Out of all the entries thus far, this one deviates the most from the theme of a B horror movie translated to prose. That's not meant to be a dig of any kind. Instead Violet Castro brings something completely new and unexpected to the table in Hairspray and Switchblades. In a month where we all strive to read and promote women in horror, this book comes through and makes that easy. It's got a strong and engaging protagonist, a unique premise, and will make for an enthralling read outside the month of February.

The villain of the piece, the Weaver, is already a front runner for most terrifying antagonist in a 2020 work. She's described in a way where even though she only exists in my imagination, I can tell you she's horrifying to look at. She's also evil incarnate and makes some truly appalling choices throughout the novella.

By far one of the biggest selling points of Hairspray and Switchblades is the focus on family dynamics. I wasn't completely sold on the romantic relationship here, but Maya, our main character, has a fierce love for her sister that makes the story sink under your skin that much more. This relationship causes every decision and action in the plot to make total sense to the reader, and results in a very cohesive story. If this is how V Castro puts a book together, then Maria The Wanted just moved a couple slots up my list.

I'm happy to recommend to anyone interested in shapeshifter/werewolf mythology.