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aghoststory's reviews
310 reviews
On the Savage Side by Tiffany McDaniel
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I was not ready for this new Tiffany McDaniel’s book, ya’ll. It completely wrecked me.
ON THE SAVAGE SIDE is the second novel I’ve had the honor of reading before it hit shelves and I think it is my favorite. It is inspired on an unsolved murder case of the Chillicothe Six - six women who went missing in the rural town of Chillicothe, Ohio between the spring of 2014 and summer of 2015. Following twin sisters, Arcade and Daffodil, ON THE SAVAGE SIDE weaves the story of the two sisters as they navigate friendship, generational trauma, poverty, drug abuse, and sex work.
I feel like I can’t truly do it justice talking about this work because it is so layered. I think it's really about many different things that are adjacent to the lives of the sisters. McDaniel is a master storyteller. Her work is thoughtful and gut wrenching in the most satisfying of ways. Everything falls into place in ways that are unexpected. Her lyrical prose is stellar and truly her own.
This a heavy read that is full of darkness lurking in every corner, but there is also beauty and hope. There is so much respect and love in the writing of the Chillicothe Queens, the young women who find themselves forever intertwined with the twins and us, the readers, too.
On THE SAVAGE SIDE is beautiful, haunting, and a stunning tribute to the forgotten. You’ll never forget it.
ON THE SAVAGE SIDE is the second novel I’ve had the honor of reading before it hit shelves and I think it is my favorite. It is inspired on an unsolved murder case of the Chillicothe Six - six women who went missing in the rural town of Chillicothe, Ohio between the spring of 2014 and summer of 2015. Following twin sisters, Arcade and Daffodil, ON THE SAVAGE SIDE weaves the story of the two sisters as they navigate friendship, generational trauma, poverty, drug abuse, and sex work.
I feel like I can’t truly do it justice talking about this work because it is so layered. I think it's really about many different things that are adjacent to the lives of the sisters. McDaniel is a master storyteller. Her work is thoughtful and gut wrenching in the most satisfying of ways. Everything falls into place in ways that are unexpected. Her lyrical prose is stellar and truly her own.
This a heavy read that is full of darkness lurking in every corner, but there is also beauty and hope. There is so much respect and love in the writing of the Chillicothe Queens, the young women who find themselves forever intertwined with the twins and us, the readers, too.
On THE SAVAGE SIDE is beautiful, haunting, and a stunning tribute to the forgotten. You’ll never forget it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Misogyny, Violence, Sexual violence, and Physical abuse
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
There was a lot I enjoyed about this one. It had some downright terrifying moments. The opening chapter is something I would love to see on screen! I feel like the plot is something that feels familiar if you love horror but turns into something you didn’t expect. And the overarching theme of grief is utterly heartbreaking
But I gotta say, a lot of the explanations flew over my head. And many of the moments left the story feeling disjointed and out of place. I couldn’t tell you exactly what happened but I loved the conclusion to the story. And it there is no doubt Ryan La Sala is a talented writer.
The Honey’s is a great folk horror-esque read that would be perfect for summer reading. If you liked Yellowjackets, Midsommar, or The Wicker Man I think you’ll love this.
I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There is one thing guaranteed from a Courtney Summers novel - it’s going to hurt.
I’M THE GIRL is no different. I actually had to take a few days before writing this review because I had a lot to think on. Honestly, I am not sure I have probably landed on what those thoughts are yet. Summers is never one to shy away from dark and difficult topics, and I love that about her work. In this latest release I knew it would be even more dark considering it is inspired by the exploitation and dangerous society young women live in (I believe this was inspired by the Jeffery Epstein case?) However, I am not sure I was prepared for just what awaited my reading experience.
Following teen Georgia as she steps into the world of Aspera and faces the darkness that lies there is hard. As a reader, I struggled to understand her actions - her dependence on needing to be see as beautiful and perfect and worthy at her own cost. And it was hard to watch her be let down by those who were supposed to protect her over and over.. My mind kept going back to an earlier review I saw that stated something along the lines of Georgia just being a girl. She was still so young. I just wished her all the peace that girls deserve to grow up with.
With themes of bodily autonomy and violence and the dangers of victim blaming I’M THE GIRL is a brutal, raw, and unflinching dive into the patriarchal society we live in
Note: Please be mindful of your personal triggers with this book. I know it is categorized as YA but it has some graphic sexual violence for the genre. It has A LOT of heavy content.
*ARC was given by Wednesday Press for review
I’M THE GIRL is no different. I actually had to take a few days before writing this review because I had a lot to think on. Honestly, I am not sure I have probably landed on what those thoughts are yet. Summers is never one to shy away from dark and difficult topics, and I love that about her work. In this latest release I knew it would be even more dark considering it is inspired by the exploitation and dangerous society young women live in (I believe this was inspired by the Jeffery Epstein case?) However, I am not sure I was prepared for just what awaited my reading experience.
