Review: Deity (Six Stories #5)

4 stars. OMG these are the absolute best. Happy to report that I did NOT predict the twist this time - I've never been so happy to be totally wrong! I was a bit nervous when I read the synopsis (tackling the Me Too Movement is hard on a good day), but I shouldn't have been. The subject was handled as sensitively and considerately as possible while also delivering the delightful gut punch I've learned to expect.

In Deity, Scott King decides to rake up the grave of pop star Zach Crystal, who died in a fire in his isolated mansion after a wildly successful career. Crystal was the type of star who attracted wildly devoted fans, many of them young teenage girls, and many of whom have now accused him of taking advantage of their devotion. Once again King interviews six individuals connected directly or indirectly to Zach's life, career, and alleged crimes, and once again King unravels a story that's as spooky as it is shocking.

Ahhh. This one felt really icky. There were a lot of parallels between Zach Crystal and Michael Jackson, which... just speaks for itself. It was an icky reckoning when it happened and it's an icky thing to re-live. But these stories must be told, and we must believe them. That's absolutely non-negotiable. The spooky elements in fact were a lot less scary because, well, we should all know by now - human monsters are more frightening and horrible than any animal in the forest.

I am more impressed with each book. The dark themes are tackled with such respect for everyone involved. I love the deft examination of guilt and blame in a situation when someone is hugely talented and successful and surrounded by the word "yes" - how both the enabler and the enabled can be guilty. How money plays into it. How attention plays into it. How fear plays into it. Having just watched the documentary Stolen Youth, I noticed that some of the grooming/manipulation techniques were spot-on. Terrifying.

Super excited to read the next one and I really, really hope it won't be the last.

Deity on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Kill Creek

5 stars!! WOW - this was WILD, and I loved it! Apparently my 2023 reading interests pretty much 100% point towards horror, and the absolutely delightful chills I got from this book are fuel to the fire. It's a long book, with many scares and many twists and turns, but I want more. I WANT MORE! I want an adaptation, ASAP.

It's a solid premise freshly baked in a familiar oven: a group of 4 horror authors are asked to spend a night in a house together for an interview with a tech bro. Naturally, the house has a bit of a bad history. Naturally, tension builds as each individual experiences something spooky. Unnaturally, this is only the beginning. Seriously. Buckle up.

I really loved our group of players. Sam is the pretty, edgy hero, talented with a rough past. T.C. Moore is a badass button-pusher known for writing pyschosexual thrillers. Daniel Slaughter writes popcorn paperbacks for young adults. And Sebastian Cole is the celebrated old school writer famous for what are now considered classics.

It's a great bunch. You can just tell that each one brings a unique perspective, and not just for the purpose of scaring them in unique ways. Sure, many of their... vulnerabilities, shall we say, are a bit predictable, but they complement each other. It's a fleshed out family, for lack of a better term. I rooted for them all, even when things started to go very wrong.

I've seen a few complaints about the writing of T.C. and I kind of get it, but to be honest I didn't catch anything offensive. Same with the climax - yep, it is absolute chaos, but I couldn't look away. I also really loved the ending. We even got some detailed answers, which I wasn't expecting! Thought it would be more ambiguous. Not a complaint.

This is a must-read for horror fans. It's got everything: a haunted house, well-written characters, a lot of excellent scares, a couple of slasher sequences (that fucking hatchet), even a good old crawl space! Oh yes, that reminds me: I appreciated the incorporation of character background details that re-emerged, or became important eventually. I know that type of full circle writing bugs some people as too matchy or cute or gimmicky, but I thought it was done really cleverly here. 

Scott Thomas did for a black shoe what Grady Hendrix did for the phrase "soft thump," what Nick Roberts did for a warm hand. He made it downright chilling. I WISH THERE WAS MORE!

Kill Creek on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Beast (Six Stories #4)

4 stars. Not the scariest of the lot so far, and maybe not the tightest either (I felt a little indifferent to be honest), but an absolute smash in terms of themes. These books find that incredibly rare balance of entertaining at breakneck speed while also exploring deep, true, sad, sometimes painful themes... these mysteries are more think-y than they appear at first glance, I think. And I love them for it.

Beast tackles the murder of a young influencer, who was locked in an isolated tower and died of hypothermia before being beheaded by three troubled men in the town. Again, these books are not whodunnits but how/whydunnits - the perpetrators have been arrested, and pled guilty, and are in jail for the foreseeable future. But so many questions remain. And Scott King, after facing his own monsters, is ready to track down some answers.

