I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Bonnier Books UK in exchange for an honest review.

What would you give to accomplish your dream?

I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me is the story of Laure, a black ballet dancer struggling to establish herself in Paris despite being the best dancer at her school. Tired of always having to do more, her life is changed forever when a fellow dancer brings her to a god and she decides to strike a bargain. Finally, she will get the recognition she deserves...but at what cost?

This book had so much going for it that I loved. Firstly, it's a horror story about ballet which I am obsessed with. Secondly, the protagonist really is one of the best YA protagonists I've read about in a while. Laure is painfully three-dimensional, so real she could dance off the page and demand why I am not doing more. Thirdly, the whole plot felt very unique to me. I don't read a lot of 'strike a deal' horror books but I think even if I had, this one is still incredibly unique.

Unfortunately, this book had two main flaws and they stopped me enjoying it as much as I did at the start. It is just too long in my opinion or at least, there is too much of the book where nothing is really going on. The beginning was so tight and so intriguing and then it slows to a bit of a halt, only briefly picking up speed again throughout. Related to this, I also found parts of the book to be a little confusing. I struggled a bit to keep track of where characters were or what was happening to them. Laure's parents are a good example of this. She kept on reinforcing this idea that her father had abandoned her and been a terrible parent, but then he kept cropping up and it wasn't entirely clear to me what he had done that was so awful. There are quite a few plot points like this and it didn't help when combined with the pacing.

Having said that, this book is still well worth the read. So many elements are strong and compared to other YA works, it stands out by a mile. I am very excited to see what this author does next as I believe they will only get stronger the more they write, and I hope to be seeing many more books from them in the future. This is a powerful voice and something horror desperately needs more of

Overall Rating:

.5

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.

Did I ever think I would be reading a serious horror book by Chuck Tingle? Absolutely not! But I am so glad I did.

Camp Damascus tells the tale of Rose Darling, a 20 year old woman who is happily living a very Christian life in her very Christian community. Everything seems idyllic until one day, her male best friend tries to kiss her. Shortly after, she throws up an astonishing amount of flies and her life takes a demonic spiral from there.

This book is a little different than the kind of horror I normally read, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It has good queer rep (in my queer opinion), it has some really memorable characters and addresses an important modern issue through a horror lens (mainly, conversion camps). I was particularly impressed by how 'real' the characters felt. This book does a good job of capturing the complexity of having a shitty family whilst absolutely making no excuses for them.

My only issue with this book is it felt a little linear? Not every book has to have twists or surprises even, but it felt reasonably obvious what was going on quite early into the book and the story didn't evolve much from that point. I still enjoyed it a lot because of the characters but the horror aspect was lost to me due to the predictability, which was a bit of a shame.

Overall if you can handle the subject material, I would definitely give this book a try. It's definitely not a book that I will forget for a while, and I look forward to more serious work by this author given the standard of the character writing

Overall Rating:

.5

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

 I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Penguin Random House UK Children's in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a hot minute since I fell so completely in love with a book the way I did with this one.

Their Vicious Games is the story of Adina, a young black woman who has had her future snatched away after an unfortunate incident with a fellow classmate and ex-friend. Desperate to reclaim her spot at Yale, she persuades the richest guy at her school to let her join a prestigious competition that happens yearly to help propel the winner into their ideal future. What she doesn't know is that this year is a particularly special year for the competition, and things are far more deadly and intense than she expected...

This book has a fantastic premise. It is essentially The Bachelor meets Hunger Games in all the best ways. Unlike some YA thriller/horrors, it does not shy away from the dark stuff and I adore it for that. This kind of plot deserves real stakes and horrible deaths, and this book provides buckets of both.

Many YA books have a message but this one is woven so solidly through every detail of the book that is really is executed impossibly well. Every character is deliciously complex, with even those who aren't around for very long feeling like they could be real people. This in turn provides the heart which really propels the message of the book. This is 'rich people suck' done right and, despite the fictional extremities, it reflects the real world chillingly well.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It really is the best YA thriller I've read in a long time by quite a large amount (and might be the best one I've ever read tbh) and I genuinely could not put it down. I am so excited to see what this author does next and I hope this book gets the praise and attention it deserves

Overall Rating:

Don't Swipe Right by L.M. Chilton

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Head of Zeus in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic surprise this book was!