Following teen Georgia as she steps into the world of Aspera and faces the darkness that lies there is hard. As a reader, I struggled to understand her actions - her dependence on needing to be see as beautiful and perfect and worthy at her own cost. And it was hard to watch her be let down by those who were supposed to protect her over and over.. My mind kept going back to an earlier review I saw that stated something along the lines of Georgia just being a girl. She was still so young. I just wished her all the peace that girls deserve to grow up with.
With themes of bodily autonomy and violence and the dangers of victim blaming I’M THE GIRL is a brutal, raw, and unflinching dive into the patriarchal society we live in
Note: Please be mindful of your personal triggers with this book. I know it is categorized as YA but it has some graphic sexual violence for the genre. It has A LOT of heavy content.
*ARC was given by Wednesday Press for review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Child abuse
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Pedophilia
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror by Tori Bovalino
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
A GATHERING DARK is a folk horror anthology featuring thirteen stories that are all suspenseful, creepy, and dare I say a little cozy. I’ll explain.
This collection of stories felt incredibly reminiscent of all the urban legends and ghost stories I grew up obsessively reading about once I discovered the internet - lady of the lake, hitchhiking ghosts, Bloody Mary, and more. That familiar feeling of not being able to look away even though you were nervous to know what happened next. But it also felt so modern. A large part of this due to how unique and chilling each tale was and the liberties taken with beloved legends and archetypes.
I believe it was really clever to weave together urban legends and folk horror because they go hand in hand. The stories featured in this anthology all have elements of folk horror we’ve come to expect- the isolation, rural towns, corruption of religion, the importance and power of nature, while also including more modern approaches of topics like female rage and toxic families.
A GATHERING DARK is a really solid anthology with an amazing group of writers. Perfect for a rainy, autumn evening.
And like all urban legends please heed their warnings….
Wake the Bones by Elizabeth Kilcoyne
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A book that had me at “The sleepy little farm that Laurel Early grew up on has awakened. The woods are shifting, the soil is dead under her hands, and her bone pile just stood up and walked away.”
And kept with me every “I reckon” that made
felt like home
And it’s dark atmosphere that is both haunting and familiar
And the way Elizabeth Kilcoyne paints nature so beautifully, but also shows the mysterious and dangerous side
how it ranges from southern gothic to folk horror
and the gore and ruthlessness
and a mention of banana pudding
Wake the Bones was one of the books that I was looking forward to reading the most this year. I think it quickly became one of my favorites too.
I was surprised just how dark it was (The author provided some content warnings on her website. I will leave at the bottom). There’s a certain mood when reading this book that I really enjoyed. It’s almost like you can feel the heaviness outside of the pages.
And I believe it is based around the legend of Rawhead and Bloody Bones, somehow I heard of but didn’t know much about. It is pretty terrifying.
I really loved this book.
*ARC provided by WednesdayBooks via Netgalley
CW: thematic material: mental & physical abuse, violence, suicide.
specific: abuse by alcoholic parent
Additional: guns, Postpartum depression, drug usage, animal death, blood
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Violence, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Suicide
Minor: Blood, Animal death, and Drug use
Jaws by Peter Benchley
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Death, and Racism
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Emotional abuse
From Below by Darcy Coates
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.0
I must say that From Below really solidified my mighty need to learn how to scuba dive while also making me very cautious about stepping foot into the ocean ever again.
I feel like Darcy Coates has written about horror in so many places that it was only natural that she chose the ocean for her latest release. In From Below, Cove and her crew are tasked with making a documentary about the infamous SS Arcadia, a giant ship that vanished 60 years prior with its passengers and crew on its voyage. No one knows what happened to the Arcadia as there was only a strange emergency message left for the world to decipher. The team is excited to be the ones to try and figure out the secrets of this ship. What made it drift hundreds of miles off course? What happened the passengers and crew on aboard?
While the team begins their investigation beneath the surface they may just find out that maybe some things are best left alone.
From Below turns out to be unlike any other kind of horror I’ve read that takes place in the ocean. I went in thinking I had a good idea of what was going to be lurking below, and I was completely wrong. Coates really nailed the setting’s claustrophobic and creepy nature.
I did have a little trouble with the pacing as it felt a little too slow at times. The book alternates between the original voyage of the ship and Cove’s mission and majority of the time I really just wanted to read about Cove and her team.
If you’re looking for your next ocean horror the the summer, I definitely think you should check this out. Darcy Coates is a writer I always enjoy reading and they know how to make a terrifying and adventurous story.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy!