After having read both this book and Horror Movie, I'm pretty sure I should just go into Tremblay's novels expecting to be traumatized. A Head Full ofAfter having read both this book and Horror Movie, I'm pretty sure I should just go into Tremblay's novels expecting to be traumatized. A Head Full of Ghosts is dark and creepy and supremely unsettling, and I have more questions after finishing it than I did when I first started the audiobook. Was Marjorie Barrett possessed or was her affliction of a more earthly nature? I'm not one for spoilers, but I will say that it's a disturbing ride to the conclusion.
I love books involving reality TV shows, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this one. Add in Tremblay's atmospheric storytelling and some good old fashioned demonic possession (or is it?), and it makes for one heck of a horror story. It's kind of reminiscent of The Exorcist but with a modern-day twist.
My overall rating: 4.35 stars, rounded down. Paul Tremblay might just be one of my new favorite horror authors....more
Another fun and twisty Hercule Poirot mystery. As usual, I was as clueless as Arthur Hastings when it came to guessing the identity of the murderer anAnother fun and twisty Hercule Poirot mystery. As usual, I was as clueless as Arthur Hastings when it came to guessing the identity of the murderer and had no idea what was going on until Poirot's big reveal. As much as I love to read mystery novels, I'm pretty sure I'd make a terrible detective in real life.
I'm really not sure that I have a lot to say about this one. It was an entertaining read but a pretty standard Poirot novel. Someone is murdered (in this case I don't think I'd be spoiling anything to say it's Lord Edgware), Poirot investigates, Hastings bumbles, Japp struts around arrogantly, and then Poirot reveals everything. The recap of events from the murderer's point of view at the very end was a little repetitive considering Poirot had just finished his monologue moments prior, but it's a minor quibble overall.
I listened to this one on audiobook and the recording was fantastic. Hugh Fraser (who played Captain Hastings in the television series) always does a great job narrating these Poirot novels.
So, yeah. Lord Edgware Dies is another twisty-turny whodunit by Dame Agatha. If you've read previous Poirot novels, you have a good idea of what to expect. A solid four stars....more
Okay, so I have to admit that I mainly read this book in order to cheat on a reading challenge. I've been working on the PopSugar 2015 Reading ChallenOkay, so I have to admit that I mainly read this book in order to cheat on a reading challenge. I've been working on the PopSugar 2015 Reading Challenge (which, yes, I am completing in 2024 for … reasons) but I'm never going to finish the durn thing because I keep getting distracted by random ARCs. Anyway, I needed “a book from an author you love that you haven't read yet” for one of the prompts, and I was going to read John Connolly's Dark Hollow because I am so, so far behind on the Charlie Parker series but that thing has a bazillion pages and I want to finish this challenge someday so here I am having read Hansel & Gretel, which is by one of my very favorite authors and only has, like, 53 pages and half of them are illustrations. (Holy manic run-on sentence, Batman.)
And, well, this story was fine. If you know the story of Hansel and Gretel, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. I'd say that Neil Gaiman put his own dark twist on it, except that I'm pretty sure the original is equally dark and so I dunno, whatever. The illustrations are interesting – they're black and white (but mostly black) and are a little creepy. If your kid enjoys scary-ish stories about horrid parents and cannibal witches who get their fiery comeuppance, they'll probably enjoy this one. Don't expect anything that deviates too far from the original tale, though.
My overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down. I usually really enjoy Neil Gaiman's children's stories (Blueberry Girl is simply fantastic and one of my favorite picture books ever), but this one was pretty middle-of-the-road for me....more
Murder, She Wrote with a supernatural vibe. At its core, this book is mostly a murder mystery, as Sherry's investigation into her boyfriend Alan's deaMurder, She Wrote with a supernatural vibe. At its core, this book is mostly a murder mystery, as Sherry's investigation into her boyfriend Alan's death is the main focus of the plot. There are some paranormal elements at play, however, including demonic possession and a talking cat named Lord Thomas Cromwell (also possessed). But if you're not into horror, no worries – The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society is much more Sabrina the Teenage Witch than The Exorcist. There's really nothing frightening about it at all … well, unless you count a cat being able to verbally harass you into filling its food bowl, in which case okay, yeah, you have a point. (I, for one, would very much not like for my cats to gain the ability to speak because they would be absolutely insufferable.)
