Horror

The Witch House / DeAnna Knippling

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Witch House
By: DeAnna Knippling
Genre: Middle Grade, Horror
Number of Pages: 213
Published: February 25, 2024
Publisher: Wonderland Press
Dates Read: June 29. 2024 - July 2, 2024
Format: eBook

There is a witch in town and she’s causing trouble. Jayla and her new friend, Lola must work together to save both of their families from being replaced.

This book is definitely a bit different – almost experimental in a way to be honest. It’s told in alternative journal entries between Jayla and Lola and sometimes it’s real entries and sometimes they’re fake. With all that, sometimes I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but that was kind of the whole point (it’s even mentioned at the end that they know it’s confusing, but it’s how it happened).

There were scenes where it was a little confusing what was happening, but if I slowed down a bit and read it – even if it was a faster paced scene – I could “see” everything (and all the horror).

Overall, I think Middle Grade readers will really enjoy the engagement this novel has – adults will too, but Knippling does an excellent job at writing for her audience for sure.
*Thank you LibraryThing and DeAnna Knippling for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review (I’m sorry it took me a minute to get to it!!)

Island Witch / Amanda Jayatissa

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I wanted to start this review off by sharing something exciting.

This is my 500th book review since I started reviewing every book I read beginning in 2020! I know all my reviews are not on this website, since I only started it last year in 2023, but they are all on my Goodreads if you’d really like to check them all out.

My goal is to review everything I read for at least a decade. And seeing myself hit 500 is a bit surreal. Only 700 more reviews to go 🙂

Island Witch
By: Amanda Jayatissa
Genre: Horror, New Adult
Number of Pages: 384
Published: February 20, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 22, 2024
Format: ARC / eBook

In nineteenth century Sri Lanka, daughter of the village Capuwa (demon priest), Amara, tries to solve the mysterious attacks that have been happening around her village. Most of the villagers around the island have been influenced by the new religious practices brought in by the British Colonizers, but that doesn’t stop them from still calling on Amara’s dad whenever supernatural occurrences happen. But now, someone (or something), is viciously attacking the men and instead of asking for Amara’s father’s help, the villagers begin accusing him for it.

Amma is used to keeping to herself – the relentless bullying and accusations of witchcraft are never ending. She sets out to try and clear her father’s name herself, but begins being haunted by dreams that predict dark forces, that also leave her waking up in random places throughout the island as she sleepwalks. She can’t shake the feeling that all of this is connected to the night weeks ago – when she was recovering from a strange illness and woke up scared and confused, to her mother frantically saying, “No one can find out what happened”.

I don’t read horror that often, but after reading the marketing promos for it and seeing it was both based on Sri Lankan folklore and had “female rage finally being unleashed” as a highlight point, I was sold. And this didn’t disappoint.

The storyline of watching Amara from an innocent young girl turned to a rage filled woman was impressive and believable. It made the ending of the story a bit complicated because you both saw where she was coming from and kind of had to take a step back and go, “Whoa”. I haven’t read anything from Amanda Jayatissa before, but I will be adding her other two to my ever growing TBR list.

As I said before, horror isn’t my forte, but I think those who are looking for a unique and page turning, historical Sri Lanka horror, will greatly appreciate this one. There are some gory moments, but nothing that I thought was super crazy or intense, especially for a horror novel.

*Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Stoked For This: February 2024

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I feel like I both went hard and yet, was super stingy on what I picked to showcase this month. Maybe it’s the fact I have well over 300 books sitting in my TBR piles around my house and yet, I still can’t say no to a good ARC when I see one…

Release Date: February 6, 2024

Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out

by: Shannon Reed

Why am I stoked for this release?

Well, that seems like a silly question. This is a book review blog/website no?

I know why I read, but I’d like to know why others do as well..

And clearly I love talking about books, so a new book about books is always on my radar ◡̈

Released Date: February 13, 2024

The Framed Women of Ardemore House

by: Brandy Schillace

Why am I stoked for this release?

I’m not one for mysteries. But more romance and mysteries are on my little personal goals list this year.

This one is about an autistic editor who inherits an English estate, but then finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. There’s also a missing family portrait as well.

Anywho, this just sounds like it would be fun and interesting.

The Warm Hands of Ghosts

by: Katherine Arden

Why am I stoked for this release?

