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bookishraccoon's reviews
51 reviews
PTSD Radio, Vol. 1 by Masaaki Nakayama
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I’ve been looking forward to reading PTSD Radio for awhile now! Artwork reminds me alittle of something Junji Ito would do- so it was inspired. It’s hard to come by good horror mangas, so when I saw this one I snatched it up!
The story itself is very intriguing, & the artwork accompanying it is phenomenal! Definitely helps set the eerie mood for the book. The abrupt cut off from story to story- and then revisiting it later is alittle confusing. Although it gave me vibes of tuning in to a tv series or a radio station- which is what I thought they were going for.
Just a great obscure horror short read! Got this one done in a night, but really enjoyed it! Might actually have to checkout the other books!
The story itself is very intriguing, & the artwork accompanying it is phenomenal! Definitely helps set the eerie mood for the book. The abrupt cut off from story to story- and then revisiting it later is alittle confusing. Although it gave me vibes of tuning in to a tv series or a radio station- which is what I thought they were going for.
Just a great obscure horror short read! Got this one done in a night, but really enjoyed it! Might actually have to checkout the other books!
The Slob by Aron Beauregard
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I felt like I needed to cleanse myself in bleach after reading that one! 1st few chapters were a slow burn, but the pacing was intentional & well done!
The author did a good job of making you feel connected to the characters.
Reading some of the grueling things the main character had to endure was rough- like you wanted to reach through the pages & help! I really had hoped both her, & her friend would escape together! I instantly got sad when their thought out plan fell apart, & went south. I remember putting down the book & putting a hand to my forehead in disbelief lol
The ending was a strange one, that I figured was supposed to be somewhat comical. I just wasn’t expecting them to be behind it all lol Still confused on exactly the reasoning as well!
Another extreme horror book that wasn’t for the faint of heart! This was my first time reading anything from Aron Beauregard, & it was definitely an experience!
The author did a good job of making you feel connected to the characters.
Reading some of the grueling things the main character had to endure was rough- like you wanted to reach through the pages & help! I really had hoped both her, & her friend would escape together! I instantly got sad when their thought out plan fell apart, & went south. I remember putting down the book & putting a hand to my forehead in disbelief lol
The ending was a strange one, that I figured was supposed to be somewhat comical. I just wasn’t expecting them to be behind it all lol Still confused on exactly the reasoning as well!
Another extreme horror book that wasn’t for the faint of heart! This was my first time reading anything from Aron Beauregard, & it was definitely an experience!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Rape, and Abortion
Moderate: Torture
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Ocean at the End of the Lane was actually recommended to me, & while it may not be what I usually grab for- I was still pleasantly surprised!
This was a short fantasy horror novel with notes of psychological trauma, all narrated from a man’s inner child. It was an interesting read, where you’re traveling through the narrator’s memories- as he rediscovers himself & his underlining traumas that he’s forgotten. Gaiman’s book gives you a glimpse into the mind of a child, full of imagination & hope- whilst taking on personal demons, & confronting loss.
There’s a lot not stated in the book, but can be inferred. I like how it left things open to interpretation. Interesting combination of whimsy & psychological horror! Definitely a unique read, and what a ride! I wasn’t expecting to be in my feels at the end of the book. I never read much from this author, but I may have to check out more of his work after reading this one!
This was a short fantasy horror novel with notes of psychological trauma, all narrated from a man’s inner child. It was an interesting read, where you’re traveling through the narrator’s memories- as he rediscovers himself & his underlining traumas that he’s forgotten. Gaiman’s book gives you a glimpse into the mind of a child, full of imagination & hope- whilst taking on personal demons, & confronting loss.
There’s a lot not stated in the book, but can be inferred. I like how it left things open to interpretation. Interesting combination of whimsy & psychological horror! Definitely a unique read, and what a ride! I wasn’t expecting to be in my feels at the end of the book. I never read much from this author, but I may have to check out more of his work after reading this one!
Strange Tales from Japan: 99 Chilling Stories of Yokai, Ghosts, Demons and the Supernatural by Keisuke Nishimoto
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Wouldn’t necessarily call these tales ‘strange’, but still thoroughly enjoyed a great portion of these! I really enjoyed the artwork, & the drawings accompanied with some of the stories. Definitely an interesting read that I’d recommend to anybody that’s a huge fan of short stories, folklore, or horror!
Some of my favorite sections:
* Rivers & Lakes
*Unfortunate People
*Shape Shifting Cats
*Ghost’s Requests (but honestly I enjoyed all of the ghost segments- there’s several)
Favorite Tales:
Traditional Tales-
* The Talking Futon - campy, but eerie & nostalgic to ghost stories growing up.