But, anyway, this was a largely enjoyable and entertaining read. Multiple references are made to Agatha Christie's novels in this story, and while I wouldn't say this one is quite to the level of Dame Agatha's mysteries (it certainly doesn't have nearly as many twists and turns), I could kind of see Hercule Poirot tackling this case of the bludgeoned antique dealer (although I think his “little grey cells” would be slightly perplexed by the demon-y bits).
Even without a quirky Belgian detective, however, the members of the (not-really-a) society are pretty fun characters. You have the librarian-turned-detective, Sherry, the ever-so-slightly bumbling priest (who isn't really so sure he wants to deal with this whole demonic possession business), the “grieving” rich widow, and the skeptical best friend. Oh, and Lord Thomas the possessed cat, of course. They're really all quite amusing and likeable.
My one minor complaint about this book is that it feels very much like a sequel. I checked the author's Goodreads profile multiple times just to make sure I hadn't missed something, because there are so many references to prior events that I was sure this was number three or four in a series. But, nope – that's just the way the book is written. It's not a big deal and I can see why the author wrote things the way they did, but it was a little confusing at first. I wouldn't be surprised if this book is a start of a series, however – the ending is set up perfectly for a continuation.
My overall rating: 3.75 stars, rounded up. The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society is a fun, lighthearted, and humorous read that'll likely appeal to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries of the supernatural variety.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ace for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. The expected publication date is September 24, 2024....more
I started out listening to this one on audiobook, but I couldn't keep the plethora of characters straight so I switched over to an ebook version. TurnI started out listening to this one on audiobook, but I couldn't keep the plethora of characters straight so I switched over to an ebook version. Turns out that didn't really help me at all on the character front (is it just me or is everyone named Charles?!) but at least it was easier to stop reading and go look them up as needed.
But, anyway, Persuasion is a light and mostly enjoyable read. It's nowhere near the genius of Pride and Prejudice, but if you've read other Jane Austen novels you probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from this one. There are a bunch of wealthy people flitting around Bath and the English countryside acting snobby but otherwise doing nothing much of note, while the two main characters have a love-hate relationship and bumble awkwardly around each other instead of just talking things out. There's some subtle humor that pokes fun at the members of upper class English society and their pretentiousness, which is perhaps the best part of the book.
My overall rating: 3.7 stars, rounded up. Persuasion is nothing terribly novel as far as Austen's works go, but it's still a largely enjoyable and untaxing read....more
What a tremendously depressing and haunting read. Toni Morrison could definitely write and her prose is lovely, but now I remember why I haven't read What a tremendously depressing and haunting read. Toni Morrison could definitely write and her prose is lovely, but now I remember why I haven't read anything by her since high school – sad books just aren't my thing. But, still, there's a reason that The Bluest Eye is a modern classic, and the audiobook is perfectly narrated by Morrison herself. 4.45 stars, rounded down....more
Peril at End House might just be my new favorite Hercule Poirot story, coming out just ever so slightly ahead of Sad Cypress and The Murder of Roger APeril at End House might just be my new favorite Hercule Poirot story, coming out just ever so slightly ahead of Sad Cypress and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I absolutely loved the ending and never saw the twist coming, although that's pretty par for the course for me when it comes to Agatha Christie's novels.
Captain Hastings is the narrator for this one, which will probably appeal to some readers and dismay others. He actually isn't too inept this time around, although Poirot does make his usual digs about Hastings' intelligence. I personally adore his character as I'm a huge fan of bumbling Englishmen (call me, Hugh Grant!), although I'll admit that it did take a book or two for him to grow on me.
There are a few sexist remarks and a couple of questionable comments regarding Jews … which, honestly, probably isn't all that surprising to anyone who's read any of Christie's other early novels. It's not constant, but it is something to be aware of if you're particularly sensitive to such language.
As far as the mystery itself goes, however, this is definitely one of my favorites. It's twisty and clever, and Hercule Poirot is as brilliant as ever (hey, that rhymed!). If you've enjoyed previous Poirot novels, this is definitely one to add to your reading list....more
Sweet baby kittens on a cracker, I walked into this one blindly and now I think I'm traumatized. This is not an easy book to read and I considered DNFSweet baby kittens on a cracker, I walked into this one blindly and now I think I'm traumatized. This is not an easy book to read and I considered DNF'ing it about a hundred times in the first fifty percent. Not that there's anything wrong with the writing – the author is obviously talented – but the subject matter is just so distasteful that it was really, really hard to digest. With that said, however, I read the entire book in about ten hours (and that's including a few hours of sleep) so it's also completely riveting despite its bazillion trigger warnings (which include violence, murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, severe Stockholm syndrome, and animal cruelty).
