THE WICKED UNSEEN by Gigi Griffis

The Wicked Unseen by Gigi Griffis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked this up last night to get a feel for it... and kept reading. 😅

Audre recently moved from the city to a rural town with her parents and little sister. So she's finding it hard to fit in with the churchy crowd. It's not just that she's different, but also that most of the town is obsessed with the concept of Satanic cults hiding in the woods. And when the preacher's daughter goes missing, the police is quick to suspect Audre's family...

I really enjoyed this! It's a YA horror story that is ambiguous in many ways, while also highlighting the real-life horror that is religious zealots. Dealing with the self-righteous, who honestly believe they're doing 'god's work', is terrifying. And fucking gross, tbh.

Anyway, I really liked Audre's voice. She was stubborn, determined, and believed in herself. Something that's hard to do for any teenager, let alone one who doesn't fit the forced narrative about how a girl is supposed to dress, behave, and have a crush on. Plus I loved her parents. They were cool and so supportive, about so many things.

The family dynamic really worked for me. As well as the setting and the fact the story was set in 1996. Very cool.

Also, the mystery at the core of the story turned out to have a good twist. I suspected some, but not all of it.

This is a great book!


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THE IDEA OF YOU by Robinne Lee

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit that until I watched the trailer for the movie adaptation, I didn't know anything about this book. But after that, it was everywhere... and suddenly, I HAD to read it.

Solène owns an art gallery in LA and certainly wasn't planning to take her daughter to see/meet her favourite boy band, August Moon. But then, during the meet and greet she feels an instant attraction to one of the guys. Before Solène knows what's happening, she finds herself in a whirlwind romance with Hayes Campbell. But will his age be a bigger problem than his celebrity status?

I REALLY enjoyed this! And was instantly drawn into the story because I found Solène's life interesting. I also thought Hayes came across quite charming and cheeky. Determined, and not afraid to make his intentions known. And his intentions with Solène were quite obvious from the beginning. Not that hers weren't. LOL.

This is one of those stories that could've become stale pretty early on, but stays fresh all the way through. I was hooked. Got swept away in the globe-trotting romance between a woman on the edge of 40 and the 20-year-old man who sweeps her off her feet. The mutual connection between these two sizzled off the page.

I also quite liked how this story deals with the invisibility that society tries to push on women over 40. And how every woman in this book refuses to fade into the background. They continued to excel at their jobs, raised children, or chose not to have kids at all, and refused to squash their sensuality. This is a facet that is often ignored, so it was great to see it in the forefront.

Also, I didn't expect all the family drama. Yikes! But all the ingredients work so well together and deliver a very entertaining, heartfelt, sexy love story.

I have to admit that the ending broke my heart, but it was the only way it could end. It's such a fantastic story! So glad I gave it a go.

Now I have to watch the movie to see what they changed...

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WOMAN, EATING by Claire Kohda

Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, this is the book I decided to get stuck into this afternoon... and finished by the end of the night. 😅

Lyd is ready to rent a studio in London and get stuck into an internship at a local gallery. It's time to get on with her own life and leave her mother behind. But she's always hungry and no matter how hard she tries, it's hard to erase a lifetime of her mother's toxic teachings and warnings...

Wow. I really enjoyed this unique take on vampires. Not only is it a quiet study about how a vampire might be forced to survive in the modern era, but it's also a testament to how hard it is for young people to spread their wings and figure out who they are and/or want to be. Especially if they've spent their lives under the shadow of a domineering mother.

The beauty of this story is how strong Lyd's voice is. How natural and unconventional her thoughts and ambitions are. How easily she allows her artistic self to get swept away by whimsy. Even her attraction to Ben raises a lot of red flags, but she's instantly drawn to him because he's the first person to show any real interest in her. Not what she is or who she can become.

Another interesting perspective is provided by the internship she finds herself in. OTA, a gallery that doesn't care about nourishing young artists and is run by a predator who hides behind his artistic interests. There are some creepy scenes in that place. Not in the horror sense, but in a real-world way.

All of these separate parts of Lyd's new and lonely life tangle together and tell a bleak and melancholy tale. Until that absolutely brilliant ending.

This is a fantastic book. Loved it!

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DAISY JONES & THE SIX by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've been meaning to read this for AGES! And I'm really glad that I finally decided to get stuck into it because I couldn't put it down.

