Last House by Jessica Shattuck is a historical family drama involving the environment and oil from the 1950s to the present day. The novel is about family secrets and coverups but manages to do it all for love. The Last House serves as both a metaphor and a psychical house. It is the house that gets the family through the storm of secrets and lies also a literal storm. The house is called the Last House due to the precious land owner with the last name Last built the house and land around it as a last refuge, which the next generation will use as well. The book is a little all over the place at times, when the plot is focused the book is great. The book switches focus from oil to family then at the end works hard to connect them. I wanted a lot more consistency throughout the novel to nail the concept. The story tells multiple generations of the Taylor family and how they have changed throughout the years. This book had the worst transitions to next generation characters I’ve ever read. The perspectives of the family change with each generation, but it switches before we can even get to know the characters through a father or mother’s eyes. The book is best when it is in the 1950’s writing about a slice of life. The oil chapters are interesting and based on history. The bulk of the book hangs out in the late 1960s counterculture as everyone was striving to find their own identity out of the shadow of their parents. The book strays from oil and family as it takes a while to get back to this connection. I found the beginning and the end the best parts the middle slows down as the character and the book work to find themselves. Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for letting me read Last House in exchange for a review. Last House was published on May 14, 2024.
Plot Summary: Nick Taylor is a former soldier from World War II and is now a lawyer for the oil company set to do work with Iran. The problem is the political leader just elected does not want to rely on oil. Nick meets Carter from the CIA and involves him in a coup to throw out the leader and replace him with the Shah to get better oil prices. Nick does the deal for a better life for his family but the deal has consequences later in life, as Nick’s son and daughter become activists protesting the Oil and what it is doing to the environment. Nick takes the money and buys a remote house called the Last House which will service his family for decades as secrets and lies catch up to the family.
What I Liked: There’s a metaphor about oil or fossil fuels being the ghost that haunts the environment that I found very profound. I liked the slice of life of the 1950’s it was fun to read and see how far we have progressed. Bet, Nick’s Wife, was my favorite character I wish her code breaking during the war was explored more. I liked how the Black Panthers, Abbie Hoffman, and the Weather Underground were used in the story. Harry’s story and where it ended up was shocking but written well. I liked all the secrets that were revealed at the end. I like the ending of Last House.
What I Disliked: this novel is full of great moments, but it is so unfocused at times making it a frustrating read and hard to get behind. The transitions to the next generation were so jarring, at times I was like were following them now I barely got to know them. The pacing was great at the beginning and the end, but the middle was slow and lost the family, oil, and house theme the novel did so well setting up.
Recommendation: The Last House had so much potential, but was just too unfocused for me to recommend. Shattuck has moments of great writing throughout but it was too inconsistent for me. I can not recommend this novel.
Rating: I rated Last House Jessica Shattuck 2.9 stars out of 5.
Parasite by Darcy Coates is a science fiction horror that takes place on different space stations. Each time the reader goes to a different space station the reader and the people aboard the space station know a little bit more about the enemy which is a plant-based lifeform that can borrow the skin and mimic the human they have just killed. This leads to a lot of mistrust and suspicion just amongst regular humans not infected. This novel is intense as each station is a fight for human life thrill ride. The premise reminds me of John Carpenter’s The Thing mixed with Aliens, where the thing is a threat but the biggest threat is paranoia from humans. The novel works as a series of vignettes since each station is its own story but also works as a larger story by way of knowledge. We follow 5 different women on space stations with different job titles one is a captain while another is the lowest person on the space station. The women portrayed all have inner strength even if they don’t realize it. The characters are different and each own individual. The stories are all paced very well, there was only one story that took me a while to get into as the lead character is an asshole (self-admitted) and takes a bit to warm up to but by the end, I was very invested in the story. I will say it was pretty bold of Darcy Coates to tell a completely different story with a whole new set of characters each time, but every time by the end of the story I was invested. The fourth story was my favorite and I could argue that that story should have been last. This is a fun novel that reads very quickly. I would have liked one chapter where all the survivors from the stations meet up and kick some alien butt but Coates stuck to each story being self-contained where no characters from other stories meet. The stories were originally written as short stories and put together as an omnibus. I would like to think Netgalley and Poisoned Press Books for a free copy in exchange for a review. I read this as part of the rerelease. Parasite was first published on August 6, 2016.
