All of Us Villains (All of Us Villains #1), By Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, LGBTQ, Light Romance, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 9th, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: The blockbuster co-writing debut of Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, All of Us Villains begins a dark tale of ambition and magick…

You Fell In Love With The Victors of The Hunger Games.
Now Prepare To Meet The Villains of The Blood Veil.

After the publication of a salacious tell-all book, the remote city of Ilvernath is thrust into worldwide spotlight. Tourists, protesters, and reporters flock to its spellshops and ruins to witness an ancient curse unfold: every generation, seven families name a champion among them to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner awards their family exclusive control over the city’s high magick supply, the most powerful resource in the world.

In the past, the villainous Lowes have won nearly every tournament, and their champion is prepared to continue his family’s reign. But this year, thanks to the influence of their newfound notoriety, each of the champions has a means to win. Or better yet–a chance to rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood. (Goodreads)

If you’re on Goodreads or follow a lot of book bloggers, you’ve probably heard a ton of buzz regarding All of Us Villains, the first book in a planned duology by well known YA authors Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman. After spending the weekend completely spellbound, I’m happy to say that it’s entirely worthy of all the hype.

While the book definitely gives off Hunger Games with magic vibes, it actually goes much further than that and is completely different from anything else I’ve read. I do want to say that as far as the competing champions go, none of them are truly villains. Flawed and tortured, perhaps, but evildoers, not really. While there are seven of these champions, the chapters alternate between just four of them, so naturally those are the ones I connected with the most. My personal favorite was Alastair Lowe whose family do deserve first prize in villainy. What they’ve done to him since childhood in order to “prepare” him is inhuman and had me both outraged and heartbroken. The one constant in his life has been his older brother Hendry, and their relationship was one of my favorite things about this book. The other main characters are very complex and intriguing, and I completely connected with them as well, even when they weren’t at their best. The world building and magic system is utterly fantastic and I’ve never come close to anything similar in the fantasy books that I’ve read. Everything in this story is flawlessly detailed and try as I might, I could not discern where one author left off and the other began.

For me, All of Us Villains is a picture perfect beginning to this duology and while the ending answered a few important questions, there are plenty more, and it perfectly sets the stage for the next book. One word of caution: there are a few graphically gory scenes particularly with some of the spells and curses being used. Therefore I recommend this for older teens.

Without bragging, after my many years of reading, I’ve gotten fairly good at predicting outcomes of stories, but this has left me at a loss as to what will come next for Alistair and the surviving champions. I have a feeling it will involve heartbreak, and I do know it’s going to be an interminable wait for the sequel.

Shattered Midnight (The Mirror #2), By Dhonielle Clayton ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

1920s, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, New Orleans, Racism, Romance, Segregation, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 5th, 2021

304 Pages

Synopsis: The Mirror: Shattered Midnight is the second novel in the innovative four-book fairy-tale series written by Julie C. Dao, Dhonielle Clayton, J.C. Cervantes, and L. L. McKinney, following one family over several generations, and the curse that plagues it.

Zora Broussard has arrived in New Orleans with not much more than a bag of clothes, a beautiful voice, and a pair of enchanted red shoes. Running from a tragic accident caused by her magic, Zora wants nothing more than to blend in, as well as to avoid her overbearing aunt and mean-spirited cousins. Music becomes Zora’s only means of escape, yet she wonders if she should give it all up to remove the powers that make her a target, especially as a Black woman in the South.

But when Zora gets the chance to perform in a prominent jazz club, she meets a sweet white pianist named Phillip with magic of his own, including a strange mirror that foretells their future together. Falling into a forbidden love, Zora and Phillip must keep their relationship a secret. And soon the two discover the complicated connection between their respective families, a connection that could lead to catastrophe for them both. In the era of segregation and speakeasies, Zora must change her destiny and fight for the one she loves . . . or risk losing everything. (Goodreads)

I loved the first book in The Mirror series: Broken Wish, by Julie C. Dao, so much that I have to admit I was a little nervous that Shattered Midnight wouldn’t be able to match it even though I’ve enjoyed Dhonielle Clayton’s previous books. After racing through this in under three hours I’m thrilled to say that my fears were entirely unfounded.

