drakaina16's Reviews (2.21k)

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

I had a lot of fun with this short, fast-paced book. I also enjoyed the touch of humor amongst the genuinely creepy moments. I'm excited to read the rest of the Slattery Falls trilogy. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 
Cataclysm is unlike any book I've ever read. Some of the passages about motherhood actually made my breath catch; they were so true and beautiful. It's also quite a meditation on what it means to be human and the things we'll do to try to keep our children safe. If you have an "avant garde horror" category in any reading challenges, this would be an excellent choice. 

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 
The second installment of Hanging Hill Lane takes us to a much darker, bleaker place than the first book. Baker's writing also seems to have matured and solidified. Although it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the first book, as otherwise you'll be missing a lot of character growth and some backstory. I hope we're not done with Hanging Hill Lane quite yet, as I'm really enjoying the world that the author has created. 4.25 stars

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 
This was such an interesting book, the story of 4 people and their encounters with The Black Cat Bookshop and its proprietress. With each encounter, we learn more and more backstory about the shop itself. The characters are interesting and well-written and I loved the world building. 4.5 stars, rounded up. 

Thank you to Encylopocalypse Publications for providing a review copy. 
This psychological thriller/bizarro mashup really worked for me. It keeps you on your toes guessing how unreliable the narrator really might or might not be up until the very end. I had a great time with it and Renee S. DeCamillis is definitely on my radar now. 4 stars

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. 

My first 5 star read of 2024! I read and enjoyed Reconstructing a Relationship quite a lot, but here Micah Castle takes things to a whole new level. The atmosphere is tense and sinister, while the prose is cinematic and lush. Bleak, but strangely beautiful. Claustrophobic, but expansive. Strong 5 stars. 

Thank you to the editor for providing a review copy.
Whenever I see Ruth Anna Evans' name on an anthology, I know it's going to be diverse and full of quality work. Dark Blooms is no exception, and it starts off with a bang with the story Hannah, which made me cry. I loved this anthology. 4.5 stars, rounded up

Hannah by Nikoline Kaiser ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Molt by Shannon Riley ⭐⭐⭐.5
Jezebels by Valerie Hunter ⭐⭐⭐.5
First Blood by Cat Voleur ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mister Wolf by RB Kelly ⭐⭐⭐
Sit Up With Your Dead by Anj Baker ⭐⭐⭐
The End of Limerence by Emma E. Murray ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Radiant Children by Lauren Carter ⭐⭐⭐⭐
We Should Have Turned Back by Ruth Anna Evans ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Memory in Motion by Caitlin Marceau ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happily Ever After by Tasha Reynolds ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
The Revenant by Elise Forier Edie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spiderella by Chelsea Pumpkins ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rotpearl by Erin Brown ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Horror at Foxglove Farm by Cassandra Daucus ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sea Glass by Chloe Spencer ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

I've had The Nightwalker in my TBR for years, and I'm glad I finally read it! I could hardly put it down. It is quite the mind-bender, and I had a great time with it. As it is my first finished book of the year, 2024 is off to a great start. 4.25 stars