Plot Summary: While outside of Space Station 331, a crew member spots something large and black wrapped around the satellite. The crew member attempts to dislodge it but it attacks. The crew member comes back to the airlock without their helmet seeming fine. do they let them in or not? this starts the nightmare of a parasite that can mimic the way we think and talk. how can humans defeat such a thing? As the story unfolds and humans interact with this deadly new species they learn their strengths and weaknesses giving humanity a chance to defeat them.
What I Liked: How intense and sometimes gory the stories got. I love kick-ass women and this book is full of them. I loved the paranoia aspect of the book and how far that went sometimes. I loved when space madness is involved in the story and how chaotic that is mixed with aliens that can mimic people. Story 4 was my absolute favorite it was intense, had many twists and turns, was a love story, was funny, and had the best ending. The first story is short but kind of jarring before you realize the story is completely new. I liked the weakness of the Cymic when not in the human body can not see only hear.
What I Disliked: The survivors never meet up or there is any connection at all. Smart women kept making too dumb of mistakes not thinking of the enemy at all times.
Recommendations: Parasite is a really fun easy read that is intense in all the right places. The book has kick-ass female leads that are all written differently and for the most part, rise to the challenge. Despite the book’s dark subject, it finds ways to inject humor throughout. This is my first Darcy Coates novel and I’m charmed. I recommend you read Parasite.
Rating: I rated Parasite by Darcy Coates 4.1 stars out of 5.
May 2024 TBR list: last month I read five out of six books from my monthly TBR. I added the book that I did not finish last month and 5 more books. I plan on reading 1 extra which will probably be A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles if it becomes available at the library. I set my reading goal at 75 books for this year and have so far read 24 books. Last month I caught up on Netgalley books some ARC’s (Advanced Readers Copies) and some books I’m behind on. This month will be a mix of books from the library and some NetGalley advanced reader’s copies.
City of Dreams by Don Winslow is the follow-up to City of Fire about a low-level Irish mobster that gets in over his head as feuding families fight over a girl City of Dreams is book 2 in the Danny Ryan trilogy. Danny Ryan is on the run from cops and the FBI he runs to Hollywood and finds more crooks. The Feds want him to do a favor that could kill or make him a fortune. Danny learns that a movie is being made about his past life and wants some action.
Last House by Jessica Shattuck is a historical fiction that spans 80 years looking at family choices through a new perspective with each generation. I’m excited to read this family saga. Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the free copy in exchange for a review. Last House will be published on May 14, 2024.
Spitting Gold by Carmella Lowkis is a debut historical fiction with some magic. The novel takes place in Paris in 1866 and involves two sisters who are spirit mediums but con women. They are paid to rid a house of a spirit who died in the French Revolution, but what they want is the family’s gold. The sisters are confronted with a real ghost that they need to send away before it is too late. Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the free copy in exchange for a review. Spitting Gold is to be published on May 14, 2024.
Goosebumps: Beware, the Snowman by R. L. Stine is Goosebumps book 51 in the original series order. There’s a village of Snowman worshippers I’m in.
Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1: Power and Responsibility by Brian Michael Bendis is a new version of Peter Parker/ Spiderman for a new generation. I’m not going to lie I bought this thinking it was a Miles Morales/Spiderman, but it is not. We get a very teenage Peter Parker with hormones and a lot of angst.
Parasite by Darcy Coates is the book I started but could not finish before the month ended. I like it so far. Parasite is horror/science fiction about an alien that wears its victim’s skin and adopts its personality. I’ve never read a Darcy Coates novel but she has been recommended a few times. This is another book on my Netgalley Backlogs. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free book.
Dear Readers, April was a good month for reading. I read almost all the books on my TBR for the month. I read 5 out of 6. I read 2 horror, 1 mystery, 1 dark romance, and 1 historical fiction. I Read 3 books from a book series Goosebumps Calling All Creeps! book 50 in the original series only 12 left in the series, One Good Turn is Jackson Brodie book 2, and Butcher & Blackbird book 1 in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. I read one 5-star book, two 4-star books, and two 2-star books.
