dr_dr_olshakes's reviews
120 reviews

The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins

dark funny mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Aside from the occasional lore dump, I quite liked this! Striking original (at least from my own catalog), with layered, interesting, idiosyncratic characters. The blood and guts did a lot for me, especially coupled with earnestness. As mentioned, a few lore dumps did bring things to a grinding halt on occasion, and the ending was...kind of abrupt? Not quite anticlimactic, but definitely not the strongest. Over all, though, high marks and a treat for anyone who finds magic in books.

Fangs by Richard Forsythe

challenging dark medium-paced

3.0

Read exactly like watching a sleezy exploitation 80s horror movie. Some real Motel Hell stuff. Kissing cousins with Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Icky, nasty, gnaw-erly, trashy (honorific). Not very good, but if you're craving Castle Freak on the page, this is a good option. Goes hard on the metaphoric intimacy of cannibalism. Bad book (honorific). No notes. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Incest, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Kidnapping

The Deep by Nick Cutter
Did not finish book. Stopped at 65%.

If I wanted to read Stephen King (and I often do), I would read Stephen King. Cutter's characters, the inner monologs, the style of scares are all so King-y, but missing that crucial je ne sais pas that the Ol Daddy of Horror has. 

It's a shame because there were a few plot threads I was interested in, but the libby hold was up and I don't think I care enough to place it on hold again. 

Immortal Pleasures by V. Castro

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

A concept so good and absurd that is completely squandered by, well, butter in the butt and jumpscare Judas Iscariot. 

All Hallows by Christopher Golden

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

All the trappings of a Hulu original horror movie (derogatory)

Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was one of my most anticipated novels. I loved La Hacienda, and expected to love this one. I didn't, though I eventually came around and did enjoy the latter third. 

Much like La Hacienda, this novel situates itself in the historical context of the Mexican-American war, a time period rife with horror. I love how interested the author is in this era and their deployment of the supernatural to explore it. I especially appreciate any book that understands how fucked up the Texas Rangers were (and still are). I hesitate to call it a twist, but I loved the reveal of the vampires' true nature. 

But holy guacamole, that first half is hard to get through. Nestor and Nena just talk in circles about their "miscommunication" over and over.

She literally tells him that him thinking she was dead for 9 years wasnt a good enough reason for him to have abandoned her.

The setting and plot, and some of the characters, are so rich but it all gets bogged down by the author's inability to let them talk about anything else.

I quite enjoyed Nestor's POV, but his blind devotion in the first half was frustrating. Nena had interesting and complex motivations, but was also at times incredibly annoying and stubborn. Eventually though, they moved on to other topics of conversation, the vampires and Texas rangers became more prominent, and the book really picked itself up. It does all end up in a too-quick nicely tied bow, but I can live with that. 

Overall, I came around to it in the end, but I am bummed that this book didn't live up to my hopes. 

The Wicked and the Willing by Lianyu Tan

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

It is both somehow too dark and too saccharine, and most importantly, utterly predictable. 

Despite the multiple endings (an eye-rolling gimmick especially since there is clearly a correct answer), this book ends exactly how you think it will. It pretends to be a love triangle but it's really more of a heavy focus on one relationship and then a character will momentarily be reminded that the third person is hot. 

A book that deals with as much dark content as this book does really, really, really should not be this boring. 

Chlorine by Jade Song

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

Unfortunately, I think this would have been a great short story. It's only an okay novel. There's not enough substance to support the wait until the mermaid tail (which was an admittedly terrific moment), and I found Cathy's POV to be utterly unnecessary. Great concept, wish it was shorter. The horror would have been more impactful. 

The Spite House by Johnny Compton

challenging dark sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A really solid haunted house story! I love how subtle some of the house's influence was, and how well that emphasized when the house was really doing its work. 

I also found the exploration of rage (and spite) quite interesting. What is the use of anger, what is it cost, and what it it's worth? The same thing with fear. I'm thinking explicitly of Grandpa Fred's use of anger to ignite fear in others and get his way, as paired with the house's anger and the fear that engenders in Eunice. Anger is so tempting, and can have such a strong impact, and sometimes, in this book, the cost is worth it. 

I'm very fond of haunted house stories, and I loved this book's approach to the concept!

Motherthing by Ainslie Hogarth

challenging dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Easiest five stars of my life. It's got everything I could ever want in a novel. It's gross, and weird, and sincere, and grotesque, and obsessed with motherhood, witty dialogue, interesting prose, the metaphoric intimacy of cannibalism, a dissection of heterosexual marriage, trauma exploration, nasty psychic scenes, ghosts and metaphoric ghosts, couchy mother thing, fascinating character work, and did I mention that it was weird and gross? I loved it. I want to read this book a thousand times.