Tag: Horror

Book Review

Hazelthorn

TheShelfLife

Hazelthorn by CG Drews

Publication Date: October 2025 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Not a book for everyone, but those tolerating botanical body horror will love the imagery as well as the characters.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Billionaire Byron Lennox-Hall took in Evander as a child, and in order to keep him safe has kept him relatively secluded in the estate of Hazelthorn. Evander must avoid going into the gardens and has been told to avoid Byron’s grandson Laurie, as he tried to kill Evander years ago. For some reason though, Evander is obsessed with Laurie. When Byron dies suddenly, Evander takes advantage of a new found freedom and his inheritance of Hazelthorn. As the secrets of the Lennox-Hall family come to light, Evander finds himself drawn closer to the growing garden. He quickly realizes that the garden is out of control, and has a taste for blood.

My Analysis: There is something about CG Drew’s writing that sticks with me. Even having read Don’t Let the Forest In quite awhile ago, I still find myself thinking of it from time to time. I have a feeling it will be the same with this one. Not everyone will enjoy this book. You have to like or tolerate botanical body horror as it is the main feature of this story. It is excellently done however, and the writing is simply beautiful. In addition to the plant horror, trigger warning for child abuse. The characters are interesting and all of them have their own individual flaws, which I appreciated. The story itself mostly revolves around the characters and their growth and relationships. It was very intriguing to see Evander’s character change from beginning to end. I did think that the ending was a little abrupt, but things are were wrapped up enough to satisfy readers. I’m curious to read more reviews on this one and see others thoughts. Overall, if you’re looking for horror and can take the botanical descriptions, this is a solid novel.

Book Review

Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction

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Mindworks: An Uncanny Compendium of Short Fiction by Neal Shusterman

Publication Date: November 2025 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC | Based on a limited (yet large) provided selection of stories from collection

Overall Verdict: A collection of imaginative stories that fans of Shusterman will appreciate.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: A compilation of new and previous work of Shusterman together in one collection. These short stories stretch the imagination and have a wide range of focuses that fall within the realm of science-fiction, fantasy and horror.

My Analysis: First off I have to talk about the book cover. As an adult I can see the artistic vision behind it in incorporating elements from the stories. However, working with teens for as long as I have, there is a zero percent chance they would pick this one up because of that cover. They absolutely judge by the cover and I could even recommend it and they can see who the author is (he’s a popular one for us) and they would still be hesitant. As far as the stories go I was able to read the provided selection of shorts in the ARC, and it was still pretty extensive. From what I have gathered these are stories that are both new and previously written. They all definitely have that Shusterman flavor. Some I enjoyed far more than others, and I tended to be more intrigued by the sci-fi stories more than anything else. One in particular was fantastic, and I hear they may be adapting it to a film. All of the shorts varied in length, but all had the elements necessary for the reader. The writing was extremely imaginative and thought-provoking. If you are a fan of Shusterman’s other work there is a good chance you will like this collection too.

Book Review

How Bad Things Can Get

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How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates

Publication Date: August 2025 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Extremely descriptive and gory but underwhelming and forced in terms of plot and character development.

3/5 Stars

Book Summary: Online influencer Eton creates a lavish atmosphere on his own island and invites hundreds of his fans and fellow influencers to take part in a 5-day series of games.  Wanting to actually have some fun and put away the memories of her past life in a notorious cult, Ruth joins her friends on the island.  As she holds on to her secret of being the sole survivor of the cult, she begins to question the motivations and actions of those around her.  As people start to go missing or are found dead, Ruth must face the truth that she has not completely escaped her past.

My Analysis:  I have to start this off by saying I really adore Darcy Coates’s works, and this is the first of hers that I have read that I did not enjoy.  I found the pacing to be incredibly slow and drawn-out way too much, so much so that I almost chose to DNF.  There was one thing that kept me going and piqued my curiosity, but ultimately, I don’t feel it was worth it.  I get where Coates was trying to come from with how her story unfolded, but to me it seemed like she was unnecessarily trying to put two completely separate stories together in a way that seemed to be way too much of a stretch.  I will give a warning that this novel is filled with very descriptive gore scenes and murder, and if you are into that, those were very well written.  They definitely aren’t for everyone though.  I read this to see if it could be an adult title that could crossover to YA readers, and aside from the fact I didn’t care for the story, I would probably avoid putting it in the hands of general YA readers with how intense some of the descriptions were.  Ruth’s character was interesting some of the time and it was compelling to hear of her past experiences in the cult she grew up in.  But again, everything about this story felt very forced to me.  I gave it as high of a rating as I did simply because the writing itself was good, even though the plot was severely lacking and characters other than Ruth were under-developed.  If you really want to read some gore, give this one a try, but otherwise I’d recommend reading any of the other titles by this author instead.

Book Review

Don’t Let the Forest In

TheShelfLife

Don’t Let the Forest In by CG Drews

Publication Date: October 2024| Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Not a book everyone will love, but those who do will fall deep into the characters and their monsters.

4.5/5 Stars

Book Summary: Andrew finds solace in Thomas and his twin sister Dove. They are what get him through days at Wickwood Academy. Andrew finds balance with Thomas’s drawings of the dark and twisty fairytale stories he writes. When arriving back at school, Thomas learns his parents are missing with a bloody mess left behind. As he pulls away from everyone, Andrew realizes that Thomas is not only fighting internal monsters, but actual monsters of his drawings come to life.

