connorjdaley's reviews
1154 reviews

Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost

hopeful mysterious medium-paced

4.0

This was offered on Audible for free, so I gave it a shot looking for an in between spooky and Christmas seasons read. 

This was surprisingly something I really needed. It’s refreshingly cozy, and although that’s not something I ever go for, it was kind of a compulsive read for me. I let myself get sucked in, and the journey was pretty enjoyable. Holly returns home to her family tree farm in historic Mistletoe, Maine. While going through a serious breakup, this turns out to be just the atmosphere she needs as Christmastime is nigh. From tree decorating and snowball competitions, to horse drawn sleigh rides, this town’s magic could make anyone forget the bad. However, there’s a bit of a mixup as Holly comes across a body one night. The death, terrible on its own, now threatens her family business, the safety of the town, and perhaps even Holly’s life. 

Because this is supposed to be a kind of cozy and feel good read, it sort of just glosses over a lot of things. Holly was meant to get married this Christmas season, and although the breakup is the reason for her return home, there is next to zero grief in this novel. She’s much more interested in having fun, perhaps flirting with the new sheriff, and investigating the death on her own. There’s also multiple mentions of waking up and checking breath but zero mentions on showering? And the diabetic-inducing level diet these people have! 

Still, if you let yourself just be in the moment with the story, it’s a fun read. Kind of Hallmark movie like, especially with the romantic side story that read as much more the point of the novel than the murder. A Christmas romance with a dash of murder, but the twist wasn’t bad. Sadly though, this was missing 11 deaths to live up to its title. For me, the hardest part to believe was the author trying to convince us that a man with a Boston accent was an attractive thing… 

Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know by David Hone

informative

4.0

Huge thanks to Princeton University Press, NetGalley, and HighBridge Audio for the ARC. Graham Mack did a solid job, with a studious voice to match the subject matter. Although I wish I owned a physical so that I could have followed along with the examples! 

Every once in a while, I find myself in need of something nonfiction to really clean the palette. But if I can manage to do so while also learning about dinosaurs, that’s even better. So when I saw the audio on NetGalley, I had to request it. The thing that struck me first and foremost about this, was the author’s aim to give as realistic of a viewing of dinosaurs as possible. While the date of when the first dinosaur fossil was discovered is often debated, did you know that we’ve learned shockingly little since then? 

Of course for years people have heard that the dinosaurs on display in the Jurassic Park series are not entirely accurate. The type of raptors they claimed they were for example would be shorter and much more feathered apparently. Then there’s the even less believable movie, 65, starring Adam Driver, that not only showed a slew of dinosaurs together that were not even alive at the same time, but also seemingly made up their own as well. But did you know that shows the likes of Netflix’s Life On Our Planet, and Apple’s Prehistoric Planet aren’t entirely accurate either? 

Due to the fact that none of these creatures still exist, it means that none of them can ever truly be studied, and therefore scientists are left with tons of guess work, inferring, and extrapolating. Most of which, has lead to what is considered to be correct today, but as the author points out, could just as easily be disproved tomorrow. The author points out how Trex eggs and nests have never been found, so not only do we not truly know how they mated and reproduced, but we cannot truly know if they guarded their nests or protected their young. Nor can we know if a single parent stayed or both (something popularized in The Lost World…). It just goes to show how little we really know. Even the concepts on group behavior could easily be disproved as the author points out that we cannot even prove that this was standard practice, something coming together due to happenstance, or tracks fossilized over time that weren’t even a group, just different passerby. 

The author does a good job of displaying what we know and how we know it, while not knocking the thousands of others that have tried to learn more. As technology changes, and more fossils are inevitably discovered, that knowledge and guessing will continue on ad nauseam. It’s incredible to me just how much goes into, and how hard it is, being a scientist of any kind of. 

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison

challenging emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I’ve seen so many positive reviews for the author this year that I finally grabbed one of their books. I did the audio, and Kristen Sieh did a fantastic job with it. 

On the surface, this is the quintessential werewolf story. A mysterious attack that ends in a bite. Strange healing, new appetite, an aversion to silver, and then of course, that first full moon, incredible pain, fur, and waking up bloody. But what the author has layered here is anything but typical. What could virtually function as a familial contemporary drama has been layered within this werewolf horror. Rory has returned home for a few months to help her twin sister out with the end of her pregnancy. She’s in need of something new, a change, a transformation, but the one she gets is anything but what she had in mind. And as she begins to work through the past she thought she had left behind, old friends and even old flings begin to make themselves known. 

An additional layer that I thoroughly enjoyed throughout was the novel’s humor. The author has imbued this story, and even some of its more serious moments with some really great, tongue-in-cheek turns. From Rory’s dark, sarcastic millennial attitude, to her almost entirely meat driven diet, there is a sense of comic relief even when the beats turn emotional. I think as a novel taking on the werewolf trope that was a really wise and well done choice. 