This one focuses on vampires, which I thought would be cheesy, and it is, kind of, at first, but he takes it in such an interesting direction that by the end I was like, this shit is brilliant. I don't know how he manages to use a format over and over that should be getting stale by now - same old tricks, etc. - in such fresh ways. You can expect the twists, right? But the twists are never not satisfying. 

The themes mentioned above: forgotten, neglected communities, poverty, small towns, sibling dynamics (a favorite of his I think), urban legends, social media (another favorite of his), the cruelty of youth, the pressures on youth, the morality of punishment (this one is a bit more ambiguous than the others), influencers (which was fascinating to read in the day and age of Alix Earle), and you know what I also loved? That he clearly did his research on programs for "troubled" young people. You could tell he knows the ins and outs of our social, political, systemic failures to support those in need. The description of Elizabeth's - yes, Elizabeth's - crimes are the scariest moments of all.

I love his little easter eggs too. Who locked Lizzie in the tower? That's - delightfully - straight from who put Bella in the witch elm. Even her name - Elizabeth Barton - could that be a play on Elizabeth Bathory? The initials, Lizzie B., may also hint at another murderous Elizabeth: the one who infamously gave her mother forty whacks. This stuff is DREAMY for someone like me. Please, sir, can I have some more?

Ultimately I think it's my least favorite in the series so far (honestly because I did want more - more answers, more insights, more clues, more details - maybe a re-visit to her parents, after the revelations, maybe a last-minute approval of his request to interview one of the three in jail, maybe some news clippings about "new developments" in the case), but do not not not not not sleep on this series. Scott King is my forever bae.

Beast on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Exorcist's House

4 stars. YEP, that'll do the trick. It's very exciting to find fresh horror that uses the familiar tropes - like coming home to a clean house! Things feel new and nice even though I know where everything is. This is not even close to being a good use of figurative comparison (esp considering the subject matter of the book I just freaking read) but hey, it's Tuesday, I'm tired, and we are shooting down UFOs. 

The Exorcist's House is really just like, yeah, the family bought the house, weird shit ensued, they investigated the secret room in the creepy basement, they each started having terrifying but isolated experiences, one thing led to another and sure enough we've got a battle between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. Except guess what? The imagery is fantastic. The scary moments are actually scary. And the fucking dog survives (thank you), for which I've added an additional star.

I adore short chapters. I love that this book seemed to know exactly its purpose: to tell a frightening, concise, non-show-off-y story that will scratch the itch of any horror fan. Horror creators are especially guilty of over-employing Easter eggs (completely forgivable considering we have to cling to whatever inside jokes we can find). and this book is no different, but the clever references are fun and not OTT.

The ending, by the way, is pretty much perfect. I would've given it 5 stars but I found some of the dialogue - and the quippy humor - a little clunky/clumsy? Everyone tries to find that balance and almost everyone misses, so it isn't really any failure on the author's part. 

I could totally see this as an amazing movie. Read if you dare. Don't investigate the secret room. The end.

The Exorcist’s House on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Changeling (Six Stories #3)

4 stars. Brilliant. I'm obsessed with this series and hope they continue forever. While I guessed the ending early/easily in this one, I was still glued to it and the other twists and turns kept me satisfied. I love that Wesolowski manages to layer horror so successfully in each of these: the outer layer (ghosts, paranormal, creepy stuff) and the inner layer (the worst of humanity). Poor Scott King! 

Changeling (such a clever title) sees the return of King's true crime podcast, this time exploring the disappearance of a young boy in a supposedly haunted forest. He interviews those who knew the kid's parents, those who had experiences in the forest, and others who orbit the case itself. Like in the other books in this series, we as readers circle and circle and circle the truth, edging around what turns out to be a very heartbreaking and personal revelation.

In this one he tackles abuse. It features, in my opinion, one of the scariest villains of all time - wishy washy at first, because he blurs the line of victim and villain so deftly. I appreciated the author's clear sensitivity surrounding some of the darker themes, which rang very sadly true. And I loved the way he ended it with a glimmer of powerful hope. My only complaint is that I wanted a little bit MORE! A few questions are left unanswered and we say goodbye a bit abruptly.

Thank goodness there are more books in this series. It's become such a saving grace over the past few weeks and I hope he never stops writing them. My brain loves puzzles like these and I can't get enough. Bonus points for being genuinely, honestly spooky.

Changeling on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Hydra (Six Stories #2)

4 stars. I’m addicted to these books. I mentioned in my review of Six Stories that this is my kind of horror and holy shit has that been confirmed. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into more of these incredibly fun, clever, creepy, twisty stories. Could honestly be adapted into podcast form IMO, or maybe found footage documentary style? I’d watch.

