Category: Blog

Book Review: Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica

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Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.

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Release Date: August 4, 2020

Publisher: Scribner

Price: $14.40 (paperback)

Plot Summary:

His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.

Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.

Grade: A-

Review:

This book had Under the Skin vibes, and that was exactly why I chose to read it. If you can’t handle brutal acts of violence, then this book won’t be for you. But if you love dystopian societies then you may want to check this one out. We’re introduced to Marcos, who’s in the business of slaughtering humans ever since a virus has contaminated all the animals and can no longer provide humans the protein they once did. In fact, in this new world, all animals have been destroyed, and the world is silent. Marcos is still reeling from his son’s death, and only continues to work at the slaughterhouse because it’s what he’s best at, and needs the money to keep his dad who’s afflicted with dementia in a retirement home. But, he’s never consumed the new “special meat” himself. In fact, when he’s gifted a female head (as humans that are raised to be livestock are called), he begins to see her humanity.

This book can be triggering for some people (especially if you hate violence directed towards animals and can’t stomach descriptions of people eating humans). I enjoyed the book (although enjoyed probably isn’t the right term cause that’s going to make me sound like a sociopath), but I did like that the author pushed boundaries and made you question what exactly makes us decide that certain animals are deemed worthy of consuming and which ones are considered worth saving.

This is a brutal book, read it if you can deal with violence and triggering events, or you enjoyed Under the Skin.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Scribner for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Happy New Year & 2021 Goals

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Although 2020 will definitely go under as one of the toughest years all of us had to live through in our lifetimes (and that’s saying a lot living in a post 9/11 world and economic meltdown of 2008 in which most of us are still trying to recover from). But for some creatives this year of solitude has somehow ignited a fire. And although I haven’t been in lockdown due to my job’s office being open throughout the whole pandemic, I suppose the possible threat to my own mortality and desire to hide away in a daydreams is what has turned out to be one of the most prolific years for me in terms of my writing.

What I accomplished in 2020

*Released Strange Girls: Women in Horror in February

*Some Kind of Monster will be published in Unburied 2021

*Baby Teeth was published in Midnight in the Pentagram for Silver Shamrock Publishing

*One for the Money, Two for the Show appeared in the Crystal Lake Publishing contest Summer 2020

*Boys of Summer will be published in 2021

*Fragile Fruit was published in Running Wild Stories in June 2020, and was also nominated for a Pushcart Award Prize 2020

*Lost Girls Go Everywhere: Poetry & Prose was released in October 2020

*Silent Ivy Hotel made the final Top Ten cut for a short story contest (still waiting for final results)

*I wrote over 15 new short stories

*I began writing a screenplay Terror! about the French Revolution

2021 Goals

*Complete my screenplay Terror!

*Complete my horror novella I Want Candy

*Finish editing Girl that You Fear for the nth time

*Read at least 50 books (I read only 46 this yr)

*Release Tainted Love: Women in Horror Anthology on February 16, 2021

*Be more active on Instagram (create more content)

*Maybe put together a collection of my short stories

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR?

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Top Ten Books I Read in 2020

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I should begin this by stating that this isn’t a list of books that were released in 2020, but books that I read in 2020 and enjoyed, which goes to say that some may have been released before this year, during this year, and some will be released next year. Having stated that, WHEW! I’ve survived 2020, thankfully, still healthy and somewhat mentally intact, although I must admit that finding solace in books and my writing has been a saving grace for me. This book list are the Top Ten Books I loved reading this year, and as you can tell the titles span across genres. Many of these titles I reviewed so this post will be filled with lots of links if you’re interested in learning more about them!

ONE. THE LIVING DEAD BY GEORGE A. ROMERO & DANIEL KRAUS

This was my absolute favourite book of the year! And not because it was about zombies or had horrific gore (it had both) but mostly because of the humanity and characters I found in this novel that I haven’t found in other books before. I loved everything about this book, and am saddened that George A. Romero passed away before he could see it in print.

TWO. TIGERS NOT DAUGHTERS BY SAMANTHA MABRY

I love, love, loved the Torres sisters! The book had the vibes of The Virgin Suicides but with a ghostly slant to it. I can’t recommend this book enough. I was lucky enough that I not only read an early ARC of this book, but the publishers then sent me a hardcover copy.

THREE. OPEN BOOK BY JESSICA SIMPSON

I’m not a fan of Jessica’s music, nor was I a fan of her reality show on MTV, The Newly Weds, however, I do enjoy Jessica as a clothes designer, and now after reading the book, even as a person. If you’re going to read a celebrity biography, I totally recommend this one, especially if you were a teen in the late 90’s since she talks about all the celebrities that were en vogue back then. Spoiler alert: John Mayer has always been a jerk.