Five Star Reviews:
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson is a mix of literature and mystery. The story is full of deeply flawed, quirky characters which are very memorable. The writing is very good in this atypical mystery. The mystery is a slow burn, as it takes a while for you, the reader, to know what the mystery is all about. This story revolves around 7 characters who we all get perspectives from. This can sometimes be too much as I prefer 3 to 4 perspectives, but Kate Atkinson is such a good character writer that I was never confused with whose perspective was in charge. As the story unfolds those 7 characters will be connected through happenstance and murder plots. The story reminded me a lot of Fargo the TV series since all the characters are so quirky and could each lead their own story. One Good Turn is book two in the Jackson Brodie series. The first book is the excellent Case Histories, where the character of Jackson Brodie is introduced
Four Star Reviews:
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a dark romance involving two serial killers who hunt other serial killers. The Butcher and Blackbird is the first book in The Ruinous Love trilogy. This is the first dark romance book and it was a bit eye-opening. I was expecting a little more sex, but when it does happen it is long and intense. It takes over half the book for the characters to have sex, which felt a little long. When the sex occurs it is fierce, dirty, and degrading. There was some kinky stuff some stuff I felt like need some consent first or a conversation about what you’re into before anal and snowballing. This book is about two psychopaths so maybe no consent is needed. I did find it funny that both characters admitted to not having sex in three years, yet one of them carried lube for anal, oh yeah they’re crazy. This book knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything more which I found refreshing. The story doesn’t go too heavy into the trauma of what made them monsters or the people they hunt, but it gives the reader enough to go on. The pacing is a little slow at the beginning but when the sex starts happening the pages start to fly.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is a historical fiction that takes place in New York City between 1937 and 1938. The Great Depression was still plaguing America, as World War II was on the horizon, and people were defined by their class system. The Rules of Civility is about a group of characters who will not be defined by society’s class structure and try to change their station in it. Some characters hate where they are in society and openly mock the class that they are in, whereas other characters will fake it until they make it. The underlying theme of the book is everyone is a whore for somebody, the only way to get ahead is to prostitute oneself through money, influence, and jobs. Some of the characters do not realize that are controlled by someone else until the end. It’s powerful and still very relevant in today’s society by this phase: it is not what you know, but who you know. I love that the title is based off of George Washington’s writing a long set of rules called the Rules of Civility. The Rules of Civility are a set of rules for how one must subject one’s self in society, there are 110 rules that one character lives by and thankfully at the end of the book Amor Towles posts them all. The pacing moves along a little bit slowly but the history, the characters, and the conversations are all interesting. There are a couple of turns the book takes that I was not expecting. I did struggle for moments asking myself what the point of it was, but in the end, the book makes a strong statement on society and manipulation.
Two Star Reviews:
The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is a fictional nonfiction horror novel. The book is set up to look like it is nonfiction even though it is fiction. The poltergeist haunts a fast food staff which at first is cute and innocent, soon turns deadly. This book was not what I was expecting, with the premise of a ghost at a fast food restaurant I expected a lot more humor (there is a tiny bit), but what we get is a depressing novel that is a slow-burn horror novel. The horror in the novel is almost all at the end, and it gets pretty intense but you have to get through a lot of depressed teenagers. The book was interesting in the way it was written where we are told what happens to the restaurant and some of the kids, then we get interviews with the survivors who fill in part of the story and the narrator watches security tapes that add to the story. Daniel Kraus gets to be a horror novelist who is interested in the case and involves himself in the story, which was interesting as one character reads his books and keeps asking him questions about them. The pace is very slow in this story it picks up at 75% and moves pretty fast after that. The climax is exciting and the epilogue is well written.
Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 50 in the original series order. Calling All Creeps! could be titled How I Accidentally Started a Cult. This book is one of the least scariest Goosebumps that I have read, but the book is suspenseful. There’s a plot about food poisoning, (not to kill, but something else) will the main character do it or not? The story moves pretty slowly and there is a lot of repetition. You feel bad for the character of Ricky who is picked on for no reason, even kids that just started at the school start pranking him. I do feel like Rick’s anger is misplaced to the school editor than every other kid. This is the first Goosebumps book that acknowledges an attraction, most of the time it is best friends who don’t see each other that way, but this book has a friendship with potential.
The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is a fictional nonfiction horror novel. The book is set up to look like it is nonfiction even though it is fiction. The poltergeist haunts a fast food staff which at first is cute and innocent, soon turns deadly. This book was not what I was expecting, with the premise of a ghost at a fast food restaurant I expected a lot more humor (there is a tiny bit), but what we get is a depressing novel that is a slow-burn horror novel. The horror in the novel is almost all at the end, and it gets pretty intense but you have to get through a lot of depressed teenagers. The book was interesting in the way it was written where we are told what happens to the restaurant and some of the kids, then we get interviews with the survivors who fill in part of the story and the narrator watches security tapes that add to the story. Daniel Kraus gets to be a horror novelist who is interested in the case and involves himself in the story, which was interesting as one character reads his books and keeps asking him questions about them. The pace is very slow in this story it picks up at 75% and moves pretty fast after that. The climax is exciting and the epilogue is well written. This is the second Daniel Kraus novel I read and loved his work on The Living Dead which he co-wrote with George A. Romero. He also wrote the screenplay for one of my favorite movies The Shape of Water. I received The Ghost That Ate Us from Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for free in exchange for a review. The Ghost That Ate Us was published on July 12, 2022.