And while there are some darker notes here, especially those around sexual assault and compounded family trauma, the novel in essence is about bodily autonomy and choice. The mirroring of Rory losing her choice and freedom to this monstrous change to her sister’s fear and loss as she’s about to give birth and virtually have to completely relearn the idea of “self” really can’t be understated. The fact that they are twins, one with a past of trauma and the other without, really drives home that closeness as well. And together they learn that they can forgive and grow, to move forward. 

The romantic side story in this did move a bit fast, but when you keep in mind their past together, it’s pretty understandable. His ability to see past her imperfections, including the monthly side with fangs, ties back into choice and the ability to move on. I will definitely read more from the author!

The Umbrella Academy, Vol. 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Finally popped open my box set of Vol1-3. After finishing the show, I knew it was time to get to the source material finally. 

If anything, this comic is more off the rails than the show! Which does make sense, but the show was pretty out there to begin with. A group of babies are all born at the same time, mostly to women that were not noticeably pregnant beforehand. For some reason, Reginald Hargreaves sets out to adopt as many of them as he can, eventually succeeding with 7. As he raises them, it’s apparent that he doesn’t do so out of the kindness of his heart, as each child is only bestowed with a number as a name. And eventually he launching them as their own children led superhero group. It’s apparent that they have their own rogues gallery, as well as some serious successes (and losses, aka Ben) but this is focusing on the adult versions of them. 

00.05 has been stuck in the future, desperately trying to solve how to return. When he finally does, something wrong happens, and he is stuck inside his body from boyhood. His return is nothing if not timely, as they have just days to stop the end of the world. 

While much of this is like season 1 of the show, it differs in some subtle ways, and in some major ways when it comes to 00.07. There are some absolutely explosive and brutal panels in this, with blood and gore that surprised even me, and it was really cool to see them in full color (reading through TWD had the volumes’ covers in color, but the panels in black and white). The main thing that stood out to me was how much more of the characters you get in the show. There beats and banter is clearly taken from the source material, but its format doesn’t allow for them to open up as much, and that’s where the show really shone for me. But that is the necessary differences when you are reading short form, so I cannot wait to get into vol2 so that I can get into more of who they are. It’s such a fun read. 

Parthenogenesis by Stephen Graham Jones

adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

Grabbed this on kindle as soon as I saw it was being released. 

Two best friends have decided to move together. A fresh start in a new place, but at least they won’t be completely alone. But, of course they found a deal on the rental truck, and now it’s broken down. To kill time as they await the arrival of the mechanic, they come up with stories about the weird wood carving near them. A wolfbear with antlers, they make up reasons why it was wanted, how it was bid for and the job won, even how there was only a single tree available to make it. They really thought of everything…and wow the mechanic is really taking such a long time. 

As night arrives, the two take a peer-attended pee break (for safety), and the atmosphere continues to build as they get more freaked out by the minute. When they make it back to the truck, now their refuge, they find a brand new slushy—the same kind they shared earlier—right in the cupholder. From there, they get more and more freaked out as they begin to learn that maybe not everything they thought they’d made up was make believe. 

I enjoyed the relationship and banter between the friends, with whiplash quick dialogue from the author, and as a single location short story this was pretty enjoyable. With it being so short, the ‘build up’ of atmosphere is a little thin, but the ending was certainly creepy. 

Beyond the Creek by Nico Bell

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Loved the red and yellow of the cover, so I had to get myself a paperback for this one. 

Alex is down on her luck, running away from her abusive boyfriend, and looking for a place to stay while she makes some money. With an incoming baby, she really needs to find someplace safe and quick. As the caregiver to a stroke patient, and with only mildly forged credentials, Alex begins to settle into a new role. But as the blanket of false security begins to settle over her, things begin to show themselves as anything but what they originally appeared. I loved how the granddaughter pulled at Alex’s heartstrings, appealing to her better nature, as she was trying to survive abuse already herself. For me it made it all more believable. 

The opening of this for me felt very reminiscent of Riley Sager’s The Only One Left, with its down on her luck main character that’s forced into a perhaps less than desirable role in order to make ends meet. From there it diverges as this creeping, atmospheric blend of horror and mythology, that makes for one hell of a creature feature. The author uses beautifully (and horrifically) described features for the creatures and their shifting that had my skin crawling. And the tie back in the end was one I was begging the author to do! 

While I did feel a bit like this closed up within only a few pages that could have perhaps been more climactic—IE the robed sisterhood could have been a bit more included—this did include several edge of your seat beats that kept me itching to get back to reading after my lunch break had ended. 

The Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond

challenging tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Helen McAlpine once again knocks it out of the park. The quality of the voices done is incredible. 

Taking place right after the first, Saralene has to deal with the curses of her predecessor in a trial that leads her to the underworld. As the blurb states this is a mix of Orpheus and A Natural History of Dragons, with a vivid and bustling depiction of life after death. For some reason, underworld scenes always bring to mind the number taking scene from Beetlejuice, and while this novella doesn’t depict the souls there as horrific/harmed beings, there still is that added layer where you know they’re dead in the back of your mind. 