Don't Swipe Right is the story of Gwen, a woman who gets caught up in a string of murders when it turns out the men she keeps dating keep on dying. She naturally becomes a suspect and decides to investigate in an attempt to clear her name.

On the surface, I was already sold by the premise. It's a little hard to judge what kind of book this is from the cover, but it is much more cosy mystery/humorous thriller than the typical psychological thrillers. I suspect this might lead to a few disappointed readers, but if you know what you are in for then this book is a breath of life.

For starters, it's actually funny! It's so rare that I laugh at books and this one was genuinely entertaining in a very engaging way. The mystery aspects are fairly weak but the writing and characterisations are so good that I was hooked. I had an absolute blast reading it and I didn't want to put it down as a result.

If you want a tense, intricate thriller then this book isn't for you. But if you want a decent plot with great writing and great characters, then I strongly recommend this book. It is a very fun time and the perfect enjoyable read.

Overall Rating:

.5

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.

Grady Hendrix is one of those authors I know is always going to give me a good time, and The Final Girl Support Group is no exception. From the first page this book sucked me in and I loved every second of it. 

This is the tale of Lynette, a 'final girl' of the horror genre fame. For those not in the know, a final girl is the sole survivor of a horror film, usually found in 80s and 90s slashers. She is usually pure, very resourceful and innocent, and often deeply traumatised by her experiences. In this world, famous horror movies are based on true events and our 6 members of the support group are the survivors. Scream, Friday the 13th, Halloween-they are all here under different names, and now we get to see what happened to the protagonists and who they grew up to be. The plot kicks off when Lynette suspects that someone is intent on murdering them all and goes on the run, determined that this time she will survive again.

There was so much about this book that surprised and delighted me. Firstly, the fact that each final girl comes from a recognisable franchise was completely unexpected and I adored it as a horror fan. I loved trying to guess what franchise each girl came from and putting together all the references and clues. Having said that, this book is so much more than a love letter to the genre. As always, Hendrix's characters are on point here. Lynette is ruthless and not a 'good' person, but you are 100% rooting for her as a reader. I think it does a brilliant job of recreating that familiar relationship between a victim and the public. Sure, you feel sorry for her but can you trust her? Is she telling the truth? Hendrix plays on these feelings to the book's advantage and it really is so clever in its execution.

It is truly incredible to have a book like this with a plot like it does and it be one of the most feminist horror books I have ever read. Rest assured, it is not overt and can be easily ignored if you wish. But to have such a strong cast of female characters, to truly poke and prod at the trope of the 'final girl' and how it is perceived by people, to have almost no sexual content or sexualisation of the female characters in the slasher genre: all this is so impressive to me. I think it has some fantastic things to say in the conversation of gender and horror, and these are woven effortlessly into the story so it never feels preachy or like that is the only point of the book.

There's not much more I can say to praise this book without giving things away but truly, it was everything I hoped for and more. If you're wondering what the difference between Final Girls by Riley Sager and this is, they are similar in basic premise and analysis of the trope but vastly different in content and execution. I enjoyed both thoroughly and reading The Final Girl Support Group, I didn't feel like it was being unoriginal or retreading old ground. This is definitely more of a horror than a thriller and it explores a wider cast of characters and situations.

Overall, if you enjoy horror (and in particular, slashers) please read this book. It breathes fresh life into the genre and I know this is a story I will be rereading a lot for many years to come. If you try one of Hendrix's books (and you absolutely should) this is the one I recommend the most.

Overall Rating:

Near the Bone by Christina Henry

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Titan Books in exchange for an honest review.

Christina Henry is back in full form! After being a little disappointed by The Ghost Tree, I am pleased to report that Near the Bone is a truly fantastic creepy tale.