Well, what can I say about this fantastic book that hasn't already been said? This is a fictional rock documentary that dragged me in from the very beginning and wouldn't let me go until I reached the end.

I can definitely see how Fleetwood Mac inspired this amazing rock story, but everything about what happens to this band and what they all go through together (and individually) is very much their own.

I feel like, in its own way, Daisy Jones & the Six fit perfectly into the 1970s music scene and their rise and fall survives on its own.

Yeah, I loved everything about this book! Including that little unexpected twist at the end.

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BURY THE CHILD by L.C. Marino

Bury the Child by L.C. Marino
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was in the mood for a novella this evening, and decided to get stuck into this one.

When Lydia and Wade lose their young daughter, Adeline, the couple struggle to adapt to their life without her. Instead of getting closer, they seem to be drifting apart. Then Lydia starts to see and hear things inside their home that make her hope for the impossible...

Wow. What a sad and creepy little story this turned out to be. As soon as I started, I kept reading until I got to the chilling end. I couldn't stop. Didn't want to stop.

Lydia's story is packed with so much emotion, that at times, I felt dizzy from it. Her loss is deep and infects the reader with so much sorrow, before it takes on a surreal edge that really made this story shine. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read the next book in this intense series.


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Checking In!

Hey, it's been a while! How are you? Is everything okay in your part of the world? Over here, we're in the last month of autumn (which felt a lot like summer until a few weeks ago) and we're currently stuck in the middle of some very shitty weather.

If you've read my posts through the years, or follow me on social media, then you know how much I dislike the rain. A couple of days are fine, but when it stretches out for over a week... I get irritable. I even start getting headaches. Ugh.

Anyway, enough about that.

Can you believe it's May? Yikes.

I've been MIA from my own blog for quite some time because I fell down an editing rabbit hole. Seriously. I edited an 85k-word (supernatural murder mystery/thriller/horror/ghost story) novel in March/April, and a 55k-word (SF horror) novel during April/May. Actually, I just finished the latter last night.

When I say edit, I mean EDIT. Both books required plenty of work, but the 55k one pretty much involved a rewrite and even a new direction. Now I'm very happy about how they turned out. ☺️

I'm not squeamish about editing because I'm always willing to do whatever it takes to make the story better, deeper, and stronger. I'm dedicated to making each book as awesome as I possibly can, and I think a good editor definitely helps to turn a good story into an excellent one. 

These two books were edited by Austrian Spencer. And man, does he dig deep into the characters and story. If you're looking for someone to thoroughly edit your book with the sharpest eye and true commitment, you should definitely check him out. What he helped me achieve with these two stories is amazing. Seriously.

Oh, and if that wasn't enough. I also edited a 30k novella in April, which I almost forgot about because my brain is scrambled. LMAO.

As you can tell, I've been very busy editing the nights away during the last few months. I did manage to squeeze in a little reading here and there—plus read/blurbed an awesome ARC—but my main focus while my husband was at work was the editing. It's always a fantastic experience but I think my brain is going to leak out of my ears if I don't take a break.

For the rest of the month, I want to spend some quality time reading. And daydreaming about a bunch of ideas. I even have a vampire story creeping up on me. One that won't leave me alone and wants to beat all the others to become the frontrunner. 😅

We'll see how that goes, because I still haven't done the final proofread of my two short story collections. They got left behind during the maelstrom of edits. LMAO.

BTW, I also celebrated the release of my myth & monsters novel, THROUGH THE BLUR. Have you checked it out yet? If you like your horror with a bit of Greek mythology and a dysfunctional family, you might enjoy it. 🐍

Well, that's it for now. Hope you have an awesome week!

 

BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE by Anna Biller

Bluebeard's Castle by Anna Biller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes, I totally bought this book because the cover is stunning and the paperback version is lovely. There's nothing wrong with that. After all, I've always loved those old gothic romance covers from the past. ☺️

Judith is a successful gothic author with a terrible childhood and complicated family connections. Labelled an ugly duckling by her mother, she has issues. But the day she meets the handsome and alluring Gavin, she becomes a romance heroine with a haunted castle and a husband. But Gavin isn't what he seems and soon, Judith finds herself trapped in a gothic novel of her own making...

Wow. This book is something else. It's a bonkers gothic trip, and I absolutely enjoyed every minute of it.