Plot Summary: A murder happens at Burger City location #8 in Iowa that affects everyone who works there as it sets off a paranormal event. The location is haunted by a poltergeist who is cute and meme-able as it makes the mascot move around, but then the spirit turns vengeful and starts to kill. Some employees laugh it off but others become obsessed. The restaurant soon becomes popular as a ghost hangout and draws attention from a ghost hunter show called Spectral Journeys. Will the kids that work there remember high school or the time a ghost haunted their fast-food restaurant?
What I Liked: The final chapter that Daniel Kraus wraps up the with story is great writing, which I wished was more present throughout. The final chapter is the only one that I truly loved. A funny bit is if you see a ghost while you a masturbating in the bathroom do you take a picture? In this book, the answer is yes. The climax was wild cause you kind of forget who dies and who survives even though it was stated at the beginning. I liked Spectral Journeys’ scene where you see how produced it is, and they have an agenda going in for the kind of story that they want to tell. How COVID was added to the story really timestamps it.
What I Disliked: Don’t these kids have any fun, a lot of the teenagers were so depressed it is okay to have some but not so many. The pacing for this book is awful, I don’t like to not finish books but I considered it. I wanted a lot more humor. A ghost at a fast food restaurant is funny but the book leans away from it.
Recommendations: It pains me to say that I do not recommend The Ghost That Ate Us since I have loved Daniel Kraus in the past. The ending is great but all other chapters are slow-paced. Only a few of the characters are interesting and Kit is a standout character and the only one. The story did remind me of an episode in Buffy: the Vampire Slayer where she gets a job working fast food and it is super depressing, I do not like that episode and it reminded me of this. Daniel Kraus is a good writer even though this book was a miss for me. The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus is one of my favorites and is a highly recommended 5-star book.
Rating: I rated The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus 2.3 stars.
April 2024 TBR list: last month I read six books and all books from my monthly TBR and read 1 extra. I set my reading goal at 75 books for this year and have so far read 19 books. Last month I caught up on Netgalley books some ARC’s (Advanced Readers Copies) and some books I’m behind on. This month will be a mix of books some series and some Netgalley backlogs.
Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is a love story between two serial killers that sounds insane. This book has been blowing up BookTok lately. More than a couple of blogs that I followed have raved about it. Its genre is Dark Romance not a genre I’ve read before but I’m ready for it. This book is book one of the Ruinous Love Trilogy.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles is about society and class jumping in 1937-1938 New York. I read the Lincoln Highway two years ago and loved it. I have wanted to read another Amor Towles book and this one was available at the library. The way he writes historical fiction with an underlying theme still relevant in today’s society makes him a can’t-miss author.
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson is the second book in the Jackson Brodie mystery series. Kate Atkinson has written my favorite book ever Life After Life, so I always look forward to reading her stories. Case Histories is the first book in this Scottish detective Jackson Brodie’s series and a book I really liked and looked forward to reading further. I received an advanced readers’ copy of Death at the Sign of the Rook the sixth book in the series, and plan to read all the other books leading up to the new one.
The Ghost That Ate Us by Daniel Kraus is another insane book about the author Daniel Kraus investigating a Burger City fast food restaurant that is haunted. This farcical fake investigative novel sounds fun. I loved Daniel Kraus’ writing on The Living Dead a book he co-wrote with George A. Romero before he passed it was fun, gory, and poignant. I expect this novel to be great. This a book from my Netgalley backlogs that I’m trying to get down to get some great new ARCs. Thanks to Netgalley and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the free copy.
Parasite by Darcy Coates is a horror Science Fiction about an alien that wears its victim’s skin and adopts its personality. I’ve never read a Darcy Coates novel but she has been recommended a few times. This is another book on my Netgalley Backlogs. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free book.
