 1950s as it is a murder mystery. These two topics intersect as Andy investigates deeper into the family history and the establishment of their legendary soap empire. Each of the family and staff all have their own struggles with identity, which Rosen does a great job exploring in tandem with existing as queer in this time and the difficult choices necessary to exist and have any kind of security. This is a historical novel that does depict some of the violence inflicted upon the LGBTQ+ community during the time period by individuals and law enforcement, so I strongly advise checking out the content warnings before reading. I ended up having to take several breaks during certain sections of this. The existence of Lavender House in and of itself is escapist for the time period it is situated in, yet it provides an altogether intimate and refreshing inquiry into queer existence served against a stellar mystery. With its not so neatly wrapped up ending, I am hopeful that this is not the last we will be hearing from these characters going forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review.

Trigger warnings: violence, grief, homophobic slurs, homophobic violence, police brutality, animal death

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Review: House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The advertisement in the paper seems almost written in blood. It comes on behalf of the illustrious houses of the far north, where wealthy nobles live for the finer pleasures of human blood, relying on young women known as bloodmaids to supply it. Happening upon this strange advert is Marion Shaw, a young woman desperate to leave her current circumstances, yet with no hopes of doing so – until now. When a taster deems her blood an exquisite and rare taste, Marion is taken north to be presented as a potential new bloodmaid, where she finds herself the newest member of the notorious House of Hunger. Drawn into the dark world of which Countess Lisavet rules, Marion is quickly swept up in her allure and a hopeless desire to please her. The walls of the house cannot hide everything, and when an expulsion of the head bloodmaid reveals a pattern of past bloodmaids gone missing, Marion learns that deep within the house, lies something truly wretched.

House of Hunger is the unforgiving gothic horror of my dreams, soaked in blood and depravity. One look at its premise, and I could feel in my soul that this was going to be an instant favorite. With vivid descriptions and luscious prose, Alexis Henderson paints an alluring picture of a desolate house set on a sprawling estate and the noble families for whom the taste of blood still holds sway. Where desperate young women plucked from poverty are traded comfort in exchange for the endless supply of blood they can provide. Right from the get-go, this novel scorched a direct path to my heart, assisted by a devastating gothic atmosphere that slowly captured an essence of disquiet, building like a horrific symphony I could not look away from. Of course, no gothic horror is complete without its resilient leading lady, and Marion Shaw is certainly that, a sensational protagonist to follow as the truth behind the house of hunger is unveiled. Entangled in a hypnotic seduction with Countess Lisavet and set off by an unsettling discovery, Marion’s journey was everything I could have possibly asked for, fraught with disillusion and a descent from unwavering devotion into violence. Henderson did an amazing job balancing why someone in Marion’s position would be willing to enter into a bloodmaid contract, and how the wealthy took advantage of these women, that in their eyes, were easily expendable. Coupled with intensifying house politics, the claustrophobic feel of the narrative, and the revelation to the inner workings of the houses, this story takes a depraved and horrifying final bow. House of Hunger is everything I could possibly want in a horror novel, a fearsomely dark tale with a corrupted center.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing this arc.

Trigger warnings: blood, death, violence, gore, murder

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Review: The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

On the outskirts of England lies a secret society, a line of supernatural beings known as book eaters that consume books as food, retaining all of their content and knowledge. Threatened by their ever dwindling numbers, book eater women are raised into a life of marriage contracts and childbearing. In spite of this, Devon Fairweather, the sole daughter of an old clan, has grown up curious, but with the birth and subsequent seizure of her firstborn daughter, Devon realizes the truth of her circumstance. When her second son is born a mind eater, a darker subset of book eaters with a hunger for human minds, Devon vows not to make the same mistake and flees with him. Freedom is not all it is cut out to be, and as Devon and her son Cai attempt to live among humans, she is forced to do horrifying things for them to survive. Against her will, Devon is drawn deeper into the inner workings of her kind, until remaining free becomes a matter of unspeakable sacrifice.

The Book Eaters is a decadent dark fantasy novel alight with imagination and a fierce kind of devotion. Debut author Sunyi Dean draws together a contemporary gothic horror narrative centered around the power of stories and breaking free from a restrictive upbringing. It’s an altogether fitting title for a book that I aptly devoured in just one evening. With a striking atmosphere that evolved with Devon’s recount of her past, I fell in love with the imagery presented and the progressing themes of loss, patriarchy, and control. I wholly admire the emotional journey this book guided me on, quietly leading me through Devon’s descent into disillusion and ferocious fight for her and her son’s freedom. Narrative structure, in turn, is what really set this up for success. The flip between the past and the present was delicately done, slowly revealing Devon’s history and its influences on her current thoughts and actions. Dean’s use of epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter worked in the same fashion, lending themselves to the larger issue of how the stories we are exposed to can shape our capacity for possibility. How love lends itself to sacrifice and restricting imagination becomes control. The topic of motherhood is subtly investigated on behalf of Dean, as Devon comes to accept that love doesn’t have to be another form of control and she becomes more ruthless in the face of her son’s survival. While it was a smaller subplot, Devon’s evolving relationship with Hester and her own sexuality really sealed the deal for me on this one. Book eaters may consume texts to survive, but at the center of this debut is a testament to the role of stories in shaping our minds. Devon’s character arc illustrates beautifully the impact of new experiences on broadening our opportunities and view of ourselves. Beautifully constructed and deeply moving, The Book Eaters is a feast of a novel, interlocked with a quest for agency, transformation, and ultimately identity. 

Thank you to Edelweiss for providing this arc to review

Trigger warnings: Body horror, gore, explicit violence, domestic abuse, violence against children

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