gothic horror

Review: The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

~ megs14malloy ~ Leave a comment

The Ghost WoodsThe Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Ghost Woods is a Historical Gothic Horror novel from one of my go-to authors, C.J. Cooke. I have been waiting to get to this one for years. I’m so happy I finally decided to pick it up this October. Honestly, it’s about time.

I believe this novel was released in the UK in 2022, and has now been released by Berkley in the U.S. earlier this year. I’ve had this for a while, but really wanted to wait for Spooky Season to pick it up.

I remembered absolutely nothing from the synopsis when I went into this, and frankly, I recommend that. If you’ve enjoyed C.J. Cooke in the past, or enjoy historically-set gothic stories, just take a chance and pick it up.

It’s one of those stories that just effortlessly unfolds. It’s told from the perspectives of two different women, Mabel and Pearl, and begins with a Then/Now set-up.

The action takes place at the crumbling Lichen Hall, a Mother-Baby Home set on the Scottish border. We learn of these women’s lives, their reasons for going to Lichen and their time there. Eventually, Then/Now merge, and an unexpected concluding section should leave you breathless.

As mentioned above, I didn’t know quite what to expect going into this, but I expected Cooke to deliver her signature levels of atmosphere and intrigue. Spoiler alert: she absolutely did.

Lichen Hall is gothic with a captial-G. I adored the descriptions of this stately-yet-aging manor home, secluded at the border of the Ghost Woods. The way it was described, you could feel nature just trying to retake the space. I loved that vibe; so good.

I also really enjoyed how well-developed and empathetic the main cast of characters were. The reality of Mother and Baby Homes in history, you could tell that Cooke took that representation very seriously, and I think she really excelled at portraying those circumstances on the page.

That is something I always appreciate about Cooke’s work. Even though they are works of fiction, they’re in a way an ode to our past. You can tell that she takes her research to heart, and tries to pay homage in anyway she can to those who came before.

I respect the hell out of that.

I highly recommend this one. I actually highly recommend all of Cooke’s work. I loved the Sporror/Eco-Horror elements she brought to the page here. That was so well done.

I don’t generally mesh well with pregnancy stories, or motherhood stories, they’re very hit or miss for me, but I did appreciate so much about this. Those elements here never made me roll my eyes, and that’s a big plus. This is actually more like what I wanted Witchcraft for Wayward Girls to be…

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Now I need to start Cooke’s latest release, The Last Witch. I can’t wait!

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Review: House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

~ megs14malloy

House of Monstrous WomenHouse of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn Gothic Horror story set in the Philippines in 1986. We follow Josephine, who is living a fairly secluded life, seeing to her family’s property, del Rosario house.

Her parents were killed due to political strife within the country, and her older brother has since moved to Manila to try to make a name for himself. This leaves just Josephine to try to manage what’s left of their estate.

When she receives an invitation from her childhood best friend, Hiraya, to visit her, Josephine is surprised and excited. Of course she accepts. She’s missed Hiraya so much since Hiraya and her sister were forced to flee their village in the dead of night.

Hiraya’s family’s property is the infamous Ranoco house. There are many stories whispered about this island home, all of them involving Hiraya’s supposed family of witches.

Josephine has heard the stories, but she’s not afraid. She knows Hiraya too well to believe she would put her in danger. Josephine is anxious to reconnect with her, as well as her brother, Alejandro and his girlfriend, Gabriella, who Hiraya also invited to Ranoco.

Hiraya proposes they all play a game like they used to as kids. The winner of this game though, will be granted whatever their heart desires. Each person has something they deeply want, and they all agree it’s worth whatever risk to try to make those dreams reality, but how dangerous is this going to get?

With the house featuring as the ultimate playing board, the contestants settle in to try to seal their fates. As the rules are explained though, it soon becomes clear that they may have gotten in over their heads.

Will any of them be able to survive the game, let alone get what their heart truly desires, or is the house just going to seize them in their desperation?

‘Josephine felt stupid for thinking this place was like the del Rosario house at all. Its outer facade was just a mask of normalcy, hiding what lay within.’

As mentioned above, House of Monstrous Women is a slow burn, but one that I definitely feel paid off in the end. The beginning features a lot of character work, but also some genuinely spooky imagery. Once it gets to the game though, it really takes off.

I loved the setting. Ranoco house truly feels like a main character in this story. It was described so well, and even though it’s got some trippy vibes throughout, I still felt like I could picture everything vividly.

I would describe this story as being moody, gruesome, intense and jaw-dropping. There were moments in the beginning when I wondered if it was going to pick-up, and you might too, but trust me, just stick with it. It gets wild as it races toward the unpredictable conclusion.

I wasn’t prepared for the final scenes of this. It was just so good. I loved the themes Fama explored, and feel like she nailed the build-to-action ratio. It lulled me into a false sense of security, then ripped the rug out from under me and tried to smother me with it.

I would highly recommend this to Horror Readers of all varieties, but particularly to those who enjoy atmospheric, familial, or historical horror, with strong eco-elements, who don’t mind a slow burn.

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was really impressed with this and cannot wait to read more from Daphne Fama!!

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Review: Blood on Her Tongue by Johanna van Veen

~ megs14malloy

Blood on Her Tongue: A NovelBlood on Her Tongue: A Novel by Johanna van Veen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Blood on Her Tongue is set in the late-1800s in the Netherlands. We follow Lucy after she receives word that her twin sister, Sarah, is unwell.

Lucy travels to where Sarah resides, at her husband’s large estate. A doctor, a friend of the family, has diagnosed Sarah with a temporary insanity caused by a fever of the brain. Lucy is desperate to see Sarah’s condition for herself.

Once she is on the estate, Lucy feels that something more is going on than the simple explanations the doctor, and Sarah’s husband, are putting forth. Therefore, she’s determined to solve the mystery, and figure out the cause of her sister’s rapid decline.

As Sarah’s condition worsens, she becomes violent, and hungry. Lucy considers possession, or maybe it is insanity. Either way, Lucy is willing to risk anything to keep her sister out of some miserable lunatic asylum.

I loved the set-up of this story. You could feel the Dracula inspiration in such a clever and substantial way.

There’s a piece of the story that involves the finding of a body in the bog on the estate, who they dub the bog woman. I thought that was super intriguing and provided a nice eerie backdrop right from the start.

It was also so fun when the author incorporated little pieces of mixed media into the story, as it made it feel more real, or believable. I have to think van Veen had Dracula in mind with that sort of inclusion as well.

The author did an incredible job of creating a lush gothic vibe as well. It felt like a classic story, yet more accessible to all in regards to language and pacing.

Overall, I felt this was really well done. I loved the atmosphere, paired with some phenomenal death scenes. Johanna van Veen didn’t shy away from getting dirty.

Everything that went on, it got crazy, thinking about being in Lucy’s shoes, the things she witnessed, the changes she saw in her sister, are terrifying to think about.

The Body Horror, in general, was fantastic; toe-curling and uncomfortable. My jaw was on the floor and I was squealing in delight through multiple scenes.

Please keep in mind this is coming from an experienced Horror Reader, so tread cautiously if you aren’t a fan of gory content, or are maybe trying out the genre for the first time.

I do love sister stories, and this is a memorable one. I’m really looking forward to picking up more from this author. I suspect we’re going to have a long and beautiful friendship.

Thank you to the publisher, Tantor Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audio production brought this story to life; very well done!

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