Calling All Creeps! By R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book number 50 in the original series order. My journey to read all the Goosebumps books is almost complete, with only 12 more left. I remember my sister having this book and it crept me out as a kid, will it do the same thing as an adult?
Dear Readers, March was a great month for reading. I read all books on my TBR for the month and even read an extra book. I got ahead on 2 advanced readers copies, both coming out in April. I read 3 horror, 1 mystery, 2 graphic novels, 1 science fiction and espionage adventure. I read 4 books from a book series Goosebumps Vampire Breath book 49, Injustice 2 Volume 1 the first book in the Injustice 2 series, Stranger Things: Into the Fire the 3rd Stranger Things graphic novel, and Void Moon is book 9 in The Harry Bosch Universe series. My ratings for the month are three 4 star books, and four 3 star books.
Four Star Reviews:
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes is a thrilling and intense science fiction horror novel. Ghost Station was a cross between the movie Life and Helix the SYFY network TV show (more people should watch this show it is fantastic). The pace of this book moves a little slow at the beginning, but when the horror starts at 40% the book is pretty nonstop. I liked the mystery aspect of the story what is happening are they experiencing ERS (space madness) or something else? The book has a lot of twists and turns, no earth-shattering ones but a lot of fun character reveals that lead to twists. There’s a minimal amount of characters so you get to know them pretty well I liked Suresh, the jokester, the best. Ophelia the main character took a while to warm up to she really is the worst person to be a psychiatrist. This book makes use of the trapped setting making the reader feel the claustrophobia. The ending was very satisfying and had a good twist with it. I read this advanced reader’s copy for free thanks to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire. Ghost Station will be published on April 9, 2024.
Stranger Things: Into the Fire by Jody Houser is a graphic novel sequel to Six as it explores events and characters after that book. Where Six took place before the events of Stranger Things, it has been a few years and this book takes place 3 months after the events of Stranger Things Season 2. The pacing for this story was very good, I was easily able to read this in one setting. I liked how much the characters evolved since the events in Six. This has been my favorite of the graphic novels it was original and yet tied into the series as a whole. The end of this story is great and gets to show you the danger of these powers. This story had the most action out of any of the graphic novels so far.
Injustice 2 Volume 1 by Tom Taylor is the sequel to Injustice which started five years in the past. Injustice started when the Joker grew tired of Batman beating him and turned to a new prey Superman. The Joker ends up making him kill Lois Lane and his unborn child. Superman does not want innocents killed and turns the world into a superhero police state that he rules. This does not sit well with Batman who wants everyone to have free will even the criminally insane. Batman defeats Superman by having a Justice League from another dimension beat him. That brings us to Injustice 2 where Batman tries to build society back up, but others want to tear it down. Both Injustice Gods Among Us and Injustice 2 are video games the comic series leads up to where both games start. Injustice 2 comic is intense with lots of heroes and villains deaths. The series acts like a What if? and has fun new origins for superheroes, especially Supergirl. There are a lot of heroes and villains featured in this book Batman, Damien Wayne, Superman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Killer Croc, Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Deadshot, Orca, Calendar Man, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Dr. Fate, Black Adam, The Atom, Poison Ivy, and Super Girl. I did not mention all the names due to spoilers, because this book has some good twists and turns.
Three Star Reviews:
The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes is an international spy thriller with a twist that jumps genres. This book was my most anticipated book of 2024 after reading I Am Pilgrim Terry Hayes’s debut. His follow-up The Year of the Locust is part great international spy thriller and part what the heck is going on here. There’s a huge twist in this book that changes this book into a completely different genre and direction. I’m going to say flat out I did not like this twist and it is really unfortunate because I was enjoying this novel up to this point. When the book is about the spy aspect you’ll think Terry Hayes was reading government files because it feels so real and reminded me of early Tom Clancy writing. The pace of the story is good with for the most part small chapters that are easy to consume, some aspects are over-explained but for the most part, they are always interesting. I will say Hayes tells a well-rounded story where every piece of dialogue and event even after the crazy twist leads you to the conclusion. The ending was great and very intense it relies on the crazy twist and it made me like the crazy twist a little bit more. I read this book for free in exchange for a review thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. The Year of the Locust was published on February 6, 2024.
