drakaina16's Reviews (2.21k)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 

Ambitious in scope, this is a mosaic novel that follows one Cherokee family from the late 1800s into the not-so-distant future. There were parts of the novel that really worked for me, and other that fell a little flat. But I feel like that's going to happen in a story with so many interlocking but disconnected parts. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and added a nice preface to each story. 4.25 stars

I read Christopher Hawkins' Downpour earlier in the year. I still think about that book all the time, so I was thrilled to read this collection of short stories. It was everything I hoped it would be, and there are two stories in particular (The Stumblybum Imperative and A Candle for the Birthday Boy) that will absolutely stick with me. 4.5 stars 

Green Eyes ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Moonrise Over Water With Sargassum, 2022. Oil On Canvas ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Storms of the Present ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Origin Story ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
 Poppy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Interlude ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 The Stumblybum Imperative ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Shadowman ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
 Carpenter's Thumb ⭐⭐⭐⭐
 Swallow ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
 Ten and Gone ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
 Notice ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
 A Candle for the Birthday Boy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is not very well-written and - though I realize it's an ARC copy - is in dire need of editing. Tons of misspelled words and awful grammar. 

Thank you to Ruth Anna Evans for providing a review copy. 

This is a quick and nasty debut novella, full of disturbing imagery. I used to love watching ghost hunting shows, so it was also a fun bit of nostalgia for their heyday. Christopher Degni manages to pack a whole lot into a small package, and the book is very well-written. I'm looking forward to seeing what else he has up his sleeve in the future. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 

It would be easy to write this book off as another "deal with the devil Needless Things ripoff." This deal with the metaphorical devil is handled in a unique and interesting way. The ripples that happen because of the main character's inadvertent wish were so interesting. This book has a lot of heavy themes, but is short on violence until the very end. This would be a great choice for a middle or high school classroom library. 4.25 stars

This is a short and brutal post-apocalyptic splatter novel. It was tons of fun, and never seemed to go where I thought it would, always keeping me guessing. The characters are very interesting, and though I didn't necessarily want to like them, I ended up liking them a lot. I definitely plan on reading the rest of the series. 4 stars 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 

Mariana Enriquez is one of those authors I had always meant to read and just never quite got around to it. When I got the chance to read her new collection, I jumped at the chance. It was everything I hoped it would be. The writing is beautiful, and there are horrors both supernatural and all too real, body horror and mythological terrors. I'll definitely be seeking out the rest of her works. 4.5 stars

My Sad Dead ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Sunny Place For Shady People ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Face of Disgrace ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Julie ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Night Birds ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Metamorphosis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hyena Hymns ⭐⭐⭐.5
Different Colors Made of Tears ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
The Suffering Woman ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
The Refrigerator Cemetery ⭐⭐⭐
A Local Artist ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Black Eyes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 

Dearest will be achingly familiar to those who suffered from post-partum depression. This book put me through the wringer, y'all. After my daughter was born, I almost lost my battle with PPD. Thankfully, I was able to get the help I needed in time. This book describes the trials of a new mother in such honest, unflinching detail. To say too much would invite spoilers, so I will say the book ended up going a whole different direction than I expected. This is a book I could definitely see myself purchasing and reading again. 5 stars 

I had seen this book making the rounds in Books of Horror for awhile now. I love a good slasher (which was my impression of it at the time), so I decided to pick it up from KU. I'm really glad I did. Seven Rabbits is a slasher, yes, but it's also revenge story with anti-heroes that I really rooted for. There are some heavy triggers here, so consider this your warning. 
Timothy King has written is, for better or worse, a very cinematic writer. I was pulled into the story immediately and had no problem picturing it in my head. There is a very large cast, and I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight. I am willing to admit that might be a me problem, though. 4.25 stars

I found the main character absolutely insufferable