FOUR. THE VINYL UNDERGROUND BY ROB RUFUS

This is another book that had a TON of soul. The setting is during the Vietnam War and now, in modern times we know how futile that war is so the fact that our protagonist has already lost a brother to the war and he himself may be drafted too, makes the reader feel this sense of unease throughout the whole novel. I loved the friendships in this book, they were credible and filled with so much heart.

FIVE. SURVIVOR SONG BY PAUL TREMBLAY

In a year where we’re still battling with a pandemic, Temblay’s novel about a virus may not seem like the best book to read in 2020. However, what’s amusing is seeing that the way he thought some humans and politicians would react to a pandemic, were a little too spot on at times.

SIX. THE BLACK KIDS BY CHRISTINA HAMMONDS REED

The year is early 90’s during the Rodney King riots. In 2020, it would’ve thought that such things would’ve been past us, however, after George Floyd’s death sparked worldwide protests and invigorated the Black Lives Matter movement, you soon feel like some things haven’t quite become past yet, and are still our present and must be dealt with.

SEVEN. THE PROJECT BY COURTNEY SUMMERS

A survivor of trauma collides paths with an enigmatic and charismatic cult leader, and soon neither of their lives will ever be the same again. This book will tear you apart.

EIGHT. INTO THE FOREST AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH BY CYNTHIA PELAYO

If you’re a fan of true crime, then you might want to pick up this poetry collection where each poem is dedicated to a girl that has gone missing. Some of these girls have been missing for more than forty years while others have recently gone missing. Reader take caution, this book will gut you open.

NINE. DARLING ROSE GOLD BY STEPHANIE WROBEL

If you loved The Act, that chronicled the life of Gypsy Rose, then you’re going to love this novel. A mother and daughter with a conflicted relationship, mirrors the one depicted in The Act, only on steroids. It’s a fun ride.

TEN. UNBOXED BY BRIANA MORGAN

A v-logger gets tempted by the dark web, only to find out that the mystery box he has ordered will bring about sinister things. A fast-paced fun read!

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Farewell, Daria

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On November 26, 2020, acclaimed horror actress, Daria Nicolodi passed away. I wanted to write a tribute to her, and originally, this tribute shouldn’t have come after her death. A couple of months ago, after exchanging a few tweets with Daria, she started following me on Twitter. I was planning on writing a feature about her for The Inkblotters to appear during February 2021 for Women in Horror Month which would’ve included an interview with the beautiful and enigmatic actress. However, in November she passed away and not only did we lose an amazing actress and voice for the horror genre, but I felt like I also lost an almost friend.

Daria was an avid reader and trailblazing feminist and I found myself talking to her about books on many occasions. She was also very intelligent and a creative in her own right, despite the fact that many have always sidelined her as Dario Argento’s sidekick. What some people may not know is that it wasn’t Argento who came up with the plot for the internationally successful cult film Suspiria, but Daria herself. She helped Argento pen the script for the film after she told him that her grandmother had been sent to a very prestigious boarding school, only to find out that Black Magic was practiced there, and thus the students were then sent back home. Inspired by both by the anecdote and their extensive travels throughout Europe, the duo decided to write a script together. In fact, Suspiria initially, was written to feature young girls, and not teenagers. But the fact that producers didn’t want to invest in a movie about little girls getting killed, the couple decided to make them older. But both Daria and Argento never revised the script’s dialogue, which is why sometimes the characters in the movie sound too childish for their ages. Suspiria is often dubbed to be Argento’s masterpiece, and he’s often praised for it, but few know or praise the real mastermind behind the film’s plot and that’s a tragedy.

Not only did Daria have starring roles in many of Dario Argento’s best films, she also helped change the face of horror forever. She was the one to suggest to Argento to use the band Goblin to score Profondo Rosso, which would later thrive in the scores for Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead, and Beyond the Darkness among others.

Italian horror isn’t known to be kind to its female characters, but Daria revolutionized the way we’d ever see females in horror ever again. She had a disarming charm, sex appeal, and intelligence to her that she quickly captivated audiences. It’s easy to think about the males of horror when we think about the masters of horror, but to deny Daria Nicolodi’s contributions to horror is to deny a whole revolution. She innovated the horror genre in ways others that have come after her haven’t been able to do.

Getting to know her on a personal level this past year was both illuminating and gratifying. This is why her death hit me hard and why I found it difficult to find the words to write about her. These words aren’t perfect, far from it, but I’m hoping that it will inspire you to want to watch her films because she’s got the presence of a true star. From her big sultry eyes to her beautiful smile, anytime Daria’s onscreen you know that you won’t be able to look beyond her because she is the focal point, no matter what horrors are happening.