It tells the story of Mattie, a young woman who lives with her husband William in a remote forest cabin on a mountainside. A strange creature appears on the mountain one day, something which is like a bear and not. It soon becomes clear though that things have not been right long before that. William is a very controlling person and he doesn't like that the arrival of the creature appears to be affecting his tenuous hold on Mattie.

I was utterly mesmerised by this story. Henry knows how to build tension and there were absolute piles of it in this book. The relationship between William and Mattie is one of the main driving forces and it was harrowing to see the unpleasant reality of it slowly unfurl as I read on. As with many of Henry's books, Near the Bone has a strong focus on feminism and gender roles and this is handled extremely well. I felt such a strong connection to Mattie and everything she goes through broke my heart a million times. Every character was so real to me and they all had depth which made you either love or hate them.

So I have covered the characters and relationships side but what about the horror? Well rest assured, this book has plenty of that. There are some particularly gruesome scenes here and also a lot of the slower, more tension-based horror that I mentioned earlier. I think this book is particularly effective because it has both domestic horror (from the threat of William) and the horror that comes from being hunted by a supernatural creature. It provides a variety in the kind of fear you feel as a reader and as a bonus it appeals to all tastes.

Christina Henry is one of my favourite authors and with books like this, it isn't hard to see why. If you want a tense, absorbing horror with brilliant characters and a heartbreaking plot, I urge you to check this book out. You will not be disappointed.

Overall Rating:

 .5

Camp Neverland by Lisa Quigley

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Unnverving in exchange for an honest review.

The Rewind or Die horror series is fast becoming one of my favourite sources for good horror. I feel like every installment has something new and interesting to offer, and Camp Neverland is no exception. As always this is a standalone book which tells the story of Max, a girl keen to escape her life of being bullied by going to a mysterious camp for the summer. Unfortunately for her, when she arrives she discovers her bully is also there. Thankfully she has a whole host of new female friends who have her back, though soon she realises the camp is not as innocent as it seems when a grisly death occurs.

This book was so interesting to me on so many levels. The story is somewhat predictable from the outset but the exact nature and depth of the horror is kept hidden, so you never quite feel like you know how it's going to turn out. Max was a very compelling character and I found the way she reacted to the camp and what was going on around her really added to the story.

Like the best horror stories, Camp Neverland has plenty to say about people and society. There are strong feminist themes throughout and these are woven effortlessly into the story. It gave me a lot to think about and even though it is relatively short, it felt like it carried a lot of depth to it because of these themes.

If you are looking for something beyond the typical slasher, Camp Neverland is a great book to pick up. It is a quick and entertaining read with great characters, an engaging story and some classic horror imagery. I am a huge fan of these kinds of books and I can't wait to see what comes out in the future.

Overall Rating:

The Marlow Murder Club by Robert Thorogood

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher HQ in exchange for an honest review.

I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to the 'cosy mystery' genre. I'm not even really sure what qualifies something as cosy vs an actual murder mystery, but however you class The Marlow Murder Club, it stands out as a really enjoyable story.

Judith is an elderly woman with a talent for crossword puzzles. When she hears her neighbour shot dead out on the river by their house, she takes it upon herself to investigate. Soon she gains two companions in the form of Becks, the lovely but prim vicar's wife, and Suzie, the rambunctious down to earth dog walker. Together they begin to investigate a crime involving art, rowing, mysterious medals and many intriguing suspects.

I was delighted with how well this book is written. I've not read anything by this author previously and I didn't realise he was behind the Death in Paradise fame until after I'd finished this book, but I can absolutely tell he is a master at a good murder mystery. There is nothing particularly showy here but this is a solid and interesting mystery told at the perfect pace with some wonderful characters serving as our protagonists. I loved the unique dynamics between the three women and how each of them brought something different to the table. Their dialogue and personalities felt very natural and I could believe they would be friends and would be brought together in this way.

