drakaina16's Reviews (2.21k)

I was so impressed by Nicole D. Sconiers' story in Jordan Peele's Out There Screaming anthology ("A Bird Sits By the Etching Tree") that I immediately sought out her other works. Escape From Beckyville did not disappoint. Told through the eyes of various women with the last name Jones, the stories deftly weave between horror, speculative fiction, science fiction, and magical realism. Strong 5 stars

Metamorphia ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Three-Fifths a Woman ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Here Come the Janes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Textured ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happy Black Bitches Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rent-a-Cracker ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
The Death of Common Women ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scotoma ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Healing Room ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Revolution for Black Maids ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Believe it or not, but this was my first ever Ash Ericmore book. I really enjoyed it! The basic premise of creature feature apocalypse was very cool, and the creatures unique and interesting. Maybe I'm desensitized at this point, but this book is touted as extreme and I definitely wouldn't put that label on it. It's no worse than many other dystopian books out there, so don't let the "extreme" label deter you if that's not your thing. 3.75 stars

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

The second book in the Slattery Falls trilogy had a hard time keeping my interest in the beginning. Around the middle, the pieces start coming together and the book ends with a big bang. I'm looking forward to finishing up the trilogy, as that ending was a doozy and I need to know what happens next. 3.5 stars

Thank you to the authors for providing a review copy. 

This book was a ton of fun, with a really cool concept (and, because I can't shut up about it, a character named after me). Cryptids are my jam, so a secret hotel filled with a variety of supernatural creatures is right up my alley. I enjoyed all the stories and normally would rate them individually, but this is much more of a mosaic novel. I'm surprised I haven't seen more buzz around the book, to be honest. 4.25 stars

Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy. 

Dying Sheep 2 is no-holds-barred slasher fun! We rejoin Marvin again, months after the events of the first book and he's something of a celebrity in Hell now. Although Marvin is obviously despicable, I have to admit I also kind of like him. He's funny and creative with the kills, two qualities I admire in a serial killer from literal Hell. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Ray for providing a review copy. 

This book is quite an achievement. Josh Malerman has a way of using so few words, just enough description, to conjure things in your mind that is absolutely unique among the authors I've read. To throw even more of a wrench in things, the story is told from the perspective of an 8 year old child experiencing a variety of horrors, both supernatural and domestic. This book is creepy and distressing in a myriad of ways, but also deeply philosophical in a way. The ending hit me in a way I wasn't quite expecting. I'll be thinking about this one for a very long time. 5 stars 

If you love the sprawling, cinematic prose and excellent characterization of writers like Ronald Malfi and Stephen King, this book is for you. While not as wordy as the King, Keisling has a way of making the setting so integral to the story that it almost becomes a character itself. The actual characters themselves are multi-layered and sympathetic and, at times, I felt so badly for them. Definitely check your triggers, as there are some heavy hitters here. 4.75 stars