Here’s a quick recap: The Mirror series is to be compromised of four books by some of today’s most popular YA authors that follow a multigenerational family who possess a magical heirloom, but are also dogged by a devastating curse. Broken Wish beautifully kicked things off in 1865 Hanau, Germany. Shattered Midnight skips to 1928 New Orleans and while the previous tale was more fairytale in nature, this is more of a historical fantasy with a slight nod to Cinderella, and a dash of Romeo and Juliet.

I found everything in this book perfectly crafted, from the sultry setting of New Orleans in the Jazz Age, with its colorful speakeasies and darker side of racism, segregation, and mob-run bootlegging operations, to how magic has continued to be passed down through Zora’s family. And the characters are so well developed I half expected them to pop out from my tablet fully formed. I absolutely adored Zora and felt her pain and confusion over the power of her magic. Likewise, her feelings of fear and resentment regarding the racism that was such a prevalent part of society. Phillip is a wonderful partner for her in both music and romance and I found myself hoping against hope that their relationship would somehow defy expectations and prevail. The entire story is filled with suspense not only regarding the curse, but also the ever present danger looming over Zora and Phillip should their romance be discovered. When the ending came, well, let me just say that unsurprisingly it’s not your typical happy ending, but it does leave you with hope.

The Mirror series is shaping up to be one of my favorites in my many, many years of reading YA fiction. Shattered Midnight is a picture perfect example of exquisite storytelling that I guarantee will pull you in and not let go until you’ve reached the very end. Even if you don’t usually read YA, I HIGHLY recommend these books if you love fairytales and fantasy with exciting storylines and characters who tug at your heartstrings. The next book, Fractured Path, by J.C. Cervantes, is to be set in 1965 San Francisco. Unfortunately it’s not coming out until July 2022. It’s going to be extremely difficult to wait that long!

The Witch Haven, By Sasha Peyton Smith ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Attempted Sexual Assault, Diversity, Historical Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery, New York City, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 31st, 2021

448 Pages

The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this thrilling and atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.

In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.

Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.

Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined? (Goodreads)

The Witch Haven is the first book in a planned duology, and what a grand debut it is. If you’re thinking this is another tale relying on the same old ubiquitous magical boarding school trope, let me disabuse you that notion quickly. While Haxahaven is a school of sorts for female and non-binary witches of all ages, including adults, it’s less about teaching girls and women to embrace their power, and more about hiding and controlling it to fit in with the misogynistic New York of 1911. 

Frances is a headstrong seventeen-year-old who suddenly comes into her power when the owner of the shop she works in attempts to sexually assault her. After killing him by accident she thinks she’s landed in a sanctuary when she’s brought to Haxahaven, but while she and her new friends and classmates are being bored to their wits ends with lessons teaching them how to use magic for ordinary household chores, the school and its headmistress are hiding dark and dangerous secrets. In addition, Frances is desperate to discover who murdered her brother William and why, and although she’s a highly intelligent young woman, her emotions tend to get the better of her and she makes some rather foolish decisions that not only put her life in danger, but others as well. Despite this, I wound up liking and connecting with her, even when a few of her actions had me groaning. The other integral characters are interesting and each have unique qualities which add to the story. I especially liked Lena, who as a Native American child was forcibly separated from her family and put in a government-run school. Her plight is timely in light of the recent news stories regarding boarding schools for indigenous children in Canada, which has caused the U.S. to again re-examine its own shameful past. There is a love triangle but if you’re like me and can’t stand this particular plot device, rest assured that there’s not a lot of time spent on it.

The setting is very atmospheric and 1911 New York City is vividly brought to life in all its dark grittiness through Smith’s detailing of the rampant misogyny, abhorrent child labor, sweatshops and suffragette movement. Even the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire is brought up. 

There are several twists, and while I correctly guessed a couple, the answer to the central mystery: who killed William and what was their motive, eluded me until shortly before the reveal. The ending is quite shocking and sets the stage perfectly for the next book.