There's not much else I can say about this book except for that if you like cosy mysteries, you should definitely give this a go. It reminded me a lot of Agatha Raisin but with a stronger emphasis on the actual plot and a bit less ridiculous characters. I would happily read a whole series about these characters and I sincerely hope that a sequel will be out soon.

Overall Rating:

The Last Girl by Goldy Moldavsky

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Egmont Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy, this book had big expectations to live up to with a blurb like that and it somehow managed to meet every one of them. The Last Girl is the story of Rachel, a girl who moves to a new school and town after surviving a traumatic home invasion. At her new school she stumbles across a secret club dedicated to watching horror movies and 'making the horror real'. Taking it in turns to pick a victim, the club stages elaborate pranks to get back at people they don't like. A fan of horror, Rachel feels like she's found her people until certain aspects of the pranks start to go too far and remind her of her trauma.

I really really loved this book. Almost every aspect is spot on and delivers exactly what I wanted when I picked this up. The plot feels sort of predictable but it's delivered in such an entertaining way and it makes such good use of the horror tropes that I didn't mind one bit. You find yourself drawn into the mystery and you start second-guessing your assumptions, wondering which horror movie trope the author is going to go with for the reveal. It's very subtle but any of them could work in this way and it adds a clever touch to the mystery aspect.

The characters themselves were great and one of the strongest aspects of this book. I liked how Rachel never had to make any dumb decisions to drive the plot forward, and she felt very grounded in reality as a protagonist. I fell in love with every member of the club in different ways, and I never had any trouble distinguishing them from each other. There is an interesting love triangle of sorts here but it is very downplayed and amounts to romantic tension more than anything explicit. I was uncertain about it at first but I appreciated how it played out in the end and it didn't feel like there was unnecessary romance drama or like it took over the plot.

Two of my favourite characters were actually from outside of the club. Saundra is Rachel's first friend when she starts at the school and she is a happy, gossipy girly-girl. I loved how she wasn't dropped as soon as Rachel joined the club and how she was never implied to be shallow or less important than the club members simply for not sharing their interests. Similarly, Lux is Rachel's bully and the resident mean girl of the school. She receives much less attention and time than Saundra but there are moments where you get to see that she is also a real person with her own stuff going on. I felt all the female characters in this book were very different and all were important in some way, and that was very refreshing to read.

Overall, I strongly recommend this book. There is a lot to offer fans of horror movies here and, while the actual tone and style of the book is a lighter horror than most, there is a strong plot and sense of mystery and tension throughout. It was a lot of fun and I am very excited to see what this author does in the future.

Overall Rating:

.5

Chopping Spree by Angela Sylvaine

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Unnverving in exchange for an honest review.

This book is crazy in all the best ways! Honestly I was expecting a bit more of a traditional slasher style horror book but what I got instead was a welcome surprise. Chopping Spree is the story of Penny, a girl who works in an 80s mall. She has a weird encounter with a man in a wolf mask, followed by a weirder encounter with her work colleagues. The blurb of this book implies that what follows is a standard slasher set in a mall but the story takes quite a different turn. Instead it is more focused on an anti-capitalism, cult-type story.

I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The writing is fantastic and the usual problems of the genre (weird sexualisation elements and bad characterisation) are completely absent here. I'm not even a huge fan of cult stories but I was completely absorbed by the plot and I finished it in two sittings. I really liked the unique vibe it had and I couldn't predict where the story was going which was really nice. As with the other Rewind or Die book I read, this genuinely brings something new to the horror table and it's a welcome breath of fresh air.

Having said that, I don't want to give you the wrong impression. This book isn't ground-breaking and it still has a lot of staples of horror that you would expect and enjoy as a horror fan. There is some semblance of the slasher elements and there are a lot of 80s references which give it that classic touch. This isn't a criticism from me, I just want to make it clear that there are both traditional and new features which blend well to create a really solid horror book.

Overall, I think this book and others from the series are definitely worth a try if you are a horror fan. So long as you don't expect a full-on slasher, there is a lot to like about this book and it's so short that you can't really go wrong.

Overall Rating: