howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

 

This was my second attempt at reading this because I know so many people adore this book and author, and the premise sounds so cute and fun, but even flying through the audiobook at 3x, I'm too bored to continue. :(

 

 I enjoy true crime and I'm especially fond of true crime told in a respectful way, so when I started this memoir, it felt like a perfect fit for me, as it's evident from the very first page that these cases mean a great deal to Steve Ryan and he carries these lost souls with him every day of his life. Unfortunately, the narrative style didn't work out for me and I ended up deciding not to finish this as I'm thinking The Ghosts That Haunt Me just isn't the right fit for this reader, but I highly recommend that other true crime lovers give it a try, especially if you're interested in hearing about the process from a detective's perspective.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own. 

This definitely feels like one of those "it's not you, it's me!" DNF situations. I love the setting, Eva's writing is fun, and the characters are interesting, but something about this isn't working for me right now. I might try it again another time, but will probably just settle on accepting that this one didn't work out for me the way I wanted it to.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own. 

 I loved this volume, but it hurt me. 😭 Ugh, I just love this series so much. I know we've only just met Cutter, but I loathe every fiber of her existence already. She's absolutely awful and I'm sure this won't be the end of the destruction she will create. Part of me dreads Volume 6 because this new development in the storyline would be a really easy way for Tynion to wrap things up in the next volume, and I don't want it to be over!

✨ Representation: multiple Latinx characters, sapphic side character 

 I love this series so much. One thing I've been itching for since the very beginning was a peek at Erica's past and how she came to be the renowned Erica Slaughter, Monster Killer, and it was so cool to finally get to see her origin story! She's exactly how I imagined she would be as a kid. I loved watching how her friendship with Aaron formed (no surprise that it began with a kick in the nuts), even though there's a definite ache in my heart, knowing the pain awaiting them both.
 

 I have really mixed feelings about the art style in this graphic novel because it isn't always aesthetically pleasing in my opinion, but something about it works so well for the Deadites. This entire adaptation felt wonderfully authentic to the film, and the author nailed Ash's narrative voice and slang. It was a nice mixture of scenes pulled directly from the film along with extended "scenes" that gave us a little more insight into Ash's thought processes, what happened to Scotty, and more. I definitely recommend it for anyone who loves the films!
 

 Wow, this was fantastic! I almost expected it to be more extreme than the first book and wondered how Witherow would pull that off, but he went in a totally different direction and, while this is still what I'd consider extreme horror, the gore and grossness was spaced out a lot more to make room for lore and backstory that was really fascinating and enjoyable.

While the violence isn't as extreme or frequent as it was in The Black Farm, the stakes are somehow even higher. After all, Nick's return isn't about himself, it's about protecting Jess and their new baby Theo, so things are tense from the beginning, but they quickly ratchet up even further when Nick takes in a little girl he finds on the farm. I was shocked by the existence of this kid even being at the farm in the first place, but it quickly sets the stage for angry, vitriolic commentary on God—whether it only extends to the "God" in this book series, or is meant to be taken outside of the book's walls, is more or less left up to the reader, but as someone who has left the church and carries a solid amount of religious trauma of my own, I definitely found some catharsis in Nick's rage.

I can't say much more because I don't want to spoil the fun for anyone planning to pick up a copy, but I will say it was a shocking, incredible, gut-wrenching journey from start to finish and I enjoyed it immensely. I also thought the author's writing skills had improved since The Black Farm (which was still very good, but this was even better). The first book in this series made me curious to read more of Elias Witherow's stories, but this second book solidified him as an author I absolutely need to read more books from as soon as possible, because he's got an incredible talent for fucked up, heart-tugging horror. 

 I absolutely loved this! What a fun, unique story with some really gross elements. I think this is one of my favorite Junji Ito pieces (though I feel like I've said that about the last few of his books I reviewed!). The characters are three-dimensional, the twists are exciting, and the whole plot is that perfect blend of bizarre and delightful that Junji Ito is so well-known for. I highly recommend this for any horror manga lovers!

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! All thoughts are honest and my own. 

 This was so good! The art was gorgeous and I think I enjoyed this adaptation even more than the original written form of the short story. I have very mixed feelings about the Darkling as a whole, but I love his origin and where his motives come from, and whether you read it as the normal short story or the graphic novel, this is a must-read prequel for anyone who has read the Grisha series, in my opinion!
 

 

Yet again, Eric LaRocca has delivered a piece of horror art that is equal parts disgusting and gorgeous, all wrapped up in a surreal, shocking package. This "novella in pieces" reads similarly to a collection of short stories with an overarching theme, each of them featuring how toxic love gone wrong can be.

We start off with a beetle in love with a corpse, and I knew immediately that They Were Here Before Us was going to offer the same unpredictable, wild ride that Eric's other works have—in the very best way, of course. I love Eric's writing and am forever singing their praises, so it's no surprise that I was totally enraptured with this new release and devoured it all in one quick go.

If you enjoy bizarre, beautiful, quietly (but, at times, extremely) violent horror unlike anything you've ever read before, you can't go wrong with Eric LaRocca's writing, and They Were Here Before Us is no exception. Much like many of my other favorite pieces of surreal horror media, this is the sort of story I plan to revisit time and time again, and I'm sure I'll find something new to love every single time.

✨ Representation: multiple queer characters