spooky reads

Review: The Ghost Woods by C.J. Cooke

~ megs14malloy

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: Darker Than Night by Owl Goingback

~ megs14malloy

Darker Than NightDarker Than Night by Owl Goingback
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Darker Than Night, originally published, I believe, in 1999, follows a Horror author, Michael Anthony, and his young family, after they move from NYC to rural-Missouri when he inherits his deceased Grandmother’s house.

I picked this up because I’ve been really interested in Owl Goingback’s work and this one sounded perfect as my favorite holiday, Halloween, approaches.

When Michael, his wife, and their two children finally arrive at the house after their long journey, they find it in a bit of disrepair. They’ve got a lot of cleaning to do.

The house is also populated with many of his Grandmother’s things, including numerous Kachina dolls and masks, figures common in several Native American communities.

It’s not the figures themselves really that are disturbing, but the sheer number of them, and the way they always seem to be watching you. The Kachinas aren’t the only unsettling thing about the house though. There are other details that seem to set the whole family on edge.

They all start to see shadow figures, darker than night, and mysterious stains, looking much like human faces, begin appearing on their flooring. It’s clear something is going on in this house and it’s put them all in danger.

Further, the locals are chattering about the famous author, and his family, that have moved into his Grandmother’s house, who they all considered crazy. The locals might have answers about what is going on at their property, but it’s hard for the Anthonys to decipher fact from fiction.

The more Michael and his wife dig in and look for answers, the more unsettled they become. Mysterious entities, locally known as Boogers, frequently are mentioned. It sounds silly. The Boogeymen; stuff of childhood nightmares, but when you’re actually living it, it’s much too real.

They’ve got to get the children and run, before it’s too late.

Darker Than Night is a classic-style Horror story, not perfect, but very entertaining. I loved the set-up of the inherited house and all the bits-and-bobs that came along with it.

I also enjoyed the small town Missouri setting, as well as the incorporation of some Indigenous cultural elements, such as the Kachina dolls. I feel like Goingback did a great job following through with all the concepts he brought to the page here. The beings were well-imagined.

Overall, it’s a well-rounded story that’s easy to fall into and read all the way through. It’s a simple story in it’s construction, and I appreciated that. Goingback isn’t trying to wow us all with extraordinary prose or jaw-dropping twists and turns. It’s just a well told story, start-to-finish.

Sometimes I get annoyed when authors try to do too much, to impress us all with their huge brains. I am just here for the story and that’s exactly what Goingback delivers. I need to check out more of his work.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is just looking for a classic-feeling Supernatural Horror story. This one is super-engaging and can be read very quickly. Perfect for Spooky Season!

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Review: Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

~ megs14malloy

Night WatcherNight Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nola Strate is a late-night radio host in Portland, Oregon. Her show, Night Watch, features listeners calling in to share stories of hauntings and other creepy happenings.

One evening, a caller, seemingly in present distress, strikes a special cord with Nola, reminding her of her own escape from a serial killer years before.

It’s after this disturbing call that Nola begins to feel like she’s being watched. Could it possibly be The Hiding Man, the serial killer from her past, back to finish the job, or is there a new threat looming just outside her sight?

Nola is convinced it is The Hiding Man, but will she be able to figure out who it actually is before it’s too late?

Y’all, this was really good. I listened to the audiobook and felt like the narration fit the story to a tee. It legit had some moments that got under my skin, playing into some of my own real life fears. Nola was also quite believable as an MC with an intriguing backstory.

I also loved the overriding True Crime feel. Nola’s show, Night Watch, gave it a podcast vibe that I thought was really well done. At times, I felt like a real-life listener.

It was compelling from the start, and I found myself completely invested very early. I think it was that call that’s mentioned in the synopsis, that Nola receives at the show, it would be impossible to walk away after that.

The mystery was super intriguing. Had Nola’s past truly come back to haunt her? I wasn’t sure, but I loved sticking around to find out.

I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys intense Thriller stories, perhaps with a podcast, or serial killer element. Also, this is just Horror enough to appeal to true Horror fans. Don’t believe me? You’ll have to check it out for yourself.