The Witch Haven truly is a fascinating read, and if you choose to try it I believe you’ll find it a challenge to put down once you’ve begun reading. If you enjoy historical fantasies with flawed yet strong female characters, and like authors such as Libba Bray, I enthusiastically encourage you to pick this up.

Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow, By Christina Henry ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Assault, Attempted Rape, Child Murders, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ, Mystery, Suspense, YA/Adult Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 28th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt’s grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that’s just legend, the village gossips talking.

Twenty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play Sleepy Hollow boys, reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the sinister discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods. (Goodreads)

Before I even begin my review of Horseman, we need to address the cover. How gorgeous is that? Aren’t your fingers just reaching for it under their own volition? Well, I’m happy to say that the actual story just about lives up to that perfect cover.

I took me a few chapters to warm up to fourteen-year-old Ben, who is born female, but knows in his heart he’s a boy, and insists on dressing and acting like one. This puts him in direct conflict with his prim and proper grandmother, Katrina who has raised Ben along with Brom Bones after the death of his parents when he was young. I kept trying to remind myself of his age and the fact of his fighting against the societal norms of the time period, but at first his combativeness got on my nerves. As the story progresses I warmed up to him and I love the close relationship he shares with Brom. The relationship between Ben and Katrina eventually develops into one of open communication and mutual understanding, which is a welcome change to the hurtful arguing they both engaged in at the beginning. In addition to Ben, I think all the characters here are ingeniously written, especially the ones that readers of the original tale of Sleepy Hollow are familiar with. Katrina and Brom are particularly well written and while flawed, they’re also likable and relatable.

The story itself is quite dark and at times graphically bloody, but it’s an imaginative continuation of the original story that pays homage to Washington Irving’s classic, yet takes its own unique and unexpected path, especially in regards to the Headless Horseman mythology and the mystery of what happened to schoolmaster Ichabod Crane. I absolutely loved the ending and thought it the perfect way to wrap everything up.

Mixed in with the mythology are some real life issues including three child murders, Ben’s aforementioned transgenderism, a violent physical attack on him, and an attempted rape. Because of these scenes and a few other gory ones, I would recommend this for ages 16 and up. I’ve read a couple of Christina Henry’s previous books which I’ve enjoyed, but I believe Horseman is her best yet. As it’s coming out on September 28th, this really is the perfect horror tale for the Halloween season.

A Terrible Fall of Angels (Zaniel Havelock #1), By Laurell K. Hamilton ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, LGBTQ, Mystery, Religion, Romance, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, Urban Fantasy

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest honest review.

Release Date: August 17th, 2021

560 Pages

Synopsis: Angels walk among us, but so do other unearthly beings in this brand new series by #1 New York Times Bestselling author Laurell K. Hamilton.

Meet Detective Zaniel Havelock, a man with the special ability to communicate directly with angels. A former trained Angel speaker, he devoted his life to serving both the celestial beings and his fellow humans with his gift, but a terrible betrayal compelled him to leave that life behind. Now he’s a cop who is still working on the side of angels. But where there are angels, there are also demons. There’s no question that there’s evil at work when he’s called in to examine the murder scene of a college student—but is it just the evil that one human being can do to another, or is it something more? When demonic possession is a possibility, even angelic protection can only go so far. The race is on to stop a killer before he finds his next victim, as Zaniel is forced to confront his own very personal demons, and the past he never truly left behind.

The first in a new series from the author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series. (Goodreads)

Way back in 1993 a friend recommended the first Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter book, Guilty Pleasures, and I was immediately hooked. That is until several books later when the series grew more and more into soft porn featuring way too many orgies, which turned me off completely. I haven’t been tempted to pick up a Laurell K. Hamilton book for years, but then I began hearing some rumors about this new series she was working on about angels, and even better, early reviews were overwhelmingly positive. So, I took a deep breath, contacted the publisher and requested an eARC, and I’m thrilled to say after reading A Terrible Fall of Angels that LKH is BACK!