This novel revolves around Miley, a biathlon Olympian athlete with a whole lot of emotional baggage, who is kidnapped in the remote Idaho wilderness by a couple of deranged mountain men in search of a “bride” for one of them. It's based on the true story of Kari Swenson, an Olympian who was kidnapped in Montana in 1984. While Miley's fictional ordeal differs from Kari's in many respects (especially in length – Kari's abduction lasted less than 24 hours while Miley's lasted for weeks), the basic details are very similar. I think that's part of what made this book so difficult to read, knowing that it's based on the experiences of an actual person.
And I have to say, the bad guys in this book are absolutely terrifying. They're full of violence and misogyny and are all too realistic – these are certainly not cartoon villains that exist only in the movies, but the men you think of when you're walking alone late at night with your keys in your hand as a makeshift weapon. I truly cannot overstate how awful they are and how much I wanted to give both of them multiple swift kicks in a very unpleasant place while I was reading this book, and I am not a violent person.
Miley is a strong protagonist, however, and her resilience is amazing. You can't help but root for her (although, to be fair, who else are you going to root for? the human monsters?) and while I'm not a nail-biter, I almost took up the habit while waiting to see whether or not she'd make it out of the forest a) alive and b) mentally and physically unscathed.
This isn't a pleasant book and it's not easy to read, but at the same time it's basically unputdownable. If you enjoy books that read like Lifetime movies in novel form, you should definitely consider giving this one a read. 3.95 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review....more
Another entertaining bunch of Agatha Christie short stories. If you've read any previous collections of her stories, you know exactly what to expect: Another entertaining bunch of Agatha Christie short stories. If you've read any previous collections of her stories, you know exactly what to expect: twisty whodunits featuring some of her most famous characters - Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and Harley Quin (minus "Three Blind Mice," which is a stand-alone). I have no real complaints, other than that the narrator who reads the Miss Marple stories for the audiobook (Joan Hickson) sounds like she's talking with marbles in her mouth. Apparently she also played Miss Marple on television so I guess she's technically the OG voice for the character, but it just doesn't translate well to audiobook for some reason. But, still, if you enjoy Dame Agatha's stories, this collection is worth a read (or listen). Four stars....more
This book has totally unlocked a new fear for me, so thank you for that, Marcus Kliewer. Luckily we're only the second owners of our house and it's noThis book has totally unlocked a new fear for me, so thank you for that, Marcus Kliewer. Luckily we're only the second owners of our house and it's not old enough for anyone to have grown up here, so I'll be rightfully suspicious of anyone knocking on our door wanting to see their “childhood home.” And after having read We Used to Live Here, there is no way I'm letting a stranger into my house. Ever.
But, yeah, this is a creepy and suspenseful read, and you can sense the wrongness of the situation from the very beginning. The dread slowly builds and builds, although it's hard to really put your finger on why. I mean, by all appearances the Fausts are just a perfectly normal family, so why do they feel so … diabolical?
Eve is an okay main character, not particularly likeable but also not exactly unlikeable – she's just kind of neurotic and overly anxious (with good reason, as it turns out). Shylo the dog is a perfectly adorable good girl, of course, and I spent the entire book fretting over whether or not she was going to survive. (And does she? (view spoiler)[Yes, but the situation is definitely weird. (hide spoiler)])
The first part of this book is mostly a “creepy things are happening in an old house” sort of thing (the unsettling Faust family aside), but the final pages are a total mind-bender. I'm honestly not sure if I loved the ending or semi-hated it? Let's just say that it's kind of … open to interpretation and leave it at that, I suppose? I'm looking forward to the future movie and to seeing where the director goes with this one.
My overall rating: 3.65 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy suspenseful psychological thrillers mixed with a heaping dose of horror, you should probably consider giving We Used to Live Here a read. You'll never want to open your door to a stranger again.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review....more
Brilliant, action-packed, and hilarious. I always think that I don't care much for high fantasy, and then I read a book like this one and I'm remindedBrilliant, action-packed, and hilarious. I always think that I don't care much for high fantasy, and then I read a book like this one and I'm reminded of how awesome it can be. In fact, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying might just be my new favorite high fantasy book ever, and I'm pretty sure that it has a top-25 place on my “favorite books of all time” list (if I had such a list, anyway, which I don't, but you get my drift).
I've seen other reviewers complain about the language and sex, and, yeah, if you're squeamish about such things this probably isn't the book for you. Have you seen Deadpool? Well, this book is absolutely nothing like it plot-wise, but that's the kind of humor and subject matter that we're talking about here. I thought it was amazeballs, but I can see how it wouldn't be for everyone.