Void Moon by Michael Connelly is book 9 in the Harry Bosch Universe series. This book is unique in that it has a female lead who is on the wrong side of the law. The book is about a Las Vegas heist that goes wrong. The book has long passages where it’s all description as the character works in the dark based on feeling and sound. The book has two characters the thief and the man in pursuit. Connelly is better at writing men as he creates a full-fledged character in the Jack of Spades, where Cassie Black has layers but not as fully realized. Jack of Spades for me stole the show and made the book a whole lot more interesting when he’s involved, at first I thought he was going to be an honest investigator but he soon shows his sadistic side. The opening scene was done very well, showing Cassie’s motivation for the whole book right at the beginning. The pace of the book slows down until Jack of Spades is introduced 30% in and keeps the pace until the exciting ending.
Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine is Goosebumps book 49 in the original series order. I was excited since this is the first vampire book in Goosebumps so far. The vampire fun takes a while to get going as the main vampire can’t find his teeth. You see he is old and now has false Vampire teeth. I did roll my eyes at that but thankfully Stine does feature some real vampires and when one is revealed it is terrifying. One vampire reminded me a lot of Claudia from Interview with a Vampire who was constantly getting scolded for playing with her food. The book had a great opening starting with a scary story. Then a creepy hidden tunnel reveals a hidden room with Vampire Breath. The pace slows down after time travel is involved. The pace is slow but the tension of the kids just wanting to escape is throughout. The ending is very lame and one of the worst.
It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is a middle grade horror about twins lost in a truly bizarre village that is looked over by a giant scarecrow. I have read Strand’s work as an adult horror writer where he’s known for his comedy and going to the extreme. As a fan of his work, I wanted to check it out. It Watches in the Dark has some bizarre characters, some dark humor, and a good final twist, and where this story doesn’t go to the extreme it goes to places other children’s books will not. The story took a little while to get going for me the twins took a while to like, but I eventually got there. The scares include being trapped, getting held against your will, getting eaten by ants (I loved this scene), being thrown on roofs, Being eaten by multiple big creatures, and a being entering your mind making you harm others. The ending is wild and I loved every minute of it. There’s a twist that I should have seen coming but I did not that is totally great and very in the horror/Twilight Zone vein. The scene made me laugh out loud in a good way because of what was happening. I really liked the ending but had some issues with the character’s actions and I really wanted a history of the scarecrow which we did not get. I read this Advanced Reader’s Copy thanks to Netgalley and Source Books Young Readers for the free book. It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is published on April 2, 2024.
Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes is a thrilling and intense science fiction horror novel. Ghost Station is the second novel from S.A. Barnes whose first was Dead Silence. I liked Dead Silence the book had a lot of great moments and promises, Ghost Station I loved it took everything I liked from Dead Silence the intensity, the plot twists, the slight humor, and the horror and turned it up while cutting out most of what I disliked out. Ghost Station was a cross between the movie Life and Helix the SYFY network TV show (more people should watch this show it is fantastic). The pace of this book moves a little slow at the beginning, but when the horror starts at 40% the book is pretty nonstop. I liked the mystery aspect of the story what is happening are they experiencing ERS (space madness) or something else? The book has a lot of twists and turns, no earth-shattering ones but a lot of fun character reveals that lead to twists. There’s a minimal amount of characters so you get to know them pretty well I liked Suresh, the jokester, the best. Ophelia the main character took a while to warm up to she really is the worst person to be a psychiatrist. This book makes use of the trapped setting making the reader feel the claustrophobia. The ending was very satisfying and had a good twist with it. I read this advanced reader’s copy for free thanks to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire. Ghost Station will be published on April 9, 2024.
Plot Summary: Ophelia is a fill-in psychiatrist for a space mission to explore an abandoned planet that another corporation sold the rights to. Ophelia is filling in because the last crew member Ava died on mission. Ophelia has to be the new crew member, the outsider, and get the crew to talk about themselves. She has developed a new sleep study where a device puts you in a place where you’re comfortable like your old childhood bedroom. The sleep device has problems as some start sleepwalking and seeing ghosts. Ophelia would like to think the crew is going through ERS space madness, but she starts hearing and seeing ghosts. The mission is to study this newly abandoned planet, but the crew starts finding evidence that it wasn’t abandoned and that maybe the first crew never left. This is intense science fiction horror at its best.
What I Liked: The intensity of the novel is throughout. You can feel an unnerving presence lurking in the shadows. I liked how all the characters had very different voices, I never lost who was talking or being talked to. I liked the ending and how edge-of-your-seat it was. The novel did a great job of providing the flashbacks to make you feel like you were there. I thought what was haunting the crew members was interesting and terrifying. The mystery of what happened to the crew before them was really interesting.