Farewell, Daria, maybe in another lifetime our friendship will have the time to blossom, but I’m grateful for the seedling that I received because to know you was to know a true star. You are missed.

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Poetry: Unwanted Memories

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Photo by Fillipe Gomes on Pexels.com

I removed your mark from my skin,

They gave me pills to forget.

I begged the stars to stop

spelling your name

But they’re cruel,

So I blinded myself instead.

There’s peace in darkness.

**

Did you enjoy this poem? You can find this poem and many others in Lost Girls Go Everywhere: Poetry & Prose on Amazon!

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Book Review: We Are Wolves – A Horror Anthology

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Once upon a time, there was a woman, and she was tired.

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Release Date: December 4, 2020

Publisher: Burial Day Books

Price: $13.99 (paperback)

Plot Summary:

Tired of pushing. Tired of being pushed. Tired of feeling alone. Tired of so much.

So she gathered together a pack of wolves, a band of mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, partners, friends, lovers, survivors, victors and brilliant, shining things, and she told them to sing.

And sing they did.

Grade: A-

Review:

From the very beginning this anthology packs a punch. Gemma Amor’s introduction is both brutally honest and harrowing but gives the reader insight into what they’re going to expect from the stories found within this anthology. Many new talents from the horror community are found within its pages, and if you follow the new voices, you’ll be pleased by what they have to offer. The stories range from murder, revenge, sci-fi, and body horror, but what they all have in common is the will of the protagonists to rise above their adversaries and take hold of their narrative. I really enjoyed this collection and the proceeds of the sales go to charities involving survivors of sexual assault and abuse, so essentially it’s a win-win situation.

Standouts: The Black Wall Paper by Cynthia Pelayo, Though Your Heart is Breaking by Laurel Hightower, Angel by Gemma Amor, A Key For Any Lock by S.H. Cooper, and Doll House by Red Lagoe.

I recommend picking this book up if you’re a fan of horror and women-driven stories, you won’t be disappointed.

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Review: Glossier – Balm Dotcom

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What It Is: Lipbalm

What It Does: Moisturizes and conditions lips.

Active Ingredients: Castor Oil, Beeswax, and Lanolin

Verdict: I’m a lipbalm addict and that means that nothing excites me more than to try out new lipbalms. What it also means is that I’m very picky when it comes to lipbalms. From previous blog posts you’ll notice that I’ve tried out other products from Glossier and for the most part have enjoyed them very much. This is probably why it’s taken me awhile before I decided to try their lipbalms, because I was certain that I was going to love it and feared that it’d be yet another product of theirs that I wouldn’t be able to live without. But Black Friday sales meant that I was tempted to give this product a spin, and I do love the way this balm feels on my lips. It’s like being hugged by an ultra soft pillow. If you’re incredibly pale-lipped as myself, then the cherry version that I selected will offer you a hint of colour. The balm is rich and leaves lips feeling very, very soft. It also doesn’t dry up right away (meaning it’ll feel soft on your lips for a few hours so you don’t have to constantly reapply). Right now with So-Cal Saint Ana winds making the weather be extra dry, this lipbalm has been a restorative godsend. If you live in cold climates you might want to make this your staple lipbalm, at least during the winter months. The only downfall of this incredibly amazing lipbalm is its retail price. But hey, no one is perfect.

Price: $12

Where To Buy It: https://www.glossier.com/

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Film Review: Antebellum

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The past never stays in the past…..

I went into watching this film with a bit of misguidance, as I was convinced that the movie was based off of Octavia E. Butler’s novel, Kindred. In Butler’s novel, the protagonist Dana, a writer, time travels from her present in Los Angeles, to a slavery era Maryland. Antebellum, much like Butler’s novel, depicts the protagonist Veronica to also be a writer and who also finds herself living during the slavery era South (Louisiana in this case). The plots are very similar, that it’s a honest mistake that I thought Antebellum was an adaptation of Butler’s novel.

The movie’s twist, though, is much more chilling than time travel. And that’s all I can say without landing in the *spoilers* realm.