Thank you to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m looking forward to more from this author, especially if she remains in this lane.

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Review: The Legacy by Jere Cunningham

~ megs14malloy

The LegacyThe Legacy by Jere Cunningham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Originally released in 1977, The Legacy by Jere Cunningham has been lovingly-reissued by Valancourt Books as part of their Paperbacks from Hell collection.

I was lucky enough to be gifted the full set for Christmas a couple of years ago, and have been slowly making my way through them when the mood strikes. For the record, I’ve loved them all so far. There’s something about dipping into a classically-told Horror story that’s just so cozy!

In this story, we meet David Rawlings, an ambitious young doctor, and his lovely family, as they inherit David’s childhood home after his father’s untimely death.

When David is notified that his somewhat estranged father has passed unexpectedly, he is in a bit of shock. His father was always such a strong man. He seemed untouchable. What could have happened?

In order to see to the arrangements, and meet with his father’s attorney, David packs himself and his family, including his wife, Sandra, their young daughter, Melanie, and beloved Doberman Pinscher, Streak, into the family car and makes the journey to small town Mississippi.

The property is outstanding. Sandra is struck by its vastness and beauty. At first she’s hesitant to remain there for the 7-weeks asked in the Will, but eventually she comes around.

The family starts to settle in, but from the start disturbing occurrences are happening around the property, including another death. David becomes convinced his father’s death wasn’t from natural causes, or an accident.

Something is going on here, and he needs to figure out what, because now the rest of his family is at risk.

The Legacy captured my attention with the rich Southern Gothic atmosphere. I loved how it was slowly built through the descriptions of the property and surrounding area.

The way events rolled out, building the suspense and intrigue, I felt it was masterfully done. I grew to love this family and was so worried about them ((particularly, the dog, of course)), because things were feeling so dangerous and uncertain.

There was inclusion of a few local characters as well that only helped to enhance the story, IMO. You could tell that some of the locals, friends of his Dad’s, knew what was going on, but they weren’t sharing the info with David, which was frustrating.

The occult elements truly amp up as the story continues, and it all filled me with a complete, nail-biting, sense of dread. It really was a great build. Two thumbs up.

Additionally, the Southern Gothic atmosphere was chef’s kiss and the trope-filled plot kept me on my toes. I would have given it a full 5-star rating, if it weren’t for some animal content that made it less enjoyable for me. There were parts with the dog I had to skim…

Overall though, a great, slow burn, classic-feeling Horror story that I recommend to any true fan of the genre. I def need to read more from this author.

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Review: Whistle by Linwood Barclay

~ megs14malloy

WhistleWhistle by Linwood Barclay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After tragically losing her husband in a hit-and-run accident, Annie Blunt, a popular Children’s author, is looking to escape from NYC in order to get a fresh start for herself and her young son, Charlie.

Through her editor, she’s able to secure a lovely rental house in a small town in upstate New York, close to the Vermont border, or as Charlie calls it, ‘in the country‘. It will definitely be a big change of pace for them.

Looking for things to do at their new place, Charlie ends up discovering an old train set locked in a storage shed in the yard. Annie helps him bring it in the house and set it up, but there’s something nagging her about it; an unsettling feeling she cannot explain.

Strange noises, strange occurrences throughout the neighborhood, and a strange feeling haunting Annie’s every moment. She’s determined to get to the bottom of what is happening in their new place.

Is it her? Is the stress finally taking over, or is there something more sinister at play?

Interspersed throughout Annie’s story, we also get a past perspective that may provide the answers to what is happening to her and Charlie. It might not be a train journey, but this novel is certainly a journey. Wow!

Whistle was a very fun read. While it won’t go down in history as the most memorable Horror novel I’ve ever read, I appreciate the classic feel of the storytelling. Barclay definitely succeeded in captivating my attention.

It actually heavily reminded me of a less diabolical version of Needful Things. There were a lot of aspects of this story that reminded me of that one, and I wasn’t mad about it.

I appreciated that Barclay didn’t try to throw in a bunch of narrative tricks, or gimmicks. It’s just a straight-forward story that manages to be creepy as heck.