Anyone else read The Bear and the Nightingale?

This is Arden’s new book – set in the Great War in 1917, which is not a year or event I usually read about.

I enjoyed Arden’s book I read last year (though I haven’t read the rest of the series). I’m excited to read about this one as it has some magical realism aspects to it.

The Kamogawa Food Detectives

by: Hisashi Kashiwai, Jesse Kirkwood (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

A newly translated Japanese series where a father-daughter duo who run the Kamogawa Diner can recreate dishes from a person’s treasured memories.

A lot of my greatest large family memories growing up was always centered around food. My cousin could make the best cheesy potato casserole and I don’t care who makes it otherwise, it’s not the same. Okay?

The Book of Doors

by: Gareth Brown

Why am I stoked for this release?

Imagine receiving a book that has the ability to open any door to anywhere the possessor wants! And, after running around with your best friend, you discover there are other books with other crazy abilities and so therefor are bad guys who want your book.

What are you going to do??

This just sounds like such a crazy concept, and it’s giving me all kinds of ideas, but I want to read this to see where it goes before making my own decisions about what doors I would want to open…

The Eternal Ones

by: Namina Forna

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is the last book of The Gilded Ones series and oh boy – is it good!

Full of action and the best found family vibes and a magical shaft shifting companion you could ask for in a YA fantasy.

This Day Changes Everything

by: Edward Underhill

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a Queer YA romance set during one day in New York City around Thanksgiving.

I enjoy books that everything is set in one day. T

This book is 288 pages, there’s bound to be some wild stuff that happen!

Release Date: February 20, 2024

Welcome to Hyunam-Dung Bookshop

by: Hwang Bo-Reum, Shanna Tan (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

You all should know by now I’m a sucker for Japanese literature- especially when it’s about books.

This one is a Korean smash hit about a girl who gets burnt out, leaves her old life behind, and goes to a small neighborhood outside Seoul and opens the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.

Raise your hand if a dream job of yours would be to open your own little bookshop/cafe/cat sanctuary that you run with your best girl friend.

Island Witch

by: Amanda Jayatissa

Why am I stoked for this release?

Inspired by Sri Lankan folklore (again, something I haven’t read before!). In late 19th century Sri Lanka, the daughter of a traditional demon-priest, tries to solve the mysterious attack that have been happening in her village.

This is horror and though I dipped my toes a little (so little) into horror last year, this seems like it may actually be up my alley.

Release Date: February 27, 2024

Hope Ablaze

by: Sarah Mughal Rana

Why am I stoked for this release?

This is a YA about a Muslim teen finding her voice in a post 9/11 America.

I was only in fourth grade when 9/11 happened, but of course it’s a day I’ll always remember.

I’ve only read a handful of books based around that time period, and I can’t wait to read this one, especially as there is poetry throughout it and I enjoy that.

Snowglobe

by: Soyoung Park, Joungmin Lee Comfort (Translator)

Why am I stoked for this release?

Another newly translated Korean novel where in the not-so-distant future, the world has constant subzero weather. It’s a dream to participate in the reality TV broadcasted by Snowglobe, a community protected in an insulated glass dome.

I hate winter – and we just recently had that crazy cold snap here in KC. I feel like I barely survive it every time, so I’m ready to see how others do so 24/7!

Whisper of the Woods / Ennun Ana Iurov

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Whisper of the Woods
By: Ennun Ana Iurov
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 96
Published: October 24, 2023
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Dates Read: October 14, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

After his friend goes missing in Romania’s most supernatural forest, Adam disregards the local’s warnings about the spirit who prays on the men in the vicinity. There is even a witch who predicts his impending death. But Adam continues the search, even though, with each passing night he’s there, it becomes harder and harder to ignore the calling from the forest.

This was a very quick read and I kind of wish it was longer in a way. The story itself wrapped up well, I wasn’t disappointed in that. I just kind of wish I was able to get a little more in depth about the background of the characters – maybe find out the reason why his friend went there by himself to begin with…

Overall though – it’s a great graphic novel with creepy art.