Anyway, Davi and her minions are fantastic characters and I couldn't love them more. Davi is a little jaded after having been stuck in a Groundhog's Day-ish time loop for centuries, but who can blame her? She's also incredibly snarky and witty and resourceful, and actually pretty nice as far as Dark Lords-in-waiting go. Her minions are a diverse bunch – there are orcs and yetis and stone-eaters and all manner of humanoid animals (or wilders, as they're called in this book), and it's so much fun every time a new species is introduced into the story. The fox-wilder, Amitsugu, is perhaps my favorite character – he's complex and devious and absolutely adorable and I just want to give him some scritches behind his cute little witty bitty ears … *ahem*
And the world building? Fantastic. Davi and her horde travel through multiple strange and dangerous territories on their journey to the Convocation (where the new Dark Lord is chosen), and the author does an amazing job of fleshing out these lands and the creatures that live within.
My one complaint? The book ends on quite the cliffhanger and I am not a patient person – I need to know what happens now! Hopefully we won't have too long to wait for the next installment because this is definitely a series that I need to continue as soon as possible.
My overall rating: 4.85 stars, rounded up. If you enjoy witty and humorous fantasy novels with delightful characters (and, yeah, a lot of bad language and sex talk), this one just might be right up your alley.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review....more
I have no idea what the heck I just read but I didn't like it. And it's not because I'm over here clutching my pearls over the subject matter, althougI have no idea what the heck I just read but I didn't like it. And it's not because I'm over here clutching my pearls over the subject matter, although it's admittedly unpleasant – the story where a teenager molests his younger sister (“Homemade”) is actually the best of the bunch, believe it or not. Some of these stories are depraved, some are dull and pointless, and some are both. I'm guessing that Ian McEwan just isn't for me, which is too bad … I mean, where else will I get my unnecessarily long short stories about incest and molestation and murder and animal abuse? ...more
Another enjoyable Hercule Poirot mystery. I'm not sure that I have a whole lot to say about it, really – if you've read previous Poirot novels, you haAnother enjoyable Hercule Poirot mystery. I'm not sure that I have a whole lot to say about it, really – if you've read previous Poirot novels, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Poirot's ego was particularly … robust in this one, which was amusing, and (as usual) I had no idea who the murderer was until Poirot's big reveal. No Captain Hastings this time, which was slightly disappointing – his clueless bumbling and romantic hijinks have kind of grown on me here lately. Four stars....more
No star rating for this one since I haven't read the rest of the series and I pretty much just used it to cheat on a reading challenge. I realize thatNo star rating for this one since I haven't read the rest of the series and I pretty much just used it to cheat on a reading challenge. I realize that it's probably fairly ridiculous to cheat on a challenge that I'm completing voluntarily, but I'm nothing if not a stereotypical Gen X slacker.
The 2015 PopSugar Reading Challenge (which I am completing in 2024 for … reasons) has a prompt that's “a book your mom loves.” Problem is, my mother isn't much of a reader so the only recommendation she gave me was “something by Janet Evanovich.” While Evanovich's stuff is fine (I read some of the Stephanie Plum novels way back in my late teens), it's just not something that I have a real interest in reading right now.
That's where this short story came in, as the absolute shortest "book" I could find by Janet Evanovich – 48 minutes on audiobook at normal speed. And, as a bonus, it's a prequel so no need to be familiar with the characters in advance (in theory, at least)!
And, yeah, it was fine. I think I would have appreciated it a lot more if I'd read the rest of the series, though, because it was really hard to care about the main characters in something this short without any other context. So, anyway, no star rating, because it feels kind of unfair to give it a mediocre rating just because I couldn't be bothered to read a full-length Janet Evanovich novel. *shrugs*...more
Well, that was incredibly painful. Strangers on a Train could have been a novella (perhaps even a short story) and it would have been more than enoughWell, that was incredibly painful. Strangers on a Train could have been a novella (perhaps even a short story) and it would have been more than enough – two hundred plus pages of Guy and Bruno rambling on and arguing with each other was almost more than I could bear. The book did pick up a little in the last third or so, but it came way too late to make up for *gesticulates wildly* all of the rest of it. Bruno's a madman and perhaps the worst criminal “mastermind” in all of literary history, and Guy is a pushover. Such a dull and tedious read.