Also, I found the characters compelling enough to care for their outcome, which is always a plus. Additionally, I’ll never look at a toy train set in the same way again…

Overall, I was really impressed with this. I would definitely recommend it to any Horror Reader, or even people who maybe don’t read Horror as much, but want to dip their toe into an unsettling Supernatural Thriller once Spooky season comes along.

Thank you to the publisher, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had never read from this author before, but I’m excited to look into his backlist!

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Review: Girl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner

~ megs14malloy

Girl in the CreekGirl in the Creek by Wendy N. Wagner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Erin’s brother, Bryan, went missing 5-years ago. His last known location was the small town of Faraday, Oregon, alongside the Clackamas River.

Erin has the opportunity to travel to Faraday, along with her friend, Hari, to work on a piece for their True Crime podcast. She’s not in town long, before it becomes clear that Bryan isn’t the only person to have gone missing from Faraday.

Erin quickly gets pulled into another missing person case, a more recent one, that of a young local woman, Elena Lopaz. Something stinks in this town…

After Elena’s deteriorated corpse is found, she’s transported to the morgue, from where she goes missing again, but how!? What the heck is going on in Faraday?

Girl in the Creek is an interesting story. I would say it’s a middle of the road read for me. It definitely had some compelling elements, and then had a few that were a bit more lackluster, IMO.

For me, the middle of the book was were it was the strongest. I was gripped as Erin really started digging in around Faraday, trying to get to the bottom of the disappearances and what could be behind them.

She ends up paring up with the older lady, Olivia, who owns the B&B she has rented, for a good portion of the investigation. I really liked the two of them working together. Olivia is a native of the town, whose own son went missing years before.

Olivia brought a lot to the table with her survival knowledge, and also her insight into the town and its history, of which her own father played a pivotal role.

There was also some really fun body horror included, and definitely more than one moment that made me cringe, which I love. Who doesn’t love that?

Gosh, I am realizing as I write this, how difficult it is to talk about this without spoiling anything. So much of what I want to say would give away the truth of what’s happening in Faraday and I definitely don’t want to do that.

I will say that I was a little disappointed by the way certain things were wrapped up. It almost felt like there was so much build, that was increasingly intense, and gripping, and then we get to the end and it’s like the author didn’t know how to wrap it up, so just threw some stuff in there and called it a day.

This seems harsh, I know it does, but I don’t know how else to express that feeling. I know that’s not true. I’m sure the author worked very, very hard bringing this to the conclusion that they wanted, but to me, it just felt overly simplistic in comparison to the build-up.

With this being said, this is a good Sporror story. I would recommend it to fans of EcoHorror. I loved the setting of the PNW, and felt like the author did a great job with building that sense of place. That was definitely one of the stronger aspects of the story for me.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This book certainly gave me a lot to think about, and I would be interested in picking up more from this author.

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Review: The Night Birds by Christopher Golden

~ megs14malloy

The Night BirdsThe Night Birds by Christopher Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dark, creepy and hella atmospheric, The Night Birds is a wildly-entertaining ride of nail-biting intensity. Christopher Golden does this type of Folk Horror so well, IMO.

Maybe you’re like me, and though you appreciate the majesty and beauty of birds, they also creep you the heck out? If so, you should read this. Picturing myself in the shoes of some of these characters gave me absolute chills.

This story is set in Galvaston, Texas, and mainly revolves around a group of characters researching the Christabel, a 19th century freighter that lies half-sunken in waters shadowed by eerie mangroves and other wildlife.

With a vicious storm bearing down, most of the small crew abandon the Christabel, choosing to stay on dry land while they wait it out. Charlie Book, their leader, however, chooses to stay on board as usual. The ship has weathered many storms. It’s not going anywhere.

When he arrives on the docks after dinner, preparing to head back out to the Christabel, he’s shocked by the sudden appearance of his ex-girlfriend, Ruby. She’s begging him for help and protection, and she’s not alone.

With her is a mysterious woman, Mae, as well as an infant. They’re bedraggled and clearly on the run, but from what?

Even though he has big reservations about the situation, Book can’t refuse Ruby. If she’s in danger, he wants to help. Thus, he shuttles them all out to the Christabel.