First of all, let me say what I liked about this movie, because I was left with very conflicting feelings. This was Janelle Monae’s first lead role, and to say that she rocked it, is an understatement. Her performance was very emotional and you can’t help but to root for her character, Veronica (but who is also referred to as Eden by the slave owners). I also loved seeing Gabourey Sidibe being her sassy classy self in the role of Veronica’s best friend, Bridget. I would’ve loved to have seen more scenes with her, as she’s always been a favourite of mine since AHS:Coven. The third standout role went to Jena Malone. I’ve always liked her and she’s always proved to be very talented, but lately, she’s really upping her game in these new villainous roles. In Neon Demon she was absolutely evil, but here in Antebellum she isn’t only evil, but incredibly chilling. I kid you not, anytime she was in a scene she managed to create more unease in the viewer and feeling of anxiousness than if a typical Hollywood monster or Boogie man had been in her place. Yes, I’m totally saying that Jena Malone will scare the fuck out of you more than Michael Meyers ever could.

Now, I know the movie was directed by an interracial gay couple, so theoretically both guys could’ve been capable of giving characters of both races (black and white) a more nuanced edge to their characters. But sometimes, they failed. As much as I love Gabourey Sidibe, her character Bridget was very stereotypical “loud Black woman.” Which isn’t bad per se, but in a movie that heavily deals with racism, then showing stereotypical Black characters we’ve seen again and again in both film and novels, wasn’t a bit of a let down. My second issue with the film is that yes, it’s a horror movie, but the horror portrayed in the film was mostly based around Black suffering, pain, and traumas, and to parade that pain for entertainment purposes without a true message or call to action at the end, well, then it just leaves you feeling uneasy (especially when the images of violence are very disturbing).

Overall, the film could’ve been better executed and I would’ve liked the world building surrounding the plot to have been more so, because once the twist takes place, then you’re left questioning the motives and actions of everyone involved.

Watch this movie if you want, I checked it out because I was curious and because I erroneously thought it was based on Butler’s novel.

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Review: Dermelect Self Esteem Beauty Sleep Serum

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What It Is: Highly concentrated multi-tasking exfloliator.

What It Does: Unclogs pores, diminishes the appearance of fine lines and lightens up dark spots.

Active Ingredients: Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, and Vitamin C

Verdict: I love how this serum works, it feels very soft when I put it on and it has helped control the amount of oiliness I have in my skin. My mother also used it and was very happy with the effects (she says it helped with dark spots, I can’t really say since I don’t have any). But overall, I did notice that my skin felt healthier overall. The only thing that both my mum and I weren’t a fan of, is the product’s scent. For some reason it smells like putting on rubbing alcohol on your face, it’s very potent, but luckily it dies down. I would’ve preferred this if it were scentless, but since it does work overall, I can’t be too mad.

Price: $43

Where To Buy It: https://dermelect.com/

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Book Review: Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett

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Be careful of who you befriend….

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Release Date: November 10, 2020

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Price: $16.39 (hardcover)

Plot Summary:

College life isn’t what Emily expected. She expected to spend freshman year strolling through the ivy-covered campus with new friends, finally feeling like she belonged. Instead, she walks the campus alone, still not having found her place or her people so far away from home. But then the Kingdom finds her.

The Kingdom, an exclusive on-campus group, offers everything Emily expected out of college and more: acceptance, friends, a potential boyfriend, and a chance to spend the summer on a mission trip to Italy. But the trip is not what she thought it would be. Emily and the others are stripped of their passports and money. They’re cut off from their families back home. The Kingdom’s practices become increasingly manipulative and dangerous…

And someone ends up dead.

Grade: B-

Review:

The first half of the novel had me really captivated and interested in wanting to know exactly how someone gets sucked into a cult without knowing it until it’s too late. Emily is lonely, and it isn’t until she meets members of the Kingdom, does she finally feels like she belongs. I know a lot of people mention the fact that the other half of the book takes place in Italy as being interesting, but honestly, the characters barely come into contact with any Italians and stay cooped up in an old villa the whole time, that they might as well have been anywhere in the world, the location didn’t really matter.

Now, for the cult leader, we only got to meet him once and we don’t know much about him at all. In fact, we don’t even know if he’s the one spinning the lies or if it’s his followers as we never see him again. Secondly, two people end up dead in this novel and we don’t ever get full closure about them as their deaths are classified as accidental (yet the circumstances are so fishy that the reader knows it was murder but we can only suspect who it is but never get a definite answer).

The last portion of the book was the least interesting to me. Without the cult and the cult members with her, Emily was a dull character.

I do appreciate the book for being a cautionary message to teenagers facing living alone for the very first time and trying to fit in and thus should be wary of the people they befriend. I remember seeing a lot of Christian based groups in college trying to recruit more members (and maybe some of these groups are cults) but I never got involved as I try to steer clear of people who seem unhinged when it comes to religion.

I do recommend the book and maybe you may enjoy it more than I did, but I was left with a bitter taste since none of my questions never got answered and I don’t know if that was due to the author trying to keep it a mystery or if was due to lazy writing. Either way, it didn’t bond well with me.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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