Love adding new creatures to my monsterfucker repertoire. Also love neurodivergent protagonists and the world of Cambric Creek. Their relationship felt slightly underdeveloped, but that’s probably the demisexual in me talking.

This might be a weird comparison to make, but this book reminded me of nothing so much as Pinterest circa 2012 and the kitschy, twee lifestyle bloggers that I used to follow and try to emulate when I was fresh out of college. Something about the setting, the color palette I imagined, Charlotte's blue scooter, the bird imagery, Zoey's wide-eyed youthfulness, the gourmet donuts, all made this book feel slightly of another time. I wouldn't say that this is a bad thing. It's kind of nice to open a new book in 2022 and not have 2022 staring back at you, all haggard and with bags under its eyes.

I had a lot of excitement going into this book because it's the author's first in several years and after multiple losses, an excitement that others clearly shared judging from how long I waited for my copy to come in at the library. It's a wait that's worth it, that at the end yielded a book that feels good to read not only for its gentleness but because its existence seems like a triumph of perseverance. I'm not that interested in pointing out flaws or comparing it to her other work, just happy that it's here and that I got to spend a couple of days in its sugar-scented world.

A short story collection with variety: beautiful summertime ghost stories informed by history, gritty post-apocalyptic adventure, tales of magic and precognition. Due’s writing provides the specific pleasure that only very well-crafted prose can, the kind where you see how solid the sentences are and how flawlessly everything is running and you just kind of sigh contentedly. Vivid imagery coupled with concepts that I would have happily explored with her for longer than the space of a short story. If you like scary books during the Summer, as I do, then now is the perfect time to read this one.

I'm typically not a fan of retellings, but this one--which I read for a book club--does what I think most of them fail to do: recontextualize a character in a way that substantively contributes to the conversation begun by the original work.

The command of voice and emotion on display in the writing is top-notch, and I highly recommend the audiobook, because Dominic Hoffman brings the characters to life with his narration. Hearing the code-switching out loud is incredibly effective.

I also recommend having read both Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Candide by Voltaire for maximum effect.

Docking a star because I think that the women are not developed well, and because

Spoiler

I'm tired of reading on-page rape used to up the emotional stakes for male characters in lit fic written by men. I see why it was included here--both in terms of the narrative structure and character arc, and in terms of historical accuracy--but on the level of personal reading preference, I would like it if I could occasionally pick up a literary novel without it including a rape.

This was fine, but I really don't understand how two people fall in love and get over the fact that

Spoiler

her mother murdered his entire family

that quickly.

In the Company of Witches perfectly captures the autumnal vibe that I adore and always want to read, but which I have found frustrating to search for because, well, how do you translate vibes into robust search terms?* With a small-town New England setting, a beautiful B&B run by a magical family, surprising emotional depth, and decades of family secrets and bad blood underlying the murder, this is a great read. There is obvious appeal for anyone who likes paranormal cozies, but I can also see this being a good gateway mystery for fans of urban fantasy in general.

*The vibe is autumnal, usually small-town, not horror, not written for children, and might take place on/around Halloween, but doesn't have to. The kind of reads that pair well with a PSL and a cold, foggy day. Cackle by Rachel Harrison did this pretty well, and A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny did, too. I will happily check out any recommendations you have that you think will also pass the vibe check.

1.5 stars rounded up. So much of this just did not hang together for me at all, and I feel like I read a different book than everyone else.

Poems you read twice and still feel like you're missing something, but the world is more beautiful with them in it. A Christmas gift from Brian. Used for the "book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative" category of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge.

Merged review:

Poems you read twice and still feel like you're missing something, but the world is more beautiful with them in it. A Christmas gift from Brian. Used for the "book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative" category of the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge.

Honestly, it was just really refreshing to read an older book, one that doesn't moralize or hold the reader's hand or try to make everything cozy. I guess that at this point in my life, my escapism is reading about people getting their lips bitten off?

Obviously a classic, and deservedly so; deeply creepy, with propulsive, pared-down prose and dialogue that works so fucking hard. It goes down so easy and is seriously impressive, regardless of what Stephen King might have had to say about Harris's style.

Idk. I liked everything about this that I've seen other reviewers say they dislike. And now I get to rewatch Hannibal and actually get all the references to the source material. Wins all around.