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Book Review: Monstrilio by Gerardo Samano Cordova

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I wanted to eat them all…

PLOT SUMMARY

Grieving mother Magos cuts out a piece of her deceased eleven-year-old son Santiago’s lung. Acting on fierce maternal instinct and the dubious logic of an old folktale, she nurtures the lung until it gains sentience, growing into the carnivorous little Monstrilio she keeps hidden within the walls of her family’s decaying Mexico City estate. Eventually, Monstrilio begins to resemble the Santiago he once was, but his innate impulses—though curbed by his biological and chosen family’s communal care—threaten to destroy this fragile second chance at life.

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

What’s there not to like about this book? It was a beautiful family drama with hints of Gothic horror almost. When two parents lose their only child at a young age, the mother, Magos, simply can’t grieve the same way her husband does, and decides to go back to Mexico City. Once there, her mother’s housekeeper tells her a tale of how someone was able to get back someone they lost, and Magos takes that to heart. This is when the story truly takes off, and we’ll go on a journey with this family over the years and over various cities such as Mexico City, New York City, and Berlin. I loved that the book was written from the POV of four different characters, and it wasn’t in alternated chapters, no, you spent several years with each character and you go to see how they grew and how they felt. This was a really moving story, and I love how the “monster” in question wasn’t shown to be evil but at the same time, he couldn’t shirk away from his true nature. This is a beautiful tale of unconditional love, grief, loss, and family. I absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves quirky, dark films but with heart, such as Edward Scissorhands.

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

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Book Review: The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

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Such a pair we make. I don’t know what I’m going to do either, what with the kingdom being eaten to nothing.

PLOT SUMMARY

You may think you know how the fairy tale goes: a mermaid comes to shore and weds the prince. But what the fables forget is that mermaids have teeth. And now, her daughters have devoured the kingdom and burned it to ashes.

On the run, the mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own. Deep in the eerie, snow-crusted forest, the pair stumble upon a village of ageless children who thirst for blood, and the three “saints” who control them.

The mermaid and her doctor must embrace the cruelest parts of their true nature if they hope to survive.

GRADE: C-

REVIEW

I truly wanted to love this novella, because I’m a huge fan of mermaids in general and the premise sounded so damn exhilarating and dark. However, same as the previous book I read from this author, Nothing But Blackened Teeth, the purple prose made the reading experience truly tedious. Yes, I can understand trying to make the text sound old-timey when the protagonists are a killer mermaid and Plague Doctor, but one can do that without continually using words that are obscure to mean simple concepts. If there were a few thrown in the text it wouldn’t be so terrible, but the fact that the short novella was littered with them, it truly took away from the reading experience. I will say that I loved the ending and it truly aches me that the novella was kind of dull until then. This novella could’ve been so much more, especially if it hadn’t begun in medias res, but we would’ve gotten a bit more history or flashbacks of what went on prior to the mermaid running away with the Plague Doctor. The ending was truly beautiful and it’s sad that this story couldn’t have been so much more. The author is talented and has excellent ideas, but executing them seems to be an issue. I don’t know if I’ll read another work from this author since this is the second one I’ve read and wasn’t truly a fan. Maybe I’m not the right audience, but many people who love horror did enjoy this novella, so I don’t want to discourage you from checking it out.

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

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Review: Kate Somerville +Retinol Vitamin C Moisturizer

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What It Is: A retinol and Vitamin-C-infused moisturizer that visibly smooths, hydrates, and brightens for radiant, refreshed skin.

What It Does: Resurfaces, firms, and brightens skin during sleep.

Active Ingredients: Retinol, Vitamin-C, and Wild Gooseberry Extract

Verdict: I’m a big fan of Kate Somerville skincare products because not only are they effective but have some of the best ingredients for your skin. This moisturizer is no different. From the very first moment that I applied this I was in LOVE. The texture is rich and hydrating but also lightweight and not greasy. I saw results within a few days where small dark spots from previous blemishes visibly vanished and helped even out my skintone. I know it’s on the pricier side, but at the same time, it’s very effective and you only need a dime-size amount for your whole face. I highly recommend adding this moisturizer as a step in your night time skincare routine.

Price: $110

Where To Buy It: Sephora, https://www.katesomerville.com/

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Book Review: Narcissus by Adam Godfrey

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If the remainder of your life was only as long as your ability to avoid your own reflection, how long would you last?

PLOT SUMMARY:

An hour? A day? Perhaps a week?

It’s been said that at the core of every legend lies a seed of truth. For four American tourists vacationing in Greece, this is a lesson learned the hard way.

When the group sets out to find a subterranean pool that’s rumored to be the one by which the demi-god Narcissus once wasted away in self-obsession, what started as a fun excursion quickly escalates into a full-blown nightmare. After looking into the waters of the pool, they come to find their own reflections have become infected by an ancient evil. As they’re picked off one-by-one by a malevolence that resides in the reflective world, those remaining race to find a way to bring the nightmare to an end before it takes them all.

In the meantime, all they’ll have to do is avoid their own reflections.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW:

I’ve always been a big fan of Greek mythology, so I was totally pulled into the premise of this novella. What I love best about novellas is that we’re pulled right into the action, the friends are looking for a secret cave that has the famous waters that Narcissus gazed upon. Only these waters are cursed, and the four friends soon find out that going there was a huge mistake. The deaths were really gory and I liked the myth behind the reasoning as to how the curse worked. I can see this novella becoming a horror movie, it would be cool to see, especially one death in particular that was the most extreme/gory and happened at the beach. This is a fast-paced horror that explores insecurities that we all may have, through the lens of a curse and the demi-god Narcissus. A must for fans of Greek mythology and vacation horror.

*Thank you so much to Night Worms and Shortwave publisher for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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3 Horror Poetry Books to Read During Poetry Month

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CRIME SCENE by CYNTHIA PELAYO

Cynthia Pelayo sings a song for the least of us, the victim we want to forget as soon as possible, the one who disappeared before ever really appearing. With a fairy tale gaze and a heart bigger than the world, her siren song insinuates itself past our defenses, past the hardened calluses and apathy we’ve erected to protect ourselves from the everyday horror of another missing girl.

Pelayo relates the familiar story, poem by poem; a body is found, a brutal crime investigated, clues take us in circles, and lead us nowhere. We are on an epic journey, the hero’s journey, and it must play out to the end in all its painful, ticking moments. Pelayo imbues her hero, Agent K, with the entirety of our dedication and that crumb of hope we’ve been hiding, saving for later. We will need to save for years, for decades, if we want to come out the other side. The job takes its toll, the answers are never complete and whys fracture, crack and spread. Still there is no turning away. We must bear witness, though it changes and contorts us.

Fans of true crime will love this, although these poems are very heartbreaking and brutal.

LOVE FOR SLAUGHTER by SARA TANTLINGER

This debut collection of poetry from Sara Tantlinger takes a dark look at all the horrors of love, the pleasures of flesh, and the lust for blood. For discerning fans of the macabre, look no further than Love For Slaughter.

A must for readers who love their love poems with a dash of violence.

I AM NOT YOUR FINAL GIRL by CLAIRE C. HOLLAND

From Claire C. Holland, a timely collection of poetry that follows the final girl of slasher cinema – the girl who survives until the end – on a journey of retribution and reclamation. From the white picket fences of 1970s Haddonfield to the apocalyptic end of the world, Holland confronts the role of women in relation to subjects including feminism, sexuality, violence, and healing in the world of Trump and the MeToo movement. Each poem centers on a fictional character from horror cinema, and explores the many ways in which women find empowerment through their own perceived monstrousness.

Fans of slasher movies will love this collection of poetry about some of the most famous female horror icons.

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Book Review: For You and Only You by Caroline Kepnes

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“She is such a writer that she puts words in my mouth while I’m standing right here, rewriting life in real time, and no, she can’t do this to me, to us.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

Joe Goldberg is ready for a change. Instead of selling books, he’s writing them. And he’s off to a good start. Glenn Shoddy, an acclaimed literary author, recognizes Joe’s genius and invites him to join a tight-knit writing fellowship at Harvard. Finally, Joe will be in a place where talent matters more than pedigree . . . where intellect is the great equalizer and anything is possible. Even happy endings. Or so he thinks until he meets his already-published, already-distinguished peers, who all seem to be cut from the same elitist cloth.

Thankfully, Wonder Parish enters the picture. They have so much in common. No college degrees, no pretensions, no stories from prep school or grad school. Just a love for literature. If only Wonder could commit herself to the writing life, they could be those rare literary soulmates who never fall prey to their demons. Wonder has a tendency to love, to covet, but Joe is a believer in the rule of fiction: If you want to write a book, you have to kill your darlings.

With her trademark satirical, biting wit, Caroline Kepnes explores why vulnerable people bring out the worst in others as Joe sets out to make this small, exclusive world a fairer place. And if a little crimson runs in the streets of Cambridge . . . who can blame him? Love doesn’t conquer all. Often, it needs a little push.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW:

I’ve been a fan of Joe Goldberg since book one, and although he’s a crazy stalker serial killer, he’s also somewhat charming and hella funny. Not to mention that he seems to put himself in the craziest situations that offer a lot of dark humor. Now, Joe finds himself being the recipient of a writing fellowship at Harvard and instantly falls in love (as usual) with a fellow autodidact and fellowship classmate Wonder. Maybe I’m a little biased when it comes to this book being a writer myself, but I found so many things relatable to both the writing process and being in critique groups with other writers. I know non-writers may find some of the scenes boring, but I enjoyed the classroom scenes a lot. I’ll say that I was a little bummed at first thinking that Joe had turned over a new leaf and was giving up his murderous ways, however, he didn’t! Although, he didn’t kill as many people as he has in the past. I don’t know if I really liked his love interest Wonder that much, she was very family orientated, obsessed with her job at Dunkin’ Donuts, and didn’t seem to really care about her writing as much initially. And honestly, she never seemed that interested in Joe either. Then again, other than Love Quinn, I never felt like Joe’s love interests have really been that crazy about him. Having said that, I know the ending hinted at a certain type of ending, but I really hope that Joe decided to take a different approach and if there’s ever a sequel, I do hope to see a certain thriller writer in it! Sarah Beth was by far, the most interesting character in the whole bunch. My only gripe about the novel is that the True Crime podcast was only mentioned a few times and quickly forgotten so that plot wasn’t explored as much as I had hoped. This book didn’t have as many crazy plot twists as book three had, and at some point, the book did feel like it was dragging along for too long for no apparent reason. But I enjoy Joe, so I didn’t mind being in his head again for this adventure.

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

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Review: Milk Makeup Rise Mascara

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What It Is: A mascara that weightlessly lifts, lengthens, curls, and adds subtle volume for the most natural-looking lashes.

What It Does: Curls and lengthens.

Active Ingredients: Four vegan waxes wrap each lash for precise definition and weightless volume.

Verdict: Let me preface this by stating that I’m extremely picky when it comes to mascaras. Did this mascara perform the way it should’ve? Absolutely. It did curl and add lots of volume to my lashes, which I cannot deny, however, there were some things I wasn’t completely sold off on. First of all, the formula felt really dry – as in the mascara itself didn’t feel wet, so trying to maneuver the wand through the lashes wasn’t that easy, even because the wand’s bristles were the classic type and not spiky, so there were more instances of clumping. So, yes, I liked how my lashes looked overall with this mascara but the application wasn’t as satisfying because the formula felt so dry and not hydrated at all. If you’re going to purchase mascara from Milk, I would recommend their Kush, mascara instead. I think that one is infinitely better.

Price: $28

Where To Buy It: Sephora, Milk.com, and Ulta

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Book Review: A Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnis

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In a small town, nothing stays buried.

PLOT SUMMARY:

A lifetime of hard work has put Lydia Chass on track to attend a prestigious journalism program and leave Henley behind—until a school error leaves her a credit short of graduating.

Bristal Jamison has a bad reputation and a foul mouth, but she also needs one more credit to graduate. An unexpected partnership forms as the two remake Lydia’s town history podcast to investigate the Long Stretch of Bad Days—a week when Henley was hit by a tornado, a flash flood, as well as its first, only, and unsolved murder.

As their investigation unearths buried secrets, some don’t want them to see the light. When the threats escalate, the girls have to uncover the truth before the dark history of Henley catches up with them.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW:

Mindy McGinnis has been an auto-buy for me ever since I read The Female of the Species and fell in love with her raw, unrelentless prose. I’ve followed her across genres and never have been let down. This was my first time receiving an ARC for a McGinnis novel and so I was very excited. Now, McGinnis is known for edgy novels where batshit crazy things happen and I dig that. Perhaps because her latest novel last year was The Last Laugh (which was incredibly crazy and awesome), this novel was more of a slowburn thriller mystery. However, it did have the usual McGinnis quirky characters (we all stan Bristal and the cat Uneven Steven) so it was still a fun ride.

Every small town has its secrets, and Henley does too. Aspiring journalist Lydia and Bristal partner together when they both find out they’re missing a credit in order to graduate. They decide to do a podcast together that will have them investigate what exactly happened during the “stretch of bad days” when a tornado hit the town and a girl went missing. But trying to find out what happened during that time might end up being more dangerous than both teens had bargained for. The mystery was compelling and the characters were worth rooting for. If you love mysteries, small-town thrillers, and true crime podcasts, then this novel is for you.