My overall rating: 1.55 stars, rounded up. I absolutely would have DNF'd this book around the 20% mark if I hadn't needed it for my Eight Perfect Murders reading list....more
This is perhaps the most 1960s-ish book I've ever read. I can't even put my finger on exactly why (well, other than all of the casual sexism), but theThis is perhaps the most 1960s-ish book I've ever read. I can't even put my finger on exactly why (well, other than all of the casual sexism), but there's just something about the way the characters talk and act that makes it feel that way. I mean, someone should totally make an Austin Powers-esque spoof of this novel someday because it would be comedy gold, or at least as much as any of the other Austin Powers films ever have been. (Hit me up for more some great ideas, New Line Cinema!).
Anyway, I appreciated the mystery aspects of this book. Did Lucille Hanson die in a swimming accident or did something far more sinister occur? Her sister puts a private detective on the case and then everyone proceeds to walk around and use weird phrases to describe women's bodies. Okay, I mean, obviously that's not all that happens, but who in the heck comments on a woman's “good fertile pelvic structure”?? Ick. Paul is a decently competent detective, however, and I enjoyed following along with his investigation into Lucille's death. He also spends a lot of time macking on Lucille's bereaved younger sister which was not quite as enjoyable, but, uh, you do you, Paul.
This book is only 160-ish pages, but even as short as it is, there is a lot of superfluous talk that really does nothing as far as progressing the investigation goes. I was completely surprised by the big reveal because it had absolutely nothing to do with a lot of the stuff that had been discussed previously, so apparently it makes for a good red herring, at least.
So, yeah. The Drowner is a decent mystery if you forgive it for being a product of its time. If it had been written in the twenty-first century I'd certainly be harder on it, but I feel like that as a 1960s P.I. novel it maybe deserves a little bit of grace? Not that I'm totally forgiving it its faults, however. I mean, “good fertile pelvic structure?” Really??
Dreadful might just be my favorite read of 2024. And, yes, I realize that it's only February, but it's going to be really, really hard for another booDreadful might just be my favorite read of 2024. And, yes, I realize that it's only February, but it's going to be really, really hard for another book to oust it from its throne. This book is absolutely fantastic.
It has humor. It has heart. It has magic. It has evil wizards. It has goblins. It has sassy princesses. It has heroes. It has, uh, killer moat squids? I mean, there is nothing else that I could possibly want from a book (unless maybe it could auto-dispense $100 bills or something … hit me up for some more great ideas, Titan Books).
Dread Lord Gavrax is a delightful main character and I love his watching his progression from dark wizard to maybe-not-evil-but-not-exactly-good wizard. But, honestly, the rest of the characters are just as fabulous and I loved every single one of them – the goblins are particularly endearing and I wish I had a Grrribeetle of my very own. And who could have seen that … unexpected development with Siraco coming?
The plot is just so much fun, too. Dread Lord Gavrax wakes up with no memory of who he used to be, but apparently he was evil. Really, really evil. Like, “immolating his servants for minor transgressions” evil. And he seems to be mixed up in some sort of nefarious plot with super duper evil dark wizard Zarconar, which he's pretty sure is a terrible idea. And why is there a princess locked up in his castle?
As an added bonus, I'm pretty sure that this novel increased my vocabulary tenfold. I'm glad I was reading it on my e-reader with the built-in dictionary, because I found myself looking up words at least once a chapter.
So, yeah. This is a brilliantly fantastic debut novel and is quite possibly one of my new favorites. If you like humorous fantasy novels with maybe-not-really-so-dark wizards and goblins in garlic costumes and enchanted chickens roosters, you should definitely read this one without delay.
My overall rating: a resounding five stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review....more
These stories are very … well … Oscar Wilde-ish. They're well-written and sometimes humorous and also more than just a little preachy.
Every reviewer These stories are very … well … Oscar Wilde-ish. They're well-written and sometimes humorous and also more than just a little preachy.
Every reviewer for this book seems to have read a different set of stories depending on their edition, but my audiobook contained the following: “The Happy Prince,” “The Remarkable Rocket,” “The Nightingale and the Rose,” “The Selfish Giant,” “The Devoted Friend,” “The Young King,” and “The Star Child.”
My favorite of the bunch was perhaps “The Remarkable Rocket,” a story about a rocket (of the fireworks variety) who thinks very highly of himself. It's very heavy-handed in it's moralizing, but it's also humorous and lighthearted and you maybe can't help but feel a little bad for the obnoxious rocket.
My least favorite story was without a doubt “The Nightingale and the Rose” because WTF, Oscar Wilde? That story is soul-crushing and I hate that it's forever in my head now.