My main critique concerns the massive amount of information and world building relayed here, especially in the first half of the book. Added into this heady mix is the introduction to a large cast of characters. Needless to say it slows things down a little as you acclimate yourself to a world with deities, angels, demons, and other magical and supernatural creatures. But it’s worth reading through everything, because in my opinion, this storyline and its disparate cast of characters are better than even the early Anita Blake books. Zaniel is a fabulous hero, who as a creation of Hamilton is of course a kick-ass gorgeous tough guy, but he’s got a sweet vulnerable side as well. While he’s dealing with angels and demons, etc… he’s also trying to save his marriage and reunite with his estranged wife Reggie and three-year-old son. Although some of Zaniel’s background is revealed, including a little of his childhood in the cultish College of Angels and what caused him to leave it, I’m looking forward to learning even more in subsequent novels. The same is true of all the characters. There are so many of them and while we get a brief introduction to each and their backgrounds (Zaniel’s lieutenant is a voodoo priest, another character is a wiccan priestess and so on), I’m craving more.

The main focus of this first book though is setting up this fantastical world and balancing that with an intriguing, exciting, and at times, somewhat gruesome mystery involving a demon serial killer. Despite some of the less action-filled parts of the book, I was completely enthralled and found myself increasingly reluctant to pull myself away when real life intruded. Despite it being well over 500 pages, I easily finished this in two days and was a tad disappointed when I came to the end. I am excitedly looking forward to the second book.

For readers who, like me, gave up on Hamilton due to the overwhelming sexcapades that eclipsed everything else in her books, I urge you to give her another chance and pick up A Terrible Fall of Angels. For anyone new to her storytelling, this is a wonderful and imaginative introduction to a world filled with wondrous beings, where it’s not always discernible exactly which side is the right one. I will be shocked if this doesn’t make it to the top of the bestseller lists.

 

A Spindle Splintered, By Alix E. Harrow ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Adventure, Diversity, Fairytale Retellings, Fantasy, Humor, LGBTQ, Science Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Tordotcom for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: October 5th, 2021

128 Pages

Synopsis: USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s A Spindle Splintered brings her patented charm to a new version of a classic story.

“A vivid, subversive and feminist reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, where implacable destiny is no match for courage, sisterhood, stubbornness and a good working knowledge of fairy tales.” ―Katherine Arden

It’s Zinnia Gray’s twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it’s the last birthday she’ll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no one has lived past twenty-one.

Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate. (Goodreads)

A Spindle Splintered may only be 128 pages, but it packs a heck of a lot of content in that brief span. When I read this was Sleeping Beauty meets Into the Spider-Verse I was initially skeptical, but I knew if anyone could pull this off it would be Alix Harrow. I don’t want to gush, but this just ticked all my boxes.

✨Strong, smart, and relatable female characters

✨Snarky humor

✨Witty dialogue

✨A unique and imaginative plot

✨A fairytale retelling that improves upon the original

✨Loads of diversity

✨A picture perfect ending.

Best of all it gives Sleeping Beauty a long overdue feminist slant that highlights the struggles that women everywhere have to contend with. It’s all about courage, sisterhood, and sassiness, so please take my advice and preorder this immediately or put in a request to purchase at your library. I do want to warn you it mentions rape. It’s something that happened in the past to one of the characters, and it’s not graphic, but I wanted to let you know.

In a year where I’ve been blessed with some truly stupendous reads, this novella will definitely be one of my top ten favorites. I highly recommend A Spindle Splintered to readers who love fairytale retellings and even those who don’t. I guarantee you’ll fall in love with both the plot and its characters, and you’ll easily finish it in one sitting and then be disappointed that it’s over.

The King of Infinite Space, By Lyndsay Faye ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Addiction, Adult Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Shakespeare Retelling, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 10th, 2021

432 Pages

Synopsis: In this lush, magical, queer, and feminist take on Hamlet in modern-day New York City, a neuro-atypical physicist, along with his best friend Horatio and artist ex-fiancé Lia, are caught up in the otherworldly events surrounding the death of his father.

Meet Ben Dane: brilliant, devastating, devoted, honest to a fault (truly, a fault). His Broadway theatre baron father is dead—but by purpose or accident? The question rips him apart.

Unable to face alone his mother’s ghastly remarriage to his uncle, Ben turns to his dearest friend, Horatio Patel, whom he hasn’t seen since their relationship changed forever from platonic to something…other. Loyal to a fault (truly, a fault), Horatio is on the first flight to NYC when he finds himself next to a sly tailor who portends inevitable disaster. And who seems ominously like an architect of mayhem himself.

Meanwhile, Ben’s ex-fiancé Lia, sundered her from her loved ones thanks to her addiction recovery and torn from her art, has been drawn into the fold of three florists from New Orleans—seemingly ageless sisters who teach her the language of flowers, and whose magical bouquets hold both curses and cures. For a price.

On one explosive night these kinetic forces will collide, and the only possible outcome is death. But in the masterful hands of Lyndsay Faye, the story we all know has abundant surprises in store. Impish, captivating, and achingly romantic, this is Hamlet as you’ve never seen it before. (Goodreads) 

I loved Lyndsay Faye’s Jane Steele which is an imaginative reworking of Jane Eyre, so when I saw The King of Infinite Space, which tackles one of my favorite Shakespearean tragedies, Hamlet, I unhesitatingly requested it on NetGalley. I have to admit in the beginning I started to get a little nervous. There were multiple characters, a lot of information and background being relayed, and so much going on overall, I briefly floundered trying to grasp the myriad of threads and wondered what had I gotten myself into. Thankfully, by the time I was at the 10% mark, I had been completely pulled into this magical, queer and feminist spin on the classic tale.

This is definitely a strongly character driven novel. Everyone in it is flawed, complex, and compelling. The way they love and care about each other tugged at my heartstrings and had me hoping for a happy ending despite knowing the tragic outcome of the classic it’s based on. I wasn’t as fond of Lia’s chapters as she’s off working with three mystical florists and struggling to overcome her addiction. For me I was much more invested in Ben’s and Horiatio’s as they attempt to deal with their relationship as well as solve the central mystery. Lyndsay Faye’s writing style is breathtakingly beautiful and the contemporary setting of New York City adds a further surprisingly rich layer to a concoction that’s already full to the brim of varying elements. The ending, well, if you’re familiar with Hamlet, you won’t be shocked when I warn you to have a box of tissues nearby.

In the end, The King of Infinite Space isn’t perfect, but it’s a uniquely imaginative revision that succeeds on almost every level, and will undoubtedly please a great many fans of Hamlet as well as those who haven’t read it. Best of all it’s proof that in the right hands, a retelling of even a well known classic, can bring it to life in a fresh new way.

I Am Margaret Moore, By Hannah Capin ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release: October 12th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: Lyrical and haunting, Hannah Capin’s I Am Margaret Moore is a paranormal thriller that tests the hold of sisterhood and truth.

I am a girl. I am a monster, too.

Each summer the girls of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School. They sail on jewel-blue waters; they march on green drill-fields; they earn sunburns and honors. They push until they break apart and heal again, stronger.

Each summer Margaret and Rose and Flor and Nisreen come back to the place where they are girls, safe away from the world: sisters bound by something more than blood.

But this summer everything has changed. Girls are missing and a boy is dead. It’s because of Margaret Moore, the boys say. It’s because of what happened that night in the storm.

Margaret’s friends vanish one by one, swallowed up into the lies she has told about what happened between her and a boy with the world at his feet. Can she unravel the secrets of this summer and last, or will she be pulled under by the place she once called home?

I really enjoyed Hannah Capin’s Foul is Fair, which is a clever modernization of Macbeth, so I was quite excited when I saw I Am Margaret Moore offered on NetGalley. Unfortunately, this didn’t work quite as well for me.

