Review: The Flayed Man by Chloe Lauter

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The Flayed Man: A NovelThe Flayed Man: A Novel by Chloe Lauter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Flayed Man features a complex Mother-Daughter relationship, and is set against the stark landscape of the Mojave Desert in Nevada.

Ellis, our protagonist, works in triage in the ER at nights and she’s also a full-time caregiver for her Mom, whose health is spiraling. But the reasons behind her Mom’s health decline are not the typical ones you would expect.

Sure, it’s partially early onset dementia, but the root cause of it is what Ellis considers their family curse. They must feed daily on blood, or risk very heinous repercussions.

When Ellis’s Uncle, who is normally their main source for their blood supply disappears, Ellis has to quickly find a new source before her Mom’s condition gets worse.

She pairs up with a snarky paramedic, who she finds intriguing for all sorts of reasons, and they set out across the desert in search of blood. While on this dark and terrible adventure, Ellis discovers that the legend of the Flayed Man, that her Mom always told her, may in fact be true.

Ellis is now trying to navigate a new relationship, while not giving away all their family secrets, and revealing her true nature to her crush.

When blood hunger starts to overtake her, it becomes a battle to hold onto her humanity. Will she be successful in her endeavors, or will the deep dark finally overtake her?

I really liked this. The writing was great and I found myself completely invested in the story. It really creeped up on me. This isn’t your typical Vampire story, and I appreciated the emotional depth Lauter brought to it.

It’s such a beautiful examination of Ellis’s relationship with her Mom, but also an exploration of herself and what she ultimately wants in her life. For anyone with aging parents, what’s happening with her Mom may hit especially hard.

This is a Horror novel reminiscent of Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones. It reminded me a lot of that book, as far as the tone and the family elements went; the exploration of duty to family, and self-discovery.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a gruesome yet deeply thought-provoking read. This is gory, don’t let the cover fool you. There’s a lot of Body Horror and I felt like it was very well-executed.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Media, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audiobook is very well done. I’m looking forward to more from this author!

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Review: She Had Enough by Stacie Grey

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She Had EnoughShe Had Enough by Stacie Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

While out to dinner on a Girl’s Night with her college friends, Mallory Taylor has an interaction in the bathroom with a member of their group, Caitlin, that she doesn’t know as well as the other women. Caitlin is quiet, and Mallory doesn’t know too much about her, except that she comes from money and her mother recently passed away.

If pressed, Mallory might describe Caitlin as someone who has always seemed a little lost, like she’s not living up to her potential. Nevertheless, when Caitlin asks Mallory to hold something for her, she does and then forgets about the object shortly thereafter.

Mallory’s not a forgetful person, but shortly after the dinner breaks-up, with all women going their separate ways, a giant earthquake rocks their city of San Francisco.

It’s a really scary night, and Mallory is lucky that she and her two cats survive unscathed, though her apartment, not so much. In the aftermath, Mallory realizes that she still has the object Caitlin asked her to hold. Thinking it might have sentimental value to her, Mallory vows to find her and return it when things settle down.

However, with the city in shambles, that task isn’t as simple as it may sound. As it turns out, Caitlin disappeared the night of the earthquake and no one has seen her since.

No one else seems alarmed though, reasoning that a lot of people left the city after the quake, but Mallory knows it’s more than that. The more she digs, the stronger her feelings that something terrible has befallen Caitlin.

Mallory begins her own investigation, and what she discovers is disturbing. All her digging hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Soon she find herself in the hot seat. Will she be able to find the truth about what happened to Caitlin, and expose the perp before they get to her too?

This was fun. It’s the 3rd-novel that I’ve read from this author, and I’ve enjoyed them all. I loved the backdrop of the San Francisco earthquake, and I enjoyed following Mallory as a main character.

Mallory felt very relatable to me. She just seemed like just an average woman, but one who wasn’t willing to turn the other way when someone may be in trouble. She was determined and plucky, and I liked that about her a lot.

She was also smart, and I enjoyed the way she worked through all of the information she had, and came up with steps to take next in order to try to find out the truth about Caitlin. She was very methodical about it all, which obviously made her dangerous to the baddie.

