drakaina16's Reviews (2.21k)

Thank you to Cemetery Dance for providing a review copy. 
I really wanted to love this book. The intersection of Mayan legends and horror really piqued my interest. The parts with the Mayan culture was the best part to me. The story is well-written it just ended up falling apart and falling flat for me. The ending was not my favorite. But I did enjoy most of the book, hence the 3 stars. I enjoyed Braum's short story collection quite a bit more, and would recommend that. 

Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy. 

Forbidden Zone: The Novelization
For fans of: transgressive cinema, batshit bizarro, Oingo Boingo
Reading this book was like an acid flashback for me. There's a reason for that. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s I watched transgressive movies like it was my job. At some point, I ate a bunch of liquid and saw this movie. When I tried to describe it to other people, all I could remember was a giant frog, Tattoo from Fantasy Island, and something about Oingo Boingo. Turns out, that wasn't terribly far off, but for the longest time I thought I made it up. 
When I saw the cover for the book, it rang a bell somewhere in the far-off reaches of my brain. I started reading it and realized I had actually seen this movie and it was just as batshit as I remembered. And it has Danny Elfman as the Devil in it. 
The book adaptation is perfect. I was so excited when I saw Joshua Millican's name. He is one of my must-read authors. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times and captured the spirit and essence of the movie. I highly recommend both. 

Thank you to Ben Young for providing a review copy. 
This is a very ambitious, impressive debut novel. I was interested in reading an ARC of this book because of the cave aspect. I'm severely claustrophobic and that is one of the only horror subjects that can get a rise out of me. I went into Stuck expecting one thing and got quite another. But that's not a bad thing. The twists and turns kept me on my toes, and even when things started to come together I loved the journey. I feel it's best to read this book semi-blind so you can let the narrative surprise you. I'm definitely a fan, and will be on the lookout for future titles by Ben Young. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy. 
This is a very impressive collection! There are quite a few big name indigenous authors, as well as some I was introduced to for the first time. Like any anthology, it is a mixed bag, but by and large I enjoyed all the stories. 

Kushtuka by Mathilda Zeller ⭐⭐⭐⭐
White Hills by Rebecca Roanhorse ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Navajos Don't Wear Elk Teeth by Conley Lyons ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Wingless by Marcie C. Rendon ⭐⭐⭐
Quantum by Nick Medina ⭐⭐⭐.25
Hunger by Phoenix Boudreau ⭐⭐⭐.5
Tick Talk by Cherie Dimaline ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Ones Who Killed Us by Brandon Hobson ⭐⭐
Snakes Are Born in the Dark by D.H. Trujillo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Before I Go by Norris Black ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Night in the Chrysalis by Tiffany Morris ⭐⭐⭐.5
Behind Colin's Eyes by Shane Hawk ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Heart-Shaped Clock by Kelli Jo Ford ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scariest. Story. Ever. by Richard Van Camp ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Human Eaters by Royce K. Young Wolf ⭐⭐⭐.75
The Longest Street in the World by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Dead Owls by Mona Susan Power ⭐⭐⭐⭐.75
The Prepper by Morgan Talty ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Uncle Robert Rides the Lightning by Kate Hart ⭐⭐⭐.5
Sundays by David Heska Wanbli Weiden ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eulogy For a Brother, Resurrected by Carson Faust ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Night Moves by Andrea L. Rogers ⭐⭐⭐
Capgras by Tommy Orange ⭐⭐⭐.25
The Scientist's Horror Story by Darcie Little Badger ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Collections by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Limbs by Waubgeshig Rice ⭐⭐⭐⭐

For fans of: Australian horror, creep factor over gore, body horror, the TV show Eerie, Indiana
I'm sorry to say I've had The Gulp on my TBR for around 2 years, and I never picked it up in all that time. I had no idea what I was missing. Strange things happen in Gulpepper, very creepy things. While there are some deaths and some really well done body horror, this book relies more on a weird, unsettling strangeness permeating the stories. The 5 stories all collide in the end and are continued in the next book (which I bought right away). 4.5 stars, rounded up. 

Thank you to Charles Allen for providing a review copy. 
For fans of: dark fantasy, deep sea horror, Irish mythology
What an achievement this book is! It seamlessly genre-blends and kept me on the edge of my seat. I genuinely cared for the characters, and I'm so thrilled that this book is part of a forthcoming trilogy. The blending of Irish myths and horror worked perfectly and I can't wait to see what happens next. 

I did not vibe with this book at all. I struggled through 350 pages before throwing in the towel, after realizing I didn't really care what happened. I was confused easily and often by the large cast of characters, despite the listing in the front. So many of them didn't have distinct enough personalities that I was able to distinguish between them. 

I loved Ghoul so much. I love it when a book can make me feel real world emotions and this book provokes some strong ones. I was only 2 years old in 1984 when the book takes place but the nostalgia factor was awesome. I also wanted to take all the kids home with me and give them a big hug. Definitely check your triggers on this one - there are some very heavy themes. It was a challenging read, but it's a book that will stay with me for a long time. 

Thank you to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for providing a review copy. 
I'm quite fond of the competition trope in horror, and Puzzle House delivers on many levels. There's a lot going on, but I was here for all of it. I could barely put it down and read it in two sittings. My only quibble is that it ended quite abruptly. I definitely feel there's room for a second book and I hope that comes to be. 4.5 stars, rounded up. 

The first story was excellent, but I didn't like any of the 3 I read after that