Meanwhile, with the coming storm, something else seems to be coming, lurking in the dark and stormy night. Using shadows as cover and hiding a ravenous evil.

As forces close in on the Christabel, Book’s team senses that something is amiss and they try desperately to get back to the ship to help their friend. Little do they know, the storm is the least of their problems now.

I became invested in this story so quickly. I love Christopher Golden in general, and feel really comfortable with his writing style. It has such a classic Horror feel for me, and I love how he takes care to set a scene and pulls the Reader into his character’s lives.

He creates characters you want to succeed; to be okay, to live. I was rooting for Book and Ruby, as well as the side characters, Luisa, Gerald and Alan, the entire way through.

This would honestly make a great movie; good versus evil battling it out amongst the mangroves. I was on the edge of my seat and horrified as it unfolded. It was non-stop punches the entire second-half.

Some of it did get a little difficult to track as the action and intensity built up, but that could just be because of the speed at which I was reading it. I was so desperate to find out how this was going to conclude, I was flying through.

This is a witchy story, which is alluded to in the synopsis, as well as mentioned in the genre tags, but I just want to be clear, this is dark stuff; ancient stuff. The imagery involved, it’s heavy and excellent to read if you love Horror.

Overall, I had a great time with this. It’s so fun and addictive. I couldn’t put it down. I loved the atmosphere and characters, as well as the horror imagery throughout.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Golden releases next!!!

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Review: It’s Watching by Lindsay Currie

~ megs14malloy

It's WatchingIt’s Watching by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s Watching is the latest release from my favorite Spooky Middle Grade author, Lindsay Currie. I always find myself completely invested in her stories.

She knows how to deliver that perfect, cozy, spooky small town atmosphere, all while pairing it with likable, strong-willed, curious and determined young characters.

This book kicks off on Halloween night, when Josie and her two best friends, Jackson and Alison, sneak into Bachelor’s Grove cemetery on a mission.

With dreams of being journalists, they have the perfect story idea to help secure them editorial spots with their school newspaper. They just need to find and prove the existence of a local legend, The Woman in White.

Unfortunately, before they’re able to get the proof they need for their story, they’re chased off the property by someone who they assume to be the security guard.

Shortly following that ill-fated adventure, they all receive a creepy meme on their phones, an image of the ‘Phantom Farmhouse’, a known haunt in their town, with the words I’m watching dripping down the screen. This frightens the pants off the three kids.

It’s said that the Phantom Farmhouse sporadically appears, luring people in, but never letting them out. So, yeah, I think they had good reason to be afraid.

Soon many strange things start happening to them, including another threatening meme, this time with a countdown. Apparently, they have three days to figure out what’s terrorizing them, or it may be too late.

I had so much fun with this. I loved Josie, Jackson and Alison. Their friendship was supportive and sweet. It’s always great to see such positive relationships in books for Young Readers.

I thought the investigation the kids did into what was happening to them was completely engaging as well. They incorporated different resources, including a ghost hunter and the local library.

Another aspect that Currie always includes in her stories, which I appreciate so much, is the incorporation of history. There’s always a part of the story that focuses on local history, wherever the story is set, and I feel like she does a great job making history exciting.

As books for Younger Readers, I feel like that’s so important to get them interested in topics like that, and she certainly does it well. In fact, it’s that more than anything that makes her stories stand out to me.

Don’t get me wrong though, she’s great at writing all aspects, including my favorite: ATMOSPHERE. Currie is always delivering the exact vibe I’m looking for when I pick up a Spooky Middle Grade, and that’s why I keep coming back for more, and always will.

Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I’m looking forward to whatever spooky adventure Lindsay Currie has in store for us next!

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Review: Vampire Breath (Classic Goosebumps #21) by R.L. Stine

~ megs14malloy

Vampire Breath (Classic Goosebumps, #21)Vampire Breath by R.L. Stine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Vampire Breath is the 21st-book in the Classics Goosebumps Reprint series; it was #49 in the original Goosebumps series.

I received the entire Reprint series for Christmas a couple of years ago and have been slowly revisiting these classic tales. They’re just so silly and nostalgic. I love picking them up every once and while as a palate cleanser.