First, this was written in almost a prose style, and while I have liked that form of writing in various books, including in Foul is Fair, here the chapters are short and uneven instead of flowing and lyrical. I also found the symbolism vague and confusing which didn’t help. The multiple timelines were difficult to follow and made me scratch my head even more, and, as much as I tried I found it impossible to connect with any of the characters. None of them had backstories which were developed in any meaningful way, and because of this wound up completely unmemorable. The twist was predictable, but I did like the ending and it wrapped everything up neatly, however that wasn’t enough to save the story for me.

Although I Am Margaret Moore didn’t live up to my expectations, I’ll still give Capin’s next book a try. As always, I’d advise anyone whose intrigued by the premise, to check out other reviewers’ thoughts and not just mine.

The Final Girl Support Group, By Grady Hendrix ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ, Mystery, Serial Killers, Slasher Movies, Thriller

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 13th, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that follows a group of heroines to die for, from the brilliant New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated,the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynette Tarkington is a real-life final girl, who survived a massacre twenty-two years ago and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other actual final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynette’s worst fears are realized—someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the one thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never give up. (Goodreads)

Remember how popular “slasher” movies were in the late 70s, 80s and 90s? Well picture a world where there are real life Final Girls, and those movies were based on the horrifying events that occurred in their lives. This is the premise of Grady Hendrix’s clever, highly entertaining The Final Girl Support Group. It’s a wild ride right from the beginning, and although it took me a little while to warm up to Lynette, once I learned more of her backstory I completely understood her over-the-top actions.

While the subject matter is admittedly dark, this has all of Hendrix’s trademark black humor as well. In between the chills, thrills, and yes, chuckles, are some thoughtful looks at how our society not only treats victims of violence, but the perpetrators themselves. There are fans of these monsters which at first seem unbelievable until you remember the devoted worshipers serial killers like Ted Bundy and Charles Manson had.

In this twisted tale you’ve got six traumatized survivors who for much of the book, aren’t exactly supporting each other, despite the title. They’re all dealing with the physical and emotional scars that their ordeals have left them in different ways which doesn’t leave much left over for anyone else. I spent a good portion of the book second guessing whether Lynette or one of her fellow survivors had finally gone over the edge and turned monster here, and there were enough twists to make my poor head spin. The last few climactic chapters are a kick-ass display of sisterhood and the ending was brilliant!

The Final Girl Support Group is perfect for horror fans looking for a fresh take on the slasher horror sub-genre. And unsurprisingly, it’s already been scooped up by Annapurna Pictures who will be developing it into a tv series. I can’t wait to see what they do with this story. Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of film franchises like Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, and Scream, you’re going to want to read this book. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

The Dead and the Dark, By Courtney Gould ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Coping With Loss and Grief, Homophobia, LGBTQ, Mystery, Small Towns, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 3rd, 2021

352 Pages

Synopsis: Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut, The Dead and the Dark, is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that can’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places—and people—you didn’t expect.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV’s  ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there’s more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves, that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness. (Goodreads)

The Dead and the Dark is a thoroughly creepy tale that more than lives up to its title. The first few pages immediately captured my attention and wouldn’t let go until I reached the end. This is both a character and plot driven novel, and both are equally well done. In addition to the supernatural and mystery elements is a thoughtful exploration of: homophobia, grief, and loneliness.

While much of the book is indeed very dark, there are some light-hearted moments centered around Logan and her witty snark. She’s the type of character that readers are automatically drawn to like moths to a flame. She hides her vulnerability and insecurity behind a veil of sarcasm that’s completely relatable. She’s intensely loyal to those she cares about, yet is also determined to do the right thing for her. Ashley initially comes off a little flatter, but soon you discover she has quite a bit of hidden depth. The pairing of her with Logan is perfect as they bring out the best in one another.

Equally interesting is the relationship between Logan’s two dads, Alejo and Brandon, and how they went from being strangers despite  growing up in a tiny town, to falling in love and becoming ghost hunters. It’s also compelling how despite them leaving Snakebite, they’re still tied to it for both supernatural and real world reasons.

The mystery element was a tad predictable, but honestly, with all the other positives this book offers, including a fantastic conclusion, that’s a very minor complaint. Overall, The Dead and the Dark is an exciting debut from Courtney Gould that has me looking forward to seeing what her next book will be.