The biggest plot point that gets moved along here is the relationship budding between Saralene and her protector, Maddileh. As her champion, they shouldn’t be seen together in that light, but as they go through twists and turns in the underworld, literally fighting for survival, sometimes plans go belly up, and the only thing left to embrace is those you truly love. 

The sequel also continued the trend of the first with epigraph-like chapters giving the world lore and background information for the story. While these worked a bit less for me this time around, as I felt like they take up just as much space as the actual story, I still found the novella to be enjoyable overall. I think the main thing that stood out to me is how straightforward everything is. With it being short, there’s little room for deliberation or thought, and everything happens in a sometimes too neat row, including the combat beats. However, if you found enjoyment in the first, you absolutely will enjoy the sequel. 

Loreland Bestiary: An Illustrated Mythology of the World's Most Fantastical Creatures by Hope Christofferson

adventurous informative lighthearted relaxing

5.0

Thanks so much to Page Street Publishing for the physical ARC. This is the type of thing that HAS to be read in a physical form!

A truly magical and vivid read that mixes the fantastical with mythology and history. This collection of mythological creatures will have you drooling with its in-depth creature designs, its watercolor beauty, and its heavily researched yet inventive histories for each being. There’s something so special about how deeply magic this feels while also somehow feeling grounded in our world history. I thoroughly enjoyed how different cultures and parts of the world were portrayed has different relatives/branches of creatures, with none of them being depicted as first or more real. 

The author delivers this beauty in parts. From creatures of the air, sea, forests, and the plains, this showcases just how wide the range of creation is in this world. While dragons will always be a personal favorite, it’s crazy to me just how many kinds of flying mythological beasts exist, and just how different they can be. I kept thinking while reading through these how so many different places in the world shared some of the same depictions and ideas and yet we’re to believe none of these existed?! 

I feel like this book will scratch the itch for those that were upset by the direction the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series went. It’s educational, with tidbits from the author and other ‘mythologists’ that have evidence of, or are lacking it, to prove or disprove previous conceptions or claims. It really is such a fun and unique read. Fantasy and mythology fans will love it, and with its vivid imagery and coloration, so will children. 

Now, and the Hour of Death by Karen Lykkebo

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Didn’t quite make this one fit into October, but the beginning of November is just as good! 

This is a collection of 5 short stories that the cover boasts will be eerie, tragic & macabre. The author certainly delivers, and what I liked the most is how each has at least some kind of small twist that is unexpected, even if the subject matter is something we’ve seen before. 

A group of three grave robbers find more than they bargained for in the basement of an abandoned church. Two lovers, destined to be pulled apart, will do anything for their love of each other and their home to stay intact. Two survivors during a zombie apocalypse take in a final sunset together. An occult specialist is hired to remove an entity from the beach, and having never failed before, they figure it’ll be run of the mill. A serial killer that’s anything but a newbie is being followed, or haunted, by more than just his victim. 

I enjoyed each story and I look forward to reading something in a longer form by the author. The story about the lovers brought to mind the spooky house vibes of like Crimson Peak or The Little Stranger, with that willingness to hold on that was almost Hocus Pocus-y. The zombie apocalypse story had unique zombies that definitely felt like the demons from the new movie Azrael that I quite enjoyed. A worthy one to pick up for a quick read! 

Gone to the Dogs by Mark Towse

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Needed a kindle read to finish off October, and decided to give Mark another read! 

A small harbor town has slowly been sinking into mundanity. The residents that remain have little hopes that the town will continue to survive at the rate things are going. The pub is closing and people are giving up. So when a hole opens up in the ground, spewing a thick mist while the sky rains blood, no one has any idea where to go. And the town’s dog population goes nuts, howling and baying at the phenomenon. 

I really enjoyed how the story opens with super short character chapters, giving us their names, personalities, where they are at on the street, and a bit of their opinions on the other residents. It felt like a great pace and a solid way to give us an intro to the multi-POV quickly. I did worry a bit when things picked up when the chapters started combining POVs, however the characters quickly end up in one location, so it’s not an issue. 

Very reminiscent of Stephen King’s the Mist, however instead of a supermarket, our cast of characters find themselves in the soon-to-be-closed pub together. And unlike The Mist’s biblical horrors, Gone to the Dogs’ eerie pit and mist spit out horrors from each character’s past. And while Towse does do a fantastic job of building the tension and anxiety of his cast, the main difference between the two is this groups ability to remain a singular unit, solidarity until the very end. 

That positivity and collective made this a really strong read for me. There was one point early on where the group shares a laugh. The author makes a point to say that it drew them closer together, growing their bond through happenstance, and I remember thinking that it was a really important scene to include. My only gripe, though tiny, is that with it being a novella, the reader themselves doesn’t really feel that much for each of them by that point. 

Out of the pit of horrors, what would go too far? A dark past with a family pet, an enemy soldier from a war long ago, a drug deal gone wrong, an abusive husband and a pregnancy scare are all things that could pop out of the pit. What’s your dark past, what could come crawling back for you?