What I Disliked: Ophelia was a horrible psychiatrist she had more secrets than anyone, and just kept making the dumbest choices not to help anyone’s psyche. ERS, space madness, was a big thing in Dead Silence I was a little annoyed that it was a thing in this book, in the end, this was a way different book than Dead Silence but I was worried it was going to be the same story in a different setting. ERS at the beginning was brought up so much I was like is this connected to Dead Silence but it was not.
Recommendations: Ghost Station is a great science fiction horror novel that I think you need to check out. It is atmospheric horror at its best, you feel the doom of being trapped where you can’t trust the people you are staying with. I like this novel over Dead Silence, which I rated 3 stars and saw a lot of potential. This novel has that potential and it was great to read.
Rating: I rated Ghost Station by S.A. Barnes 4.3 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading more S.A. Barnes in the future.
It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is a middle grade horror about twins lost in a truly bizarre village that is looked over by a giant scarecrow. I have read Strand’s work as an adult horror writer where he’s known for his comedy and going to the extreme. As a fan of his work, I wanted to check it out. It Watches in the Dark has some bizarre characters, some dark humor, and a good final twist, and where this story doesn’t go to the extreme it goes to places other children’s books will not. The story took a little while to get going for me the twins took a while to like, but I eventually got there. The scares include being trapped, getting held against your will, getting eaten by ants (I loved this scene), being thrown on roofs, Being eaten by multiple big creatures, and a being entering your mind making you harm others. The ending is wild and I loved every minute of it. There’s a twist that I should have seen coming but I did not that is totally great and very in the horror/Twilight Zone vein. The scene made me laugh out loud in a good way because of what was happening. I really liked the ending but had some issues with the character’s actions and I really wanted a history of the scarecrow which we did not get. I thought the story could have added more humor there’s some but I wanted more. The story felt like it was a cross between Goosebumps and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. I read this Advanced Reader’s Copy thanks to Netgalley and Source Books Young Readers for the free book. It Watches in the Dark by Jeff Strand is published on April 2, 2024.
Plot Summary: Two twins Oliver and Trisha celebrate their 12th Birthday with their dad with a 5 day canoe trip down the river in Missouri. An accident happens on the trip that knocks out the father, and the kids look for help the go down the river until they find an old dock. The kids only see a forest after the dock, but don’t see anywhere else and follow a trail that leads to a small town. Who can help their dad? The kids aren’t allowed in the hospital and have to spend a day in the weird town that has a giant Scarecrow in the center that they feel is creepy and watching them. Everybody in town is very thankful for the scarecrow and doesn’t think it is creepy at all. The kids get yelled at and told they are ungrateful when they don’t finish a huge ice cream sundae, the mayor makes a deal with the kids to see their dad, they have to sit in front of the scarecrow for one hour, which they do but are horrified when they hear a voice asking them do violence to each other. When they finally get to see their dad he has an outrageous amount of wires hanging out of him. The kids are told they have to stay the night but plan to escape with their dad as Trisha steals the key to the hospital. when they do escape the house they were staying the night, they notice something the scarecrow is not where it was, and is actively moving around looking for them.
What I Liked: The dark humor about the mayor, the owner of the diner, and various townspeople who see the world as one way, and these kids are rude. The kids and the fire ants scene is great. How vicious the scarecrow is when he throws them and goes through buildings to find them. The twist with all the wires in the dad was a good one. The final twist in the story was amazing and made me so happy as a horror fan. I liked the conversations with the mayor, he was so odd and easily offended to have all this power. The case scenes with the scarecrow.
What I Disliked: The action took a long time to start the scarecrow doesn’t move until after 50%. Trisha felt older than 12. The actions of Belinda made no sense at all. The scarecrow is inconsistent as well, he had so many chances to kill the kids through the townspeople but does not say anything.
Recommendation: This story has a great twist that makes it worth it. The pace was a little slow for a Jeff Strand novel that usually has a rapid pace. I will barely recommend this story. I have read a lot of Goosebumps books and I would say this book is better than half of them. the novel brings the scares when things get going.
Rating: I rated It Watches in the Dark 3.4 out of 5 stars. My Favorite Jeff Strand novel is Wolf Hunt, and A Bad Day for Voodoo is a very entertaining book books are not for children.