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

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Spotlight: This Isn’t Going to End Well by Daniel Wallace

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In this powerful memoir, the bestselling author of Big Fish tries to come to terms with the life and death of his multi-talented longtime friend and brother-in-law, who had been his biggest hero and inspiration, in a poignant, lyrical, and moving memoir.

If we’re lucky, we all encounter at least one person whose life elevates and inspires our own. For acclaimed novelist Daniel Wallace, he had one hero and inspiration for so much of what followed: his longtime friend and brother-in-law William Nealy. Seemingly perfect, impossibly cool, William was James Dean, Clint Eastwood, and MacGyver all rolled into one, an acclaimed outdoorsman, a famous cartoonist, an accomplished author, a master of all he undertook, William was the ideal that Daniel sought to emulate. 
 
But when William took his own life at age 48, Daniel was left first grieving, and then furious with the man who broke his and his sister’s hearts. That anger led him to commit a grievous act of his own, a betrayal that took him down a dark path into the tortured recesses of William’s past. Eventually, a new picture of William emerged, of a man with too many secrets and too much shame to bear. 
 
This Isn’t Going to End Well is Daniel Wallace’s first foray into nonfiction. Part love story, part true crime, part a desperate search for the self and how little we really can know another, This Isn’t Going to End Well tells an intimate and moving story of what happens when we realize our heroes are human.

PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE!

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Women in Horror Interviews Part VI

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For the month of March, in order to celebrate Women in Horror, I’ll be highlighting interviews with some of the authors that appear in Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster – Stories Inspired by Stephen King Women in Horror Anthology.

Marnie Azzarelli author of “Carrie’s First Day”

Which Stephen King novel/short story inspired your short story?

Salem’s Lot! I’m just kidding, it’s a retelling of Carrie.

Who’s your favorite modern female author?

I think they’re both extremely underrated, but I love reading anything Marisha Pesl or Helen Oyeyemi have to offer.

Which song would be the soundtrack to your story?

“you should see me in a crown” Billie Eilish.

What are some of your current writing projects?

While I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus the last couple of years, I’m planning on publishing more original writing on both my website’s blog at marnieazzarelli.net, and on a new, yet to be named Tumblr blog (more info will be available on my socials). Plus I have plans in the works of releasing my own short story collection sometime in 2023!

Who’s your favorite final girl and why?

While I’ll always have a soft spot for Laurie Strode, I have to say that Nancy Thompson is really one of the ultimate final girls. She’s smart, resourceful, and kind of kicks Freddie’s ass no matter what movie she encounters him in. I would not want to take Nancy in a fight because while she doesn’t have brute strength, she could definitely figure out a way to get rid of me with a quippy one-liner.

Lauri Christopher author of “Fair Erasures”

Which Stephen King novel/short story inspired your short story?

In Stephen King’s short story FAIR EXTENSIONS a dying man makes a deal with a roadside devil to extend his life. All he has to do in exchange is curse his best friend to a life of misery. In my story FAIR ERASURES, Lacey Milton struggles with an unwanted pregnancy and her best friend’s betrayal, but Mr. LeVid offers her a way to erase the situation. And it won’t be messy at all.

Who’s your favorite modern female author?

Seanan McGuire, writing as Mira Grant, changed the zombie landscape in her FEED trilogy. She unapologetically writes gritty, strong female characters.

Which song would be the soundtrack to your story?

Lacey might have been listening to Ani DiFranco’s Amendment after she settled up with Mr. LeVid and drove off into the rest of her life. Much like this anthology, Ani takes the “point of view of women” in her lyrics.

What are some of your current writing projects?

I am working on a middle grade novel about a boy who has to spend the summer with his fraud of a ghost-hunting Dad. But when he discovers he can see ghosts, he’s the only one who can help a young friend escape a dangerous haunting.

Who’s your favorite final girl and why?

Since the appropriate-for-the-80s age of 8 ½, Laurie Strode has been my girl. I watched through the space between my fingers as she unfolded a wire hanger and owned her power to survive. Plus, when you share a name with someone battling a masked killer, the story takes on an added edge of life or death.

Read Marnie Azzarelli & Lauri Christopher’s stories in Hush, Don’t Wake the Monster along with other amazing authors!

Purchase book here!

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