My overall rating: 3.85 stars, rounded up. I love Oscar Wilde and these tales are some of his best, although it'd be nice if every story didn't wind up as a surprise christian parable at the end....more
Okay, so, trigger warning: dead cats. Murdered cats. Cats who are obviously not just “pining for the fjords.” I wish I'd read the reviews before readiOkay, so, trigger warning: dead cats. Murdered cats. Cats who are obviously not just “pining for the fjords.” I wish I'd read the reviews before reading this one, because our elderly cat passed away less than twelve hours ago and I was not emotionally ready to read about such things.
But, anyway, I have mixed feelings about this one … and not just because of the poor cats.
This book is awesome right up until the last chapter (or maybe the last two? I can't remember and my e-reader is all the way upstairs). It's beyond creepy. Iðunn wakes up every morning super tired. Her doctor says she's perfectly healthy. What could be wrong with her? And why is her fitness tracker showing that she's walking tens of thousands of steps every night? It's super suspenseful and I couldn't stop reading. It's a short book with short chapters and I read it all in one sitting.
The setting (Reykjavík, Iceland) is amazing, too. I really thought this was going to end up being a five-star read for me.
And then there are dead cats. But, okay, fair enough. Not everyone is squeamish about such things.
But that last chapter (or two)... I mean, WTF? I am (back) out of bed at 1:30 in the morning so that I can write about how much it annoyed me. Because not only did I not like it, but I am apparently incredibly stupid because I did not understand it even one little bit. I don't even know how to explain it to you guys without spoiling anything, but I am so confused right now. And the book ended super abruptly, too. I was hoping for at least one more chapter to explain what I'd just read, but nope.
I won't say not to read this book because the first 98% of it is totally awesome. But if I were you, I'd go into it expecting to be disappointed by the ending. Or maybe not, since judging from the other reviews on Goodreads (the English-language ones that I can read, anyway) I appear to be in the minority here.
My overall rating: five stars for the bulk of the book, but minus two stars for the ending. Yes, I really disliked it that much. I'll still probably seek out some more books by Hildur Knútsdóttir, though, because she really does know how to write a creepy story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing me with an advance (English) copy of this book to review....more
I have a love-hate relationship with C.J. Tudor's books – they always have such great premises but often fall a little flat in execution for me. When I have a love-hate relationship with C.J. Tudor's books – they always have such great premises but often fall a little flat in execution for me. When I saw The Gathering, however, I knew I had to read it. I mean, a book that combines two of my favorite genres (police procedurals and horror)? Yes, please!
And, well, I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed this one. It takes the traditional police procedural and turns it on its head with the addition of vampires (or vampyrs, as they're called in this book). It's a dark read filled with lots of hateful characters (almost an entire town of them, really) and it's sometimes difficult to read, but the writing is top-notch and keeps you coming back for more.
This storyline of this novel strikes me as particularly relevant in today's world. The townsfolk of Deadhart despise the vampires because they're different and are intent on punishing the entire colony because of the actions of one of its members. Basically, this book is about bigotry but against vampires instead of [insert a minority group here]. There's even a KKK-like anti-vampire organization (appropriately named Helsing). Detective Atkins, however, is all about fairness and following the letter of the law, which the residents of Deadhart aren't exactly happy about.
And speaking of Detective Barbara Atkins, can I say how happy I am that she's a “normal” fat and dumpy woman? So often women main characters are described as gorgeous, with red hair and green eyes and a stunning figure, so it's kind of refreshing to have the opposite. And there's no romance! I thought for sure that Atkins was going to find herself in bed with one of the male cops, but there's not even a hint of anything flirtatious. As someone who despises unnecessary romance in novels, thank you, C.J. Tudor!
The mystery itself was intriguing and well-written. Who killed Marcus Anderson and why? And is his murder connected to one that happened twenty-five years previously? The townspeople are certain that the killer is a vampire but Detective Atkins isn't so sure. I went back and forth on who I thought it might be, but in the end I was 100% wrong. I did not see that twist coming! My one small complaint is that I really didn't feel as if the killer's motives were explained particularly well. I would have appreciated a bit more of a backstory as to why they did what they did, but it just seemed kind of glossed over instead.
Speaking of the ending, however, it sounds like The Gathering might be the start of a series, so … yay! Well, kind of. I already have way too many series started that I'm never going to finish, but this is one I'll definitely have to continue.
My overall rating: 4.05 stars, rounded down. If you like police procedurals and/or vampires, this book could be right up your alley.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review....more
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