The Year of the Locust by Terry Hayes is an international spy thriller with a twist that jumps genres. This book was my most anticipated book of 2024 after reading I Am Pilgrim Terry Hayes’s debut 8 years ago. His follow-up The Year of the Locust is part great international spy thriller and part what the heck is going on here. There’s a huge twist in this book that changes this book into a completely different genre and direction. I’m going to say flat out I did not like this twist and it is really unfortunate because I was enjoying this novel up to this point. I’m not going to give away the twist but I will compare it to Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull movie, you know when they involve aliens at the end and your like I don’t know if this fits this action adventure is the same I felt with this book. I just felt like the twist did not fit with the book, there was only one hint in the book and it was one that I bought okay your CIA you would have weapons that do stuff I don’t think is possible, but okay I’m with you. Then Terry Hayes says hold my beer I will show you unbelievable. When the book is about the spy aspect you’ll think Terry Hayes was reading government files because it feels so real and reminded me of early Tom Clancy writing. The pace of the story is good with for the most part small chapters that are easy to consume, some aspects are over-explained but for the most part, they are always interesting. There was a backstory for an HR rep that I’m like is this even necessary and later in the story it is necessary to get him to sign off on the main character’s mission. I will say Hayes tells a well-rounded story where every piece of dialogue and event even after the crazy twist leads you to the conclusion. The ending was great and very intense it relies on the crazy twist and it made me like the crazy twist a little bit more. This book was my hardest to rate I liked well over 75% of this book but the twist was so bad. I will say I read an ARC copy and it seems like my copy is a hundred pages longer than it is listed in Kindle and will take that into account in my rating. I read this book for free in exchange for a review thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books. The Year of the Locust was published on February 6, 2024.
Plot Summary: Kane is a Denied Access Area spy for the CIA, his specialty is getting into the hardest areas and getting out. His mission is to get into Iran rescue an informant and his family and get the information on a new terrorist threat. When Kane is already behind enemy lines does he realize this mission is compromised and has to get out? Kane sees the informant crucified and his wife and two young kids forced to starve at his feet, as members of the terrorist group look on. Kane’s mission is complete once he sees the informant dead and is trained to walk away but he can’t and retaliates killing the group and leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Little does he know he killed the younger brother of a terrorist who will do anything to kill Kane. Kane gets the information he was hoping for as a thanks for saving the family but he must now escape without the terrorist group finding out that is now looking for retribution. Will Kane be able to escape with his life?
What I Liked: I love when the story is grounded and real which is 75% of it. Terry Hayes can write international spy like no one business when the book is focused on it, it is the best. Al Tundra the villain is great there are a lot of layers to him. His backstory of when he was a child and had to kill for the first time is so good. The soldier trapped behind enemy lines we’ve read a hundred times, the way the escape plan is planned and goes horribly wrong was so interesting and tense. The ending was fantastic it was super tense and very well plotted you could feel the time ticking by second by second as Earth’s last hope fought. The epilogue was good and checked in with every character in the book you cared about.
What I Disliked: The twist was way too much there are two elements, Kane’s and Al Tundra’s if maybe one happened I might have been okay but for both of them together the book jumped the shark. Here’s my biggest issue when the bad guy finds a weapon to increase his strength he gives it to everyone and a war starts just because people are different and stronger. Al Tundra is a terrorist leader who could have made his terrorist group take it and then he would have controlled it, if he viewed it as a gift from God why would he give it to unworthy and infidels? Kane’s storyline I have similar problems why would the government let civilians on a super secret new vehicle, There was no way to predict what the vehicle would do a second time. There was a lot to disbelieve. I did not like how much at the end the focus was dropped off stopping Al Tundra who Kane knew survived.
Recommendation: This story is going to be heavily divisive, if you read and loved I Am Pilgrim I think you will be disappointed like I was that this story is not a cut-and-dry spy thriller. New readers might like it, the twist on the surface is different and even though I did not like it some elements were exciting, if it was a film I would probably be behind the choice a little more, but still layered it in a little bit more. I’m fine as a reader if you prepare me for it to get crazy Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter is a perfect example. I recommend you skip this book if you have read I Am Pilgrim. I would recommend it if you have not read I Am Pilgrim, which I think will introduce you to fantastic writing without disappointment.
Rating: I rated The Year of the Locusts by Terry Hayes 3.4 stars out of 5. Reading this book does make me want to revisit the excellent I Am Pilgrim again. I will give Terry Hayes another shot I hope he does a sequel to I Am Pilgrim next.
Reading with My Eyes 
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