* Ghost Cart- Thoroughly enjoyed this one, wasn’t sure where it was going at 1st- eerie!
*Earless Hoichi- The title kinda gives this one away, but was a great read!
Rivers & Lakes-
*Otawa Pond - enjoyed most of these from this section actually! Found these really interesting
*Lake Otane
*The Catfish at Uso Ga Fuchi
*Gonzaburo the Flute Player - Neat little short ghost story!
*Joren Falls - Interesting tale of a nushi silk spider!
Miraculous Strength-
*The Reincarnation of Sakata - Interesting tale of a man that sought out Buddha.
Unfortunate People-
*The Mirror of Matsuyama - Tale of how Mirror Pond came to be.
*The Motoshichi-kuroschichi Bird - Eerie tale that leaves you wondering!
*Anju and Chushiou - Tale of a family’s journey with being sold into slavery.
*Chujo-hime - Tale of a Minister & his daughter, & the lovely evil stepmother.
*The Stone That Cried at Night - Tale of a Haunted Stone.
People who were Cursed-
*O-iwa’s Curse- One of the headling ghost stories from this book! Really enjoyed
*Long Black Hair- Loved this Short eerie ghost tale!
Ghost’s Requests-
(Enjoyed this section overall, so not listing any in particular)
Shape Shifting Cats-
All of these tales were so fun! Enjoyed all of them
Friendly Ghosts-
*The Clog Ghost - Stood out to me the most from this section! Such a fun campy ghost story!
But would recommend checking out all of these!
Overall was relatively pleased with the stories from the book! Was expecting more supernatural, but the folklore aspects took over majority of the book! Still was a really interesting read!
Some of my favorite sections:
* Rivers & Lakes
*Unfortunate People
*Shape Shifting Cats
*Ghost’s Requests (but honestly I enjoyed all of the ghost segments- there’s several)
Favorite Tales:
Traditional Tales-
* The Talking Futon - campy, but eerie & nostalgic to ghost stories growing up.
* Ghost Cart- Thoroughly enjoyed this one, wasn’t sure where it was going at 1st- eerie!
*Earless Hoichi- The title kinda gives this one away, but was a great read!
Rivers & Lakes-
*Otawa Pond - enjoyed most of these from this section actually! Found these really interesting
*Lake Otane
*The Catfish at Uso Ga Fuchi
*Gonzaburo the Flute Player - Neat little short ghost story!
*Joren Falls - Interesting tale of a nushi silk spider!
Miraculous Strength-
*The Reincarnation of Sakata - Interesting tale of a man that sought out Buddha.
Unfortunate People-
*The Mirror of Matsuyama - Tale of how Mirror Pond came to be.
*The Motoshichi-kuroschichi Bird - Eerie tale that leaves you wondering!
*Anju and Chushiou - Tale of a family’s journey with being sold into slavery.
*Chujo-hime - Tale of a Minister & his daughter, & the lovely evil stepmother.
*The Stone That Cried at Night - Tale of a Haunted Stone.
People who were Cursed-
*O-iwa’s Curse- One of the headling ghost stories from this book! Really enjoyed
*Long Black Hair- Loved this Short eerie ghost tale!
Ghost’s Requests-
(Enjoyed this section overall, so not listing any in particular)
Shape Shifting Cats-
All of these tales were so fun! Enjoyed all of them
Friendly Ghosts-
*The Clog Ghost - Stood out to me the most from this section! Such a fun campy ghost story!
But would recommend checking out all of these!
Overall was relatively pleased with the stories from the book! Was expecting more supernatural, but the folklore aspects took over majority of the book! Still was a really interesting read!
It Takes a Coven by Carol J. Perry
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Witch City Mysteries have an odd charm to them! I discovered cozy mysteries at the end of last year, & fell in love. They actually got me back into reading after a long hiatus. With that said, this was the 1st series I latched onto from that genre!
I was a huge fan of It Takes A Coven- as the direction of it finally focused greatly on the Supernatural/Paranormal (what’s been lacking from most of the books). With having the setting of Salem Ma, it’s a much missed opportunity for a paranormal cozy mystery. As much as I like the series, there often feels like a disconnect, where the author doesn’t know which direction to take the story. This book from the series felt stronger compared to most of the others.
My only complaint with this book, was that the middle had SO MUCH FILLER (like half of that the reader didn’t need to know). This caused the flow of the story to skip to a halt, & draggg terribly. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I’ve really been enjoying this series overall- great cast of characters, setting, humor, O’Ryan alone is A+. I look forward to reading the next one!