I can understand this story won't be for everyone, but I totally got the undertones in the narrative. Understand how this novel doesn't just tell the obvious story about a woman who gets swept off her feet by a mysterious, sexy man who blinds her with sexual pleasures that melt away her every defence. There's a LOT more there, but I don't want to spoil anything, so this is all I'll say.

Judith, our hopeless romantic heroine is many things—delightful, hopeful, curious, interesting, and infuriating. I was often upset with her decisions and gullible nature, but also understood what she was up against. And the eerie, isolated vibes perfectly capture this genre and kept me glued to the pages.

I liked the writing style and the depth of this tale. A lot. It might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed the hell out of it!


PS. Yes, the overuse of the word gothic was intentional.

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I have some awesome news!

Hey! How are you today?

Can you believe it's April? 😳

As you already know, last Friday I celebrated the release of my first Anuci Press book release. Yay! And today, I want to let you know about the next book that Anuci Press will release...

This story is my love letter to one of my favourite horror subgenres: demonic possession.

NUMB = THE EXORCIST MEETS SUPERNATURAL.

I'm really excited about this dark story, and can't wait for you all to meet Chester and Darwin.

I'll share more details as soon as I can. For now, here's the story synopsis:

SHE DOESN'T LIVE IN A HAUNTED HOUSE. THE MONSTER IS ALREADY INSIDE HER HEAD.

Chester is no stranger to hearing voices, but after her mother disappears without a trace, the demonic voice trying to consume her is getting stronger every day.

The threat of possession might be her biggest problem, but it's not her only one. Chester's confidence in the stepmother who is trying to keep her safe is now unstable. The safe and comfortable connection with her very supportive stepbrother is slowly becoming a tangled mess that threatens their strong bond.

When Chester stumbles on her mother's precious journal, she hopes to find some answers about what's happening to her. But what she really wants to uncover is how to find her missing mother. And the answer to that mystery might come from the most unexpected source. Herself.

Have a great day! ☺️

THE PROM QUEEN by R.L. Stine

The Prom Queen by R.L. Stine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, I just read another Fear Street book. I picked this one because I found out it's going to be the next Netflix movie! Oh, and because of that seriously cool and macabre cover.

It's time for prom, and that means a new Prom Queen will be picked. The five candidates—Lizzy, Dawn, Simone, Rachel and Elana—also happen to be friends. So there's a lot of excitement in the air, not to mention the drama club's spring production to look forward to as well. And there's that killer stalking girls, so when one of the candidates goes missing, everything changes...

This book is SO much fun. Loved it!

I really like how the air of dread and suspicion hangs over the story from beginning to end. Also enjoyed the many red herrings thrown our way. And that final confrontation scene is killer!

The story is told in the first-person POV of Lizzy, which I thought was a great idea. Lizzy is an interesting and easy character to follow. The poor girl goes through quite a lot. That the friendship between these five girls ranges from very close to petty to competitive to downright hateful, is also captured very well.

So far, in this series, I've read stories featuring cheerleaders and prom queens, and I think Stine has a knack for portraying teenage girls. I'm impressed. I mean, I read Goosebumps all the time so I know he can write girls very well, but these are teenagers. I can't wait to meet some of the other characters.

Anyway, I love the mysterious horror vibes in this one, and that all the boys (except Kevin) are somewhat creepy. 😬

Awesome book!

 

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THE FIRST EVIL by R.L. Stine

The First Evil by R.L. Stine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Goosebumps and really enjoyed the Fear Street Trilogy on Netflix, so when I noticed a bunch of the Fear Street titles on special, I picked some up for my Paperwhite.

Corky and Bobbi Corcoran are sisters who recently moved into a house on Fear Street. They also happen to be awesome cheerleaders. But when they join the Shadyside High squad, awful things start to happen...

I really enjoyed this! I'm glad I started here because it was a LOT of fun. Sure, there's also some freaky stuff, but it was all very entertaining and I had a great time. I also liked the drama and suspicion that creeps into the story.

Although, I have to admit that I was surprised by the terrible fate of one of the characters (😫) but hey, this is a horror story. It's got some creepy stuff and I enjoyed the mention of Sarah Fear because I remember her from the movies.

One thing that I always love about Stine's writing is how well he does the bare bones storytelling. He doesn't spend countless of pages on character descriptions, or even their feelings and backgrounds. Instead, he gives you just enough to get the perfect picture in your mind, which ends up being quite a bit.

I'm looking forward to reading more of these!

 

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