In Hydra, Scott King tackles not a whodunnit but a why/howdunnit, exploring the case of a young woman who murdered her whole family with a hammer in 2014. He interviews her, her old friends, ex-acquaintances, and people with whom she crossed paths at some point before the massacre. Slowly he untangles the many theories about the case to reveal some scary secrets and her possible motive for the crime… along with those still actively trying to hide the truth.

Oooooooh yeah. Did I mention the urban legends? We’ve got BEKs, the Elevator Game, Japanese ghost conjurings… it’s all the good stuff. More deeply, it deftly comments on things like gender, religious fanaticism, fame, fan culture, cancel culture, social media, tabloid media, the dark web, trolling and doxxing and oh yeah, Twitter and FB are called out by name.

As in the first book, the author also convincingly - horrifyingly - writes about the agony of coming of age, and the sad, sometimes fatal, reality of bullying and teenage dynamics. I just really admire the boldness of the writing about that sort of thing as it rings really… tragically, true.

Okay, so I figured it out before the 6th story. But I fucking loved it just the same. Don’t sleep on this series - it’s like a bowl of delicious popcorn that I can’t stop munching. On to the next and I couldn’t be more excited. OBSESSED!!!!

Hydra on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Hex

3 stars. What an emotionally devastating, incredible, awful, painful, original story. I have no idea how to process this because honestly, aside from feeling disturbed (in kind of a good way), I'm also really annoyed and frustrated with a certain something.

But first - this book is about a small town in New York that has a ghost. Her name is Katherine, and she sticks around because the residents unjustifiably tortured and killed her in the town's original days of the 1600s. After generations of learning to live with her threatening presence, something in the air is shifting - and the reckless actions of a few lead to unimaginable, widespread tragedy for many. 

Being dropped into this world takes some getting used to, but I loved everything about it. The normal that the residents of Black Creek experience is still normal, it's just slightly askew. They use technology and tradition and a strong social contract to keep things as orderly as possible. I loved the sense of something bubbling under the surface; that felt very King-ish to me as did the multiple perspectives.

Odd perspectives to choose though, eh? Couldn't really care for, or relate to, any of the main characters - but maybe that was the point. Other reviewers seemed quick to point out some weird choices re: certain female characters, and descriptions of certain female body parts. Sure, I found it odd but... maybe not offensive. 

That being said.

*SPOILERS BELOW*

GUYS. LADIES. AUTHORS OF THE WORLD. Enough with the dead dogs! PLEASE. I am begging you. I love horror, it's what I read almost exclusively now, I love scary books, scary movies, the whole damn community... but PLEASE. No more dead dogs! Believe it or not - there are other horrors. Other ways to catch your reader emotionally. Just like things can happen to women that aren't motherhood, things can happen that are scary and don't involve the fucking dog. I'm livid. I skimmed through a whole chapter, missing important shit, because of this. Sure, I know I should've checked the TWs and that it's my responsibility and my sensitivity and my problem etc. etc. etc. but this is really more of a frustration with the authors of the world: I am begging you, FIND ANOTHER WAY. I wanted to love this book - I was so excited to read it - and honestly, I might have to dock two full stars because it was so CREATIVE and then it wasn't. It was cliche. 

*SPOILERS END*

So. I'm giving this book 1 star for premise, which is brilliant and frankly something I wish I had come up with myself. I'm giving it another star for being unpredictable. At no point did I know what was going to happen next or what to expect. And I'm giving it a final star for the ending. If I were feeling a little more generous, I'd maybe consider giving it one more for being, generally and horribly, right. I fully agree with many of the themes, and also admire the way he writes about parenthood, marriage, grief and depression, and also mass hysteria and that specific type of human madness that leads us to turn on each other. God, we're always turning on each other, aren't we? Absolutely doomed.

Read - seriously, I beg of you - cautiously.

Hex on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: The Family Plot

3 stars. This was really cute, and will definitely scratch anyone itching for a haunted house situation. I haven't read anything by Cherie Priest before, but I'm super excited to try some of her other books. The Family Plot almost read like a movie - like a very classic, mid-budget horror film with all the dependable scares and respectable twists. 

On the verge of bankruptcy, family firm Music City Salvage decides to risk it all on an old estate in Chattanooga. Tough girl Dahlia, her cousin Bobby, her nephew Gabe and her inexperienced colleague Brad are assigned to the job, for which they decide to camp out until they can drive away with their money's worth. Obviously, expectedly, inevitably... things do not go to plan. Footsteps in the dust, locked doors, a random cemetery, and all-around evil vibes? Find out what happens when the group does not GTFO when they should.

I really liked Dahlia! What an excellent heroine - I rooted for her and loved her attitude and approach to things. I loved the entire group dynamic, actually... kind of an unusual cast of characters, which kept things fresh and fun and worth the investment. A lot of the details, some of which did definitely bog down the plot and screamed for editing, lent to the high stakes and made the story feel quirky and fleshed out. 