I was a huge fan of It Takes A Coven- as the direction of it finally focused greatly on the Supernatural/Paranormal (what’s been lacking from most of the books). With having the setting of Salem Ma, it’s a much missed opportunity for a paranormal cozy mystery. As much as I like the series, there often feels like a disconnect, where the author doesn’t know which direction to take the story. This book from the series felt stronger compared to most of the others.
My only complaint with this book, was that the middle had SO MUCH FILLER (like half of that the reader didn’t need to know). This caused the flow of the story to skip to a halt, & draggg terribly. Aside from that, I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I’ve really been enjoying this series overall- great cast of characters, setting, humor, O’Ryan alone is A+. I look forward to reading the next one!
The Clown Hunt by Judith Sonnet
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
There’s something oddly intriguing about Judith Sonnet’s work. I’m fairly new to the splatter punk genre, but have been a long term horror fan here. I’ve always enjoyed horror with a solid story, and this one delivered.
The beginning prologue started off with a bang, but then quickly simmered off.
My main complaint of the story was that the 2nd half was entirely too draggy, & it felt like an entirely different story.
The 3rd half (or the hunt officially) was incredibly fast paced, and had you on the edge of your seat.
The main character Willow was surprisingly a very likable character. I can’t express how many times I was actually concerned for a fictional characters safety.
The twist of the clowns actually being hunted was a unique idea! As always, there’s a warning at the beginning of Judith’s books with it being an ‘extreme’ novel. This is no joke, as her stories go into excruciating detail. So heed the warning if you’re sensitive to gore, & violence. The Wishbone chapter had me in shock, as it deals with an infant
(like I said- the warnings there for a reason). I most certainly wouldn’t recommend for the average reader, but if you’re into extreme horror give it a go!
The beginning prologue started off with a bang, but then quickly simmered off.
My main complaint of the story was that the 2nd half was entirely too draggy, & it felt like an entirely different story.
The 3rd half (or the hunt officially) was incredibly fast paced, and had you on the edge of your seat.
The main character Willow was surprisingly a very likable character. I can’t express how many times I was actually concerned for a fictional characters safety.
The twist of the clowns actually being hunted was a unique idea! As always, there’s a warning at the beginning of Judith’s books with it being an ‘extreme’ novel. This is no joke, as her stories go into excruciating detail. So heed the warning if you’re sensitive to gore, & violence. The Wishbone chapter had me in shock, as it deals with
(like I said- the warnings there for a reason). I most certainly wouldn’t recommend for the average reader, but if you’re into extreme horror give it a go!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Body horror
Minor: Kidnapping
Young Ladies Don't Play Fighting Games Vol. 1 by Eri Ejima
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
I always like to break up books by reading a short story/manga inbetween. With that said, this was an enjoyable short read that brought a lot of nostalgia with it. This manga was giving me flashbacks to playing fighting games with my brother growing up. Nowadays, on occasion I’ll hit up a arcade, & battle it out with my significant other. There’s just something different, & intense with fighting games- this manga captured that feeling perfectly (with a great sense of humor added to it)! I’m not sure honestly if I’ll stick with the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Would 10/10 recommend to anybody that grew up playing retro/ old fighting games!
Sardines (In the Dark) by Judith Sonnet
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
3.0
Recently stumbled across Judith Sonnet’s work. Story was dark, but intriguing- where you can’t bring yourself to put down the book! An extremely fast paced read, where time flew by! Enjoyed this one a lot more personally than Santasploitation! I don’t mind gore, but rape mixed with body horror is uncomfortable for me (to be honest). Sardines was a straight to the point gore fest, with total slasher horror vibes! Wasn’t super impressed with this book, but was a fun entertaining short read! Word of Caution- I wouldn’t recommend this author to anybody with a weak stomach.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Body horror
Santasploitation: A Christmas Horror Story by Judith Sonnet
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.0
I wanted to read this because of the ridiculous premise, & it certainly delivered! Would I read this again? No, but it definitely was creative- I’ll give it that. I was hoping there’d be alittle more to the story, or some psychological twist- as that’s how I prefer horror content.. But it was basically a sex fueled abduction story, with poor ‘ San-Ta’ in the crosshairs. I can’t really say much without giving away spoilers. Would highly not advise this book to sensitive readers. For fans of body horror, or a dark sense of humor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Excrement, and Rape
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Wide variety of stories ranging from horror to fantasy, amongst alittle sci-fi in the mix. Some stories better than others!
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Torture, and Body horror
Some graphic scenarios that may make it alittle uneasy for some readers! The 1st story was alittle much in my opinion lol