The mystery though, while intriguing throughout, did wrap-up a little too quickly and easily for my tastes. It had this great build, and Grey did a good job of steadily giving new info and adding tension to progress the plot. However, the big reveal lacked oomph for me.

Also, some of the side characters’ reactions, or more like non-reactions, to the who and what of it all, seemed lackluster. This was a major event, and they were like, ‘huh, weird, can’t believe they did that. Let’s brunch!’

It seemed odd right there at the very end.

At the end of the day though, I did find it gripping and entertaining. I liked many aspects, and even though the ending didn’t have quite the impact that I would’ve hoped for, I’m still happy with the experience overall.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to future work from this author. She’s quickly becoming a go-to author for me!

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Review: Marla by Jonathan Janz

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MarlaMarla by Jonathan Janz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marla is set in the small town of King’s Branch. Many small towns, as a lot of us know, have their own local legends and lore, spooky houses to avoid and things of that nature.

For King’s Branch, it’s Marla Gorman. Marla is a teen girl who lives with her Mom in a rickety farmhouse on the edge of town. She seems harmless enough by that description, but Marla is a recluse, which makes people wonder. No one ever sees her out and about, but plenty of rumors circulate about her and her mother as you would expect.

On the night of the first murder our main character, Detective Carl Lancaster, catches sight of Marla leering down at him from a window of her home. Though seemingly insignificant, the momentary interaction leaves him chilled.

The night of the second murder, Detective Lancaster sees Marla again. This time under more unsettling circumstances, and the interaction happened at the exact moment of the second man’s death. Even though they were far away from the murder scene, Lancaster is confident Marla’s involved somehow and he won’t stop until he figures out how.

We don’t just follow Detective Lancaster’s perspective however, we get a few other perspectives as well, which really enhanced the feel of this whole town being involved in this unraveling drama.

None of them could’ve anticipated the truth about Marla. That’s only clear as the action escalates and we get more detailed glimpses into Marla’s dark and secretive world. The truth was certainly not what I expected.

I had a lot of fun with this book. It definitely has an 80s/90s Horror vibe to it that I loved. The action kicks off quickly, and it’s pedal to the floor the whole way.

There’s a lot of action and the tension steadily increases throughout. I enjoyed Detective Lancaster’s perspective a lot. He’s a very likable MC, and I was rooting for him to succeed.

I think Janz did a great job creating this town, and all the various residents as well. The legend of Marla felt real, and for anyone who has ever lived in a small town, I think you’ll find those aspects believable.

The way the other townsfolk were curious about Marla and her Mom, and all their many speculations, I could definitely picture that happening IRL.

I easily read this in a day, and yeah, it ended up being just what I was hoping for. Will it be for everyone? Certainly not, but luckily it worked for me and my tastes in more vintage feeling Horror.

I haven’t read a Jonathan Janz novel in many years, and this was a great reminder that I need to pick up more. I’ve been exploring his backlist to see what I need to get to next.

Thank you to the publisher, Blackstone Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is an exciting ride, and I’m very happy to have made time for it. Marla is a memorable girl!

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Review: Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold

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Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A NovelCross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A Novel by Mallory Arnold
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die follows three women, Cham, Ruby and Nora, who through a very odd twist of fate, all discover that they’re dating the same man.

None of the three had any idea, or suspicions. He’s that good of a liar, apparently. Furious and disappointed, the three get together and over drinks hatch a revenge plot.

They lure him to a remote cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain, planning to scare the living daylights out of him. Things don’t go quite as planned, and he’s killed, but no one is admitting to the dastardly deed.

They’re stranded at this cabin now, at least for the overnight and suspicions are starting to grow. How well do they even know each other? They just met.

With pressure mounting, they need to figure out if one of them is a murderer, or if they’re not as alone on this mountain as they thought they were.

I had fun with this, I did. The beginning, in particular, I found so intriguing. Did Arnold ultimately do too much, though? That’s the question I’m asking myself.

When do we cross from camp to cheese? I feel like at a certain point, this novel sort of crossed that line into less enjoyable territory for me.

There’s no denying that it’s an entertaining story and I did enjoy it more than Arnold’s last book. I love an upward trajectory with an author. I think this had a fun concept and some truly gripping scenes.

At the end of the day, it was a bit uneven for me though, as far as my enjoyment level. Therefore, I feel like the 3.5-star rating is the most fair.