I also loved the house! Priest does an excellent job describing the setting and making things atmospheric. My nose was itching when she talked about all the dust. Seems like she did her research on old houses too, and the salvage business. I feel like I learned something and gained a new appreciation for the worth of old things.

Ultimately, though, this felt like more of a mystery to me, and the scares were just okay - not really that scary. I'm still a little unclear about all the ghostly motivations and who did what/why/how. Like maybe the scary moments were written first, and then the author had to write up some characters and history to fit them? Regardless, this was a really fun read and I recommend it.

The Family Plot on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: Penpal

4 stars. I'm gonna sit on that rating, though, and retain the right to revisit it after a few days. I docked a star for an UCD (instead of an UDD), and for the writing itself, but I may be considering things a little too superficially. I knew it was going to be devastating - everyone warned me it would be devastating - but I wasn't quite expecting that. This is an incredibly impressive book. Twisted, but impressive.

Adopted from a series of submissions to r/nosleep, Penpal tells the story of a man recollecting a series of bizarre and terrifying events he experienced as a child. It's a puzzle - the stories unfold in a non-linear fashion - but it comes together eventually as he connects the dark dots. It's also about the tragedy of growing up, coming-of-age, loss of innocence, fading friendships... all that good stuff and more.

I tell you what, similar to my reaction to S2 of The White Lotus: I had a lot of theories, and all of them were wrong. The author had me pinballing against so many possibilities: demons, aliens, multiple dimensions, time travel, ghosts, dissociative identities, multiple personalities, PTSD, mental illness, amnesia... all of them were wrong. And what was left, after opening and closing all those doors? Literally the most terrifying option imaginable.

Yes, this absolutely feels like a series of reddit posts. The writing doesn't feel... the way writing usually does in a book. Also, the boys never really act their ages. At first I was annoyed by it - who does this guy think he is - and then I melted into it and realized the style actually lends itself to the story. I got obsessed, and couldn't put it down. I can't imagine how it must have felt to read this stuff online, and how incredible the conclusion must've been. I'm sure the novel feels bloated in comparison, but IMO the fleshed out details are what make you feel safe before you get to a point where you have to fill in the horrifying gaps yourself.

Speaking of, I'm off to study some stuff about this so I can learn more and sort through my thoughts. BRB.

Back! Wow, sometimes the internet truly is an amazing thing.

Anyway, I'm not afraid to admit I was creeped out reading. This book feels super, super dark in a way, almost cursed, like I don't want to touch it ever again. Like I want to purge it from my Kindle or burn it or something. Like it hits something that even me, a huge horror true crime fan - the darker the better - doesn't want to know about. 

YEEK.

Penpal on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Review: How to Sell a Haunted House

5 stars. This is by FAR my favorite Grady Hendrix book - irresistible, campy, fresh, full of darkness and depth and emotional triggers. I absolutely loved it. I went in almost totally blind and I know it's nearly impossible at this point, but try if you can/if you dare. Read it in 2 days. Couldn't put it down. And it actually gave me the creeps, which is more than I can say for 99% of other horror books I read.

It's a masterful use of tropes: Louise, single mom and separated from her family, gets the call that both her parents have died in a car accident. She has to leave her daughter and return home to make arrangements - and almost immediately runs aground thanks to her troubled brother. As they navigate their grief and fight over assets, something becomes very clear: their parents' house is haunted. 

Broad strokes? It's a little predictable. But the moment-to-moment journey is sheer, crackling, creepy, breathless chaos. The minute you realize something is wrong - really, really wrong, like more wrong than facing the horror of losing loved ones - it feels like a joyful punch in the face. And it only gets better from there.

I personally have never had an aversion to clowns or puppets or dolls, but I totally get why others do, and now I get it EVEN MORE. Omg the attic noises ("soft thumps") and the descriptions of the dead eyes and mischievous smiles and the whole damn thing from idea to premise to execution was pretty much perfect. Grady Hendrix's writing really reminded me of Stephen King in this book, with a better sense of humor. And yeah, it's fucking hilarious.

I borrowed this from the library but will purchase immediately so my person can read it (he is one of those people who does really hate dolls) but he'll also love it. I'm sure many reviews will touch on the trauma aspect of it all - childhood trauma, trauma as an adult, trauma as a parent, the trauma of having parents who are just damn weird (raises hand) - and definitely read all that. It's important and lends to the brilliance of the story. But I think I'll just keep sitting here cackling with glee over what a fucking fun ride that was.

How to Sell a Haunted House on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads