C.B. Calsing's Blog, page 4

A Review of Kyrie McCauley's "All the Dead Lie Down"

Ah, yes. What’s better than an atmospheric, trope-filled romance that’s also a horror novel? Not much! In this, Kyrie McCauley’s “All the Dead Lie Down” delivers, both with its macabre content and its happily-ever-after (don’t ever take that away from my romances!). 

Marin has recently lost her mother and has few prospects. Is this a Regency or Victorian romance? Nope, set in the present day. When a horror novelist she admires hires her as the summer nanny for her two young daughters, Marin takes the position at forlorn and remote Lovelace House. The children’s father has also recently passed. From the beginning, Marin is tested by the mother, the children’s cruel pranks, and the strange nature of the house. When the eldest daughter returns unexpectedly from her summer studies, however, Marin finds it too difficult to leave the strange property. Even though, with Evie’s arrival, things get even stranger. Together, the two must protect the young wards, navigate Mother’s odd behaviors, and unravel a mystery a few generations in the making. 

The blurb compares this book to both “Bly Manor” and “House of Salt and Sorrows.” “House of Salt and Sorrows” was my favorite book from last year’s reading, so I jumped on the chance to read this as well. It lacks the fantasy aspect but does deliver on the haunting and the atmosphere. It’s a rather timeless setting on the coast of Maine, and it would make a lovely summer read if you like something that is both gruesome and light-hearted at times. The development of Evie and Marin’s relationship is sweet, and the younger girls seemed realistically portrayed, which can be quite difficult. I was hooked from the beginning on trying to figure out why their mother was behaving the way she was, and the answer does not disappoint. I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end and look forward to other works in this genre from Kyrie McCauley.  I received this book from NetGalley.

A Review of Helen Power's "The Ghosts of Thorwald Place" (audiobook)

In “The Ghosts of Thorwald Place” by Helen Power, the protagonist is brutally murdered in the opening pages. The reader then follows her exploration of the building she is tethered to as she tries to determine who killed her and how to free herself from the threat of another, sinister being also lurking in the halls of the luxury condo building. Rachel, the main character, has a disturbing past, but as, in ghost form, she gets to know the other residents of the building, she realizes she is not the only one. 

This was a fun horror mystery with so many twists and subplots, I was kept guessing until the end. I enjoyed the mix of ghost story, first-person narrative, and diary entries to give the background. Because our narrator was left in the dark regarding some things about her own life, the revelations seemed to work for both reader and main character, and I did not feel as if she was deliberately unreliable. This novel was thoroughly entertaining, and the narrator, Rachel Fulginiti, did an excellent job bringing the character of Rachel to life, or, erm, death, as it were. I look forward to other works in this genre from Helen Power. I received the audiobook from NetGalley.

A Review of Cassandra Khaw's "The Salt Grows Heavy"

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw is a strange book. In a pastiche of Frankenstein and The Little Mermaid and Lord of the Flies, we are given an odd, often gruesome travelogue that ends sooner than expected.

After fleeing a plague—in fact, the mermaid’s children eating everyone in the kingdom—the silent mermaid and a cobbled-together plague doctor find themselves in a frozen village filled with children who regularly kill each other, only to be resurrected by a trio of masked doctors called the saints. These doctors are, in fact, the ones responsible for creating the plague doctor, and this gives our characters mixed feelings. When more information is revealed, and the purpose of the children uncovered, the mermaid must decide whether to flee or remain beside her loyal doctor as they do what they think is right.

The set-up of this story had me thinking we’d be following these two characters for a while, but their travels come to an abrupt stop in the snowy woods when they witness the brutal murder of a child by a group of other children. And it all unravels from there. The turns of events are unexpected all the way through, and the reader cannot guess what is going to happen next. Truly, when the blurb or I compare this to other stories, that’s really not going to set the reader up to understand what’s happening. 

The Salt Grows Heavy has to be read to be understood. And then you’re going to have to sit with it for a couple of days after. I received the ARC from NetGalley. 

A Review of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's "Silver Nitrate"

I am a huge fan of vintage horror films of the sixties and seventies, so I was immediately drawn to Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is the third book of hers I have read, and I have yet to be disappointed.

Montserrat is a sound editor in 1990s Mexico City who has grown tired and frustrated by her position at an old boys’ club studio. When her best friend, Tristan, moves into a new building and realizes one of his neighbors is horror director Abel Urueta, Montserrat takes it as a chance to diversify: researching a bit for television about Abel’s last, forgotten film. But the curious research project takes on a new tone when the film’s strange history and cast of characters come into play. Soon, Montserrat and Tristan find themselves embroiled in a decades-old plot involving the occult, flammable film, and possible immortality.

I am hard to scare these days, having consumed a lot of horror fiction and film. But there was a scene in this book that got me. I won’t go into details because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but yeah, I got a little queasy and scared. The main characters and the supporting cast were all strong, with the proper amount of creepy where it was due. The magic “effects” were fun and original. I also enjoyed the ups and downs of the relationship between Montserrat and Tristan.

I definitely recommend this book for fans of old horror movies. The nods here and there to directors and titles are little easter eggs for the savvy reader. Again, I’m looking forward to what comes next from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I received the ARC from NetGalley.

Read my other review of her work (I realized I never reviewed Mexican Gothic. What’s wrong with me?): The Daughter of Dr. Moreau

A Review of Shelley Wilson's "Blood Born"

Tween, vampire-obsessed me would have devoured Shelley Wilson’s Blood Born. I would have loved having age-appropriate vampire novels with a touch of romance then, and I was highly entertained by it now, even if I’m not part of the target demographic.

When Emma is turned into a vampire, her world is turned upside down. Her grandmother is kidnapped, a mysterious woman shows up on her doorstep promising to help her, and she meets a male vampire she has an instant attraction toward. All of this is hard to process for the loner who has always been haunted by a darkness she can’t quite explain. Now she needs to fight her own family, whom she’s only just learned about, to save her grandmother and her new-found friends at the Haven, a place for vampire half-breeds. Unfortunately, the vampire who changed her does not have Emma’s best interests in mind, and conflicting prophesies offer little guidance.

This is clearly the first in a series, as the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. The plot has all the tropes one wants in YA vampire novel. Is the protagonist an orphan or have at least one dead parent? Check. Is the protagonist a loner? Check. Does the protagonist turn out to be a princess in hiding? Check. Is the vampire she falls for older and pretty good-looking? Check... I could go on. The romance side of the story is limited to a few kisses, so it’s not too steamy for younger readers. The biggest draw is the kick-ass main character, Emma. Despite her change and upheaval, she stays true to her values and proves to be strong and capable. She works to help and protect her friends and family.

I enjoyed Blood Born by Shelley Wilson and look forward to the sequels. I want to see how Emma confronts her future problems and learns to use her skills and strengths as a vampire.

Cover art for "Ike Pāpālua - Science Fiction & Fantasy from the Hawaiian Islands"

Here is the cover artwork for the next anthology in which one of my stories, "Beneath the Ironwoods," appears. It is set for a May release!

A Review of Caryn Larrinaga's "Mouse Trap"

Caryn Larrinaga’s Mouse Trap is a quick, quiet horror read that will leave its audience satisfied and relieved. 

Dakota’s family has suffered...a lot. Her parents had dreamed of fostering and adopting many children, but when their youngest of three dies tragically in the family home, those dreams die with him. Years later, Dakota, the middle child, returns to the family home to help bury her agoraphobic older brother, Lennox. Lennox had promised to protect her from the force she was sure killed her little brother. But now that Lennox is dead, who will look out for Dakota? And is it her grief haunting her or something darker, more nefarious? 

This was a solid story with a satisfying ending that leaves the reader hopeful. The lightness at the end, however, does not permeate the story throughout, and there is plenty of tension to the otherwise quiet, not-very-gory plot. It’s one of those stories where you’re never quite sure whether the protagonist’s suffering is coming from within or without. Dakota is flawed but likable, though we have more sympathy for her deceased brother. That has to be deliberate on the author’s part.  

Mouse Trap is a fine read for an afternoon or a weekend for fans of quiet horror that is neither gruesome nor overwrought. I received the ebook from NetGalley, and I look forward to seeing what else Caryn Larrinaga has written. 

A Review of Hailer Piper's "No Gods for Drowning" (audiobook)

Hailey Piper’s No Gods for Drowning is a lesson in world-building and how to make a trope-filled murder mystery new and awesome. I found parallels between her work and China Mieville’s, one of my favorite writers. I would love to see more of Piper’s writing in this world.

The plot seems simple at first: something of a ritualistic serial killer is stalking a city, just as the city prepares for its catastrophic rainy season. On top of that, the gods, who used to walk among the people, disappeared ten years previous, and no one really knows why. A cast of characters including a flood fighter, a detective, and two descendants of the missing gods are thrown together in this setting, and both enemy and ally must work together to save their homes.

Elements of fantasy, noir, and horror meld together in Piper’s narrative, making for a book unlike any I’ve read in many years. The closest parallel I can draw is Perdido Street Station, but it’s not as odd as that, so if anything it’s more accessible. The world-building, particularly the history of it—the migrations, the generations of gods—is rich and detailed. The characters are well-rounded and fleshed-out, and there’s sympathy enough to go around even if you can’t decide who the villain and who the savior is.

I highly recommend this book to fans of mystery, fantasy, and horror, and I hope Hailey Piper revisits the world of No Gods for Drowning in more of her writing. I received the audiobook version from NetGalley.

Review of Caitlin Marceau's "This Is Where We Talk Things Out"

Caitlin Marceau’s This Is Where We Talk Things Out is a quick, tropey horror read suitable for fans of Stephen King and other classic horror authors. Miller has had a fraught relationship with her mother. Nevertheless, she agrees to go on a girls’ trip to a cabin in the woods...during a snowstorm. The tension quickly escalates when Miller recognizes the furniture, clothing, and accessories in the cabin are from her childhood home. Her mother, Sylvie, has recreated it almost perfectly. Thinking her mom is having trouble coping with Miller’s father’s death, Miller tries to make the most of the time with her mom. But one thing leads to another, and Miller realizes before long that there is more at work here. Can she get out and save herself? 

A little bit Misery, a little bit “A Rose for Emily” (hope that’s not too much of a spoiler), This Is Where We Talk Things Out is a strong novella that had me gritting my teeth and wincing in sympathetic pain. Though a bit predictable, the story’s allure is not in the mystery or twists, but in the author’s execution of the tropes she selected. The descriptions are graphic and gritty. We are with Miller’s struggle every step of the way, even though we are fairly certain we know how it will turn out. The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger, and I hope to see the next installment from the perspective of Miller’s partner. The dramatic irony of that plot would be quite rich. Caitlin Marceau has done a good job with This Is Where We Talk Things Out, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from this author. I received the ARC of the book from the publisher. 

A review of Keith Thomas's "The Dunnie"

Keith Thomas’s “The Dunnie” hits all the right notes in a nostalgic horror novel loosely based on folklore. Beth and her son, Asher, have to go to Pa’s house to help the older man move. His dementia is making it harder for him to live alone. Even worse, his state of mind is making it impossible for him to control the Dunnie, a creature that he’s been feeding and hiding for years. As the Dunnie’s hunger grows and Pa’s power wains, Asher must find a way to destroy the monster, or else its appetite could put more people at risk. 

This novella is a tight, well-crafted read. It uses a load of great tropes: creepy basement, old house away from town, a strange man who practices folk magic in the woods... The hero is the kid, which we all love in horror, right? I also appreciate how detailed the descriptions of the creature are. It is easy to picture while reading. There is some graphic gore as well. 

Basically, this is a fun read suitable for a weekend which most fans of horror will find satisfying, the kind of book I would have picked up off the wire rack at the Rexall back in the day. I’d even say this would be a good read for middle-school-age kids who want something a little creepy. I received the book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.