This is purely an assessment based on personal taste though, and I know so many Readers have loved this one. I’m down for anything Arnold writes next. This had a lot of great aspects, and is sure to bring some chills into your life.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Overall, I had a good time with this. It’s a fun Winter Thriller!

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Review: Entities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe

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Entities to LoversEntities to Lovers by Mallory Marlowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Entities to Lovers is a light-hearted and funny Paranormal Romance, set in Boston with dual POVs, from Mallory Marlowe. This book does have a very slight connection to Marlowe’s earlier novel, Love and Other Conspiracies, but you certainly do not need to read that first to enjoy this one.

In this story, we’re following Rory and Ezra. Rory’s Mom owns the Ye Old Spirit Shop in Boston, Massachusetts. The shop carries most of the things you would expect a shop of that name to carry, but they also host very fun ghost tours of the city, and Rory does tarot readings as well.

Ezra, whose main job is as an adjunct History Professor at a local college, moonlights at the shop. He has so much knowledge of the history of the city, and is a sensational host for their tours; personable and handsome.

He also happens to be a thorn in Rory’s side. It annoys her how he’s always showing off what he knows. Sometimes it feels like he’s purposefully trying to get under her skin.

One night, Rory’s Mom does the unthinkable. She makes the two host a ghost tour together. Rory can’t believe it. This is cruel and unusual punishment, and from her own mother!

While hosting that very uncomfortable tour, they end up upsetting a local ghost with a penchant for hexing people. Now saddled with heinously bad luck unless they’re physically near each other, Rory and Ezra need to do whatever it takes to figure out how to break this curse.

This is really cute. I loved the setting in Boston, and it also takes place during the Halloween season, so those vibes were heavily-evident throughout.

I also thought the set-up, and how they were hexed, was super fun. This is forced proximity and even includes one of my favorite things, the ole’ ‘there’s just one bed’ situation. I wonder what’s going to happen there?

Rory and Ezra are both very well-developed characters. I feel like Marlowe took a lot of time and care with them, and it paid off. They felt very real to me. I also enjoyed the dynamic between them, particularly in the first-half.

In the later half, I’ll admit to getting a bit frustrated with them at times. Each one of them struggles with confidence issues and I get that, but I swear, they could not get out of their own ways. I wanted to shake them at times.

Nevertheless, it did make sense considering their backstories and the different life pressures they were facing. I just would have enjoyed maybe a slightly different trajectory for their relationship, with even more focus on the results of the hex and the store.

With this being said, this is strictly personal taste. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the way the author structured their relationship, and it did feel very natural, or as natural as you can get, when you’re basically forced together by a meddling ghost.

Overall, I think this is a very endearing story. It’s humorous and engaging the whole way through. The vibes are perfect for its upcoming Fall release and I know so many Readers are going to love this spicy and sweet Paranormal Romance.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me a copy to read and review. I really enjoy Marlowe’s storytelling and can’t wait for more!

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Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

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The AnniversaryThe Anniversary by Alex Finlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

The Anniversary follows two main characters, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley. When they were both 17-years old, back in 1992, one fateful night changed the trajectory of both of their lives, and intertwined their stories forever.

This sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Finlay expertly-weaves together the stories of Jules and Quinn, keeping me at the edge of my seat the whole way through.

On the fateful night in question, Jules survives an attack of the elusive May Day Killer, a serial predator who attacks unsuspecting young women every May 1st in small Midwestern towns. Though she survived the attack, certain psychological scars may never heal.

And poor Quinn, trying to break-up a fight, severly injures one of the participants, and he’s arrested and ultimately ends up in juvenile detention because of it. While he’s there, his mother is murdered, and the crime goes unsolved.

A year later, Jules is plagued with survivor’s guilt, and Quinn, recently released from juvie, struggles to put the pieces of his life back together.

We follow both of their perspectives through that process, with the book ultimately spanning over many years.

Jules and Quinn never give up their search for answers, and over time, more and more clues are revealed, bringing their paths back together once again. The bottom line is the May Day Killer is still out there, Quinn’s mother’s murderer is still out there, and they’re determined to find the truth before any other innocent lives are lost.