In this story we meet Freddy and Cara. They’re around 12-years old, I think, and best friends. Their friendship-style is a bit combative, they are always rough-housing and trying to one-up each other with how tough they are.

For those of you who have read many Goosebumps books, this will not surprise you, as it’s something that Stine includes quite a bit. If you are newer to these stories, you may possibly read this and be like, wait, these two are friends? They seem more like enemies?

There’s not a lot of kind, supportive, non-contentious relationships to be found in the Goosebumps world. Nevertheless, to me, this is old hat, so I grew use to their combativeness fairly quickly.

On one particular day, they’re playing together in Freddy’s basement, and while rather aggressively wrestling around, they end up knocking over a piece of furniture, revealing a secret door behind it.

Unable to stifle their curiosity, they end up going through the door to explore. They stumble into a mysterious chamber where they find a bottle labeled, Vampire Breath.

Like the proverbial pandora’s box, when they crack that bottle open, a whole host of unexpected and problematic events begin happening to them. Will either Freddy, or Cara, make it through this Saturday unscathed?

I read this one in just under 2-hours. I was on a ferry to the mainland for an appointment and it was a great way to pass my very early morning travels.

It doesn’t require a lot of brain power, but I did find it engaging enough to keep me interested. It had a typical Stein ending, IYKYK, but nonetheless, an entertaining tale. We love a vampire story in this house!

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Review: The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

~ megs14malloy

The Blonde Dies FirstThe Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Devon and her brilliant twin sister, Drew, have drifted apart ever since Drew started attending a prestigious private school, as opposed to the public school Devon goes to.

Devon has made her peace with the fact that Drew is going to leave her behind. That’s why when Drew announces she’s graduating high school a year early, Devon’s not too surprised, but she still doesn’t feel great about it.

In an effort to spend some more time with Drew prior to her departure, Devon comes up with a plan: The Best Summer Ever. This includes a list of activities to do with their entire neighborhood friend group before summer ends.

One of the first items on the list is to attend a party thrown by one of the kids from Drew’s private school, Avery. Devon doesn’t really know anything about Drew’s school life, so she’s never met Avery before and she’s curious.

Thus, Devon, Drew and their other close friends, including Devon’s long-time crush, Yaya, head to Avery’s house for a night of fun. Truth be told, it’s a little uncomfortable at first, but they try to make the best of it.

Once the Ouija board comes out though, they realize it isn’t going to be quite the type of party they anticipated. Avery seems to be showing off. Drew calls it his typical party trick, but it makes Devon and the rest of the crew uncomfortable.

It’s after that night that The Best Summer Ever quickly devolves into the most Demonic Summer Ever. With a demon stalking them, seemingly following the rules of Horror, Devon and her friends must figure out how to defeat the beast before it kills them all.

The Blonde Dies First was an wildly-entertaining ride that kept me guessing throughout. It wasn’t perfect, but there is so much I appreciate about Wellington’s work.

While I feel that the Contemporary elements were the shining stars, it is still a very solid YA Horror story that I would recommend to YA Horror Readers.

As with Wellington’s previous novel, Their Vicious Games, I did really like the mix of the heavier contemporary topics with the dark horror action and intrigue.

There were so many jaw-dropping events in this book that I didn’t see coming and it absolutely had me guessing the whole way. I loved the friend group and how they banded together to try to figure out what was happening to them.

I also loved the way Wellington incorporated the classic rules of Horror that all Horror fans have embedded in their memories. I thought that was just such a fun little nod to the overall genre. It made me ridiculously happy to see it here.

The Contemporary elements were highly successful. The relationship between Drew and Devon was fantastic. Their friend group was lovable and believable. I also appreciated the discussion on the gentrification that was happening within their NYC neighborhood.

With this being said, I did think a lot of the scenes involving the demon, like one set at a hospital, were written very well and had great descriptions too. Also, I loved the various Horror elements incorporated like the Ouija board session, the demon itself, and the talk of horror cinema.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this. Wellington’s style definitely fits my tastes and I’m looking forward to whatever she releases next. I’ll be the first one in line.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This is a good one!

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