*Thank you Mad Cave Studios for for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Bride of the Tornado / James Kennedy

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Bride of the Tornado
By: James Kennedy
Genre: Horror
Number of pages: 336
Published: August 15, 2023
Publisher: Quirk Books
Dates Read: August 11, 2023 - August 14, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

In a small, midwestern town, the adults whisper about “Tornado Day”, something a high school sophomore has never heard of. At the Tornado Day’s assembly, she sees the tornado killer for the first time. Drawn to boy, she begins to feel a connection between them. But the adults are hiding a secret about the tornados and she must escape before the secrets dig in and claim her.

So one of my goals this year (as with every year, really) is to try and branch out of my standard historical adult fiction and YA. I was born and raised in the Midwest and tornadoes were almost like a block party for us because we were the only ones of our friends and family in the immediate area that had a basement. I think that’s why I was kind of drawn to this book.

This story was a ride and it will definitely keep you guessing as to what in the world is going on <spoiler> though some questions you probably won’t get the answer to </spoiler>. 

The storytelling in this was vivid, and I could “see” what was happening, or what the narrator was talking about – though sometimes it jumped around from showing to just telling and that would throw me off. There was also a lot more gore than I was expecting in it, but it is horror, so I feel like I probably should have expected what there was.

The first ¾ of the book really held my interest, but the last quarter had me lost and I ended up having to reread a lot. I would get confused on the POVs as well as what was overall happening. It would also really switch up the way it is written (again, that telling vs showing).

Overall, it was a fun read. It was something different and I still enjoyed it (even the uncomfortable gorey parts). It’s a bit of a hard book to explain but, I can still see myself recommending it to those who like fast-paced creepy horror/thrillers. 

*Thank you Quick Books and NetGalley for a digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

A Guide to the Dark / Meriam Metoui

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
A Guide to the Dark
By: Meriam Metoui
Genre: YA, Horror
Number of Pages: 368
Published: July 18, 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: July 9, 2023 - July 15, 2023
Format: ARC / eBook

Trigger Warning: Mentions of death and suicide, drowning, grief

While touring colleges around the east coast and the midwest during their spring break, best friends Mira and Layla get stranded at the Wildwood Motel in Indiana after their car breaks down in a rainstorm. But something is off about their Room 9 assignment. Mira begins having haunting nightmares and visions of her dead brother, but Layla doesn’t see anything. Sure, the place is a little run down, but it’s got that small town feel Layla can’t wait to capture on her camera.

When they learn that eight people have died in that exact same room, they realize there must be something sinister going on – they just need to find the connection before Mira becomes the next.

This was a page turner for me that though I kind of knew what was happening, it was intriguing to watch the characters connect the dots. I seemed to only be a few pages ahead of them when it came to that, so it was fun to see that I was almost always on the right path. I also enjoyed the deeper dive into grief and how everyone handles it differently. 

I loved the pictures included in the novel, especially when I would find something in them. My only problem was, and it may have been just because I was reading a digital ARC and it wasn’t formatted correctly, was that sometimes the photos that would be mentioned or talked about you wouldn’t have access to until a few pages later. Wasn’t a big deal, but it would have been nice to have the comparison within a page flip.

It was also nice to read about two Arabic Muslim teenage girls as the main characters. They talk about their different dialects, the differences between their parents, how they both practice their religion, and even the differences between the Arabic pronunciation of their name versus the English pronunciation.

Overall, this is a fun, keep me near the edge of my seat, YA horror read. I will definitely be recommending this to anyone who loves YA horror, as well as those who want a bit of a spooky read some closer to Halloween.

*Thank you Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for a digital advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Last of Us: American Dreams / Neil Druckmann, Faith Erin Hicks, Rachelle Rosenberg

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
The Last of Us: American Dreams
By: Neil Druckmann, Faith Eric Hicks, Rachelle Rosenberg
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Number of Pages: 104
Published: July 31, 2013
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Dates Read: March 6, 2023
Format: eBook

Set before the video game, The Last of Us: American Dream follows Ellie as her friendship with Riley blossoms at her new military boarding school.

As I’m sure a lot of people are doing right now with the series finale of the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us I grabbed the graphic novel to give it a read.

It’s too short! I kind of wish there was more – especially since I’ve fallen in love with this series and now want to consume everything about it (including hopefully playing the game too). I wish there were more graphic novels to showcase other characters’ back stories!

The art of this shows the actions and movements clearly – even when something happened quickly, it was shown easily.

It’s a prequel to the video game and does differ from the show.