I feel like I’m not giving this detailed plot justice, but you get the gist. I really enjoyed the back and forth and how we followed the two MCs over such a long period of time. As the puzzle pieces started to fall into place, my attention was fully captured.

The audiobook was fantastic. It’s dual narrated by Brittany Pressley and Ari Fliakos, and having the individual narrators for both perspectives, really lent believability to the plot. It also kept my attention more than had I just been reading a hard copy, I think.

Jules and Quinn were both great characters. They had been through so much, but they never let the negativity of those events completely overwhelm them. Sure, they struggled through some complicated emotions, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but they never lost their determination and will to fight for closure.

They were also both very smart and resourceful. A highlight for me was their interactions together. I felt like they supported each other nicely.

Overall, I had a blast with this. It’s really, really good. The story is gripping, with tons of twists and turns that’ll keep you flipping pages well into the night.

Finlay’s last release, Parents Weekend, fell a little flat for a lot of people, I enjoyed it, but certainly not as much as some of his earlier works. With The Anniversary, I feel like he’s hit his stride again. I definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to the pubisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I look forward to whatever Finlay has in store for us next!

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Review: Paper Cut by Rachel Taff

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Paper CutPaper Cut by Rachel Taff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Paper Cut is a Contemporary Fiction novel following Lucy Golden, who is a bit of a True Crime superstar. She’s best known for escaping a cult as a teenager.

You might be wondering, what about that would make her so famous? Well, she had to commit murder to escape, so that fact alone has made her infamous in the public eye.

Twenty-years later, Lucy is still well known, but her life is a battlefield. She’s always one news cycle away from obscurity, which isn’t a great feeling. She has a stalker, online haters, and her family is a mess.

When a hotshot documentarian makes Lucy’s life the subject of his next film, she jumps at the chance. This would be a great opportunity for her.

Perhaps she can finally shut down the doubters and haters, cementing her place in the public consciousness, but what’s she going to do about her family?

As the filming begins, Lucy must return to the California desert and face some of the people she thought she had left behind forever. Soon enough, long-buried secrets are coming to the surface, and present threats escalate.

Can Lucy get control of all these chess pieces and protect the story she’s been telling all along, or will a truth be exposed she never wanted to face?

Paper Cut is a classic it’s not you, it’s me novel.

This is a fine story, the writing is solid and Taff did a great job creating the characters and seeing the plot through coherently, and at a steady pace. The issue for me is just that the content wasn’t to my taste.

It has a much more Literary feel than I tend to enjoy, and I felt like I was constantly waiting on more thrills, chills and suspense. I was bored. It left me feeling unsatisfied.

My experience with Paper Cut reminds me so much of my experience with The Three Lives of Cate Kay. While I can appreciate the merits of the story, particularly the detailed character exploration, it’s just not to my personal tastes.

For more Literary Readers, maybe who enjoy the slightly unsavory side of humanity, I think this could be very successful. However, I rate based on my own personal experience, so it’s just a 3-star for me.

Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow and Harper Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’d definitely be willing to give Rachel Taff another shot, and plan to do so in the future.

I never write off an author after just one book!

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Review: Futility by Nuzo Onoh

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FutilityFutility by Nuzo Onoh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Honestly, this is one of the weirdest books I’ve EVER read, and I read a lot of strange stuff; a lot of extreme stuff. Futility has left it’s mark on me, that’s for sure.

I was instantly attracted to this cover. Look at it!

I loved the Nigerian setting, and the two MCs, Chia and Claire, were about as fascinating as you’re going to get. You’re in their heads, and it’s frankly, not a fun place to be, but I could not stop.

The writing is so unapologetic. There’s no censoring what these two, I’ll be honest, pretty horrible human beings were thinking all the time. Onoh was really in your face with it, and I respect that.

I’m not saying these ladies didn’t have their reasons, or motivations, for being the way they were, but yeah, pretty much zero redeeming qualities.

There were also elements, that helped drive the plot, that I was so surprised by; that I wasn’t expecting. Without giving too much away, it’s a kind of folkloric element that I felt really pulled all the aspects of the story together. Without sounding too old, it was very cool.

This is the first I’ve ever read from Nuzo Onoh, but it’s not going to be the last. I would recommend this for fans of Weird Fiction, particularly of the graphic variety. I would caution others that it’s very strange and quite detailed in its gorier bits. Tread with caution.

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Review: No One Aboard by Emy McGuire

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No One AboardNo One Aboard by Emy McGuire
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I love this cover. It’s what immediately attracted me to this book. Unfortunately, I didn’t love the story inside as much as the gorgeous cover art.

In the 1st-quarter, I thought to myself, I wonder why the overall rating is so low? I was sort of into it. It didn’t seem like it was deserved of under a 3.5-overall. However, as the story went on, I started to understand why.

The story follows a wealthy family, Francis and Lila Cameron, and their two children, as they embark on a family vacation on their luxury sailboat.

The kids, whose names escape me now, I believe have just graduated high school, so this is a transitional moment for them, and that is explored as well.

Three weeks later, the boat is found with no occupants off the coast of Florida. What happened to the Camerons?

I found a lot of the build-up rather forgettable, and then there was a twist, a coincidence let’s say, about 65% of the way through that was sort of like, really? IDK, it just all seemed a little ridiculous to me.

Like the ocean itself, I’m a little salty about this overall though, so take my opinion for what you will. I’m sure there is an audience for this. Sadly, I’m just not in it.

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me a copy to read and review.

While this had promise, it just ended up a big ole’ flop for me. I would try more from this author though, nevertheless. I never give up on an author after only one go. Some of them might wish I did, but I don’t.

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Review: A Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan

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A Penance for CrowsA Penance for Crows by Shannon Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

A Penance for Crows is a modern Gothic Horror novel that feels like it’s been torn from the past. The novel takes place on the Irish island of Beanna Dubh, set off the Southern tip of the Beara Peninsula. The community is quite insular. They like to keep to themselves.

In fact, there are many on the island who have never even been to the mainland. Untouched by modern technology, the islanders live under strict rule of the church.

As a people, they adhere to many superstitions. The island is also home to thousands of crows, so that fact only enhances those creepy vibes, with the islanders believing the crows are harbingers of coming disaster.

Our MC, Grizela, fled to the island 40-years ago, leaving her native-Glasgow, and her unsettling past well behind her. Though Grizela has been on the island for decades, she’s still considered an outsider by many.

She has been able to forge some strong connections with the young folks on the island though, who she treats as her own. Many of them confide in her things they wouldn’t trust telling their parents, or other elders.

Our action kicks off when Grizela discovers the dead body of the island’s young priest with a diabolical symbol drawn on his chest. Crows darken the sky, and Grizela fears there’s a different kind of darkness now among them.

As the mysterious symbols continue popping up randomly, and more residents meet terrible ends, the islanders’ suspicious fall on Grizela. She’s the outsider, after all.

Mass hysteria quickly takes over and Grizela is scrambling to prove her innocence. During her investigations into these disturbing happenings, she begins to learn new, and startling, information about a group of young women she has previously taken under her wings.

If you follow my reviews at all, you may know that I’m an Atmosphere Girlie through and through. I read to escape, and I particularly love remote settings with an overriding ominous air about them. IMO, this novel delivered that to me exactly as I wanted.

I was so invested in A Penance for Crows. This Occult Horror novel with strong Gothic atmosphere swept me up in the drama of the small island of Beanna Dubh.

I loved the MC, Grizela, who is in her early-60s, which in and of itself was refreshing. I also related to her experience on the island, as far as ‘being from away’ and no matter how long she’s there, she’s still considered an outsider. As an island girl myself, I get it.

Morgan created a great cast of characters in this noveal and the intrigue is excellent. Things keep happening and there’s an awesome feeling of ‘is it supernatural, is it not supernatural’ about it that I always appreciate it.

There were so many twists and turns, and as soon as I thought I knew who, or what, was behind all the mysterious happenings on the island, something new would occur that would blow my theory out of the water.

I loved the Occult elements that Morgan included. I feel like those made the novel so much more beguiling. That type of element rarely gets executed like it was here, in a fully believable, non-cheesy, way and I was living for it.

I highly recommend this to any Gothic, or Atmosphere, Girlies in the crowd. If you’re looking for that atmosphere, this is absolutely going to deliver it to you.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington, for providing me a copy to read and review. I’m so impressed by this and cannot wait to read more from Shannon Morgan. I really hope she stays in this lane, because it’s fabulous!

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