My Analysis: This is not a book that everyone will enjoy, you have to be willing to tolerate the slow pace and really getting to know the deeper minds of the characters in order to fully appreciate it. I think this particularly applies to the general YA reader population. The style of writing is very artistic as well, with a TON of imagery throughout. That being said, I thought it was great. I was a little skeptical at first, but once I got into it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The way the author describes some of Andrews thoughts is truly mesmerizing. The depth of Andrew and Thomas’s relationship toward one another…chef’s kiss. There are some trigger warnings to be aware of, which are also presented at the start: depiction of eating disorders, self-harm, and quite a bit of blood/gore. There is a solid twist towards the end that I did not see coming, but very much appreciated. If you’re looking for something hauntingly beautiful and deep with a touch of psychological thriller, you need to read this one. Side note, it’s a perfect book to read for the fall season.

Book Review

A Family of Killers

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A Family of Killers by Bryce Moore

Publication Date: August 2024 |Thanks Edelweiss for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Sometimes tedious, this is an interesting take on a combination of historical fiction and horror. May be better suited for older YA audiences.

2/5 Stars

Book Summary: Warren has been growing increasingly concerned about the voice in his head that is urging him to be violent. At the same time, a number of people have gone missing in Kansas. When Warren’s father goes to investigate but doesn’t return, Warren sets out to prove to himself and his family that he is stronger than his impulses. As he makes his way through Kansas, he stumbles upon the Bender family. Warren becomes suspicious of them and believes they may be responsible for the missing people. Torn between becoming the person he wants to be and avenging those he holds dear, Warren must choose whether or not to give into the voice in his head.

My Analysis: This book was…odd. I’m honestly not even quite sure how to describe it. It was nothing like I was anticipating, but after finishing it and going back to the summary, it all matches up. I liked that this is based on the true story of the Bender family. Included at the start of each chapter is a real quote. It is important to note that this all takes place within the 1800s, which I had not realized going in. It does make for a very intriguing setting however. It took me a lot to get through the first half, the super slow build up took far too long. Halfway through though things pick up and I was interested in Warrens interactions with the Benders and others he encountered on his journey. I wish that there had been a focus on another character in addition to Warren. Although it was interesting to get his perspective, it got tedious after awhile. Also, I feel like the whole violent voices in his head thing was totally contradictory to his actions. He has a voice telling him to commit these heinous acts, yet when faced with even the smallest incidents of violence he gets nauseous at the thought. That didn’t really make sense to me. It’s one thing to want to fight the urges, but to have such opposing thoughts and actions was weird. In the beginning it also seemed like Warren may have OCD, but that was never really touched on again. I think I would have appreciated seeing more of the Benders perspective to break up Warren’s story. This may be better suited for older YA audiences, and not just because of the inter dispersed gore. I’m not sure some YA readers would be pulled in enough to make it through. Overall it was an interesting combination of historical fiction and horror. Readers just need to be aware that it may be a little harder to get through at some points.

Book Review

Tender Beasts

TheShelfLife

Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury

Publication Date: February 2024 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: Intense psychological thriller that shows the intricacies of family and how far they will go to support one another.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Sunny has 4 siblings, one of whom is being charged with murder. Her mothers dying wish was for her to be the leader of the family, but her older sister takes on the role before she could even start. When an increasing number of murders rock the private school that her family owns and attends, Sunny dives deeper into uncovering the killer. Working with her accused brother who she barely knows, they look to discover family secrets that have long been buried.

My Analysis: This is a solid psychological thriller/horror book. The focus is definitely on the Behre family, their secrets, and how far they will go to better themselves and protect one another. Even though this book is filled with murder, not a ton really happens throughout, but at the same time it still works well in keeping you guessing and interested. There is an entity that is worshiped, and the author does a nice job of making the reader question reality vs supernatural elements. On that note, the author does provide a list of triggers at the beginning of the book that people may find helpful. My favorite part of the novel was the deceased mothers journal entries from when she was a teen that are dispersed throughout. It was a nice way to give some necessary background information and helped to keep any reveals well-timed. If you liked Delicious Monsters, you’ll definitely like this one as well. It has a very similar vibe, although a very different story. If you’re into psychological thrillers and family drama, this one is for you.

Book Review

The Invocations

TheShelfLife

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Publication Date: January 2024 |Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A beautifully written but ultimately unsatisfying story revolving around witches and the occult.

3/5

Book Summary: Zara Jones will do anything to bring back her murdered sister, even if that means partaking in the occult to raise the dead. Jude Wolf is cursed after a deal with a demon went horribly wrong, and she has been suffering the consequences ever since. Emer Byrne is a cursewriter, helping desperate women exchange part of their soul for power. As these three paths cross, the more each realizes they must work together for their goals to succeed. When Emer’s clients start to be murdered, they turn to one another for answers.

My Analysis: Sutherland’s writing is beautiful. The imagery she provides is outstanding. The story however- absolutely boring. I had hoped this one would be an improvement over House of Hollow, but to me it wasn’t. Both written elegantly but the plots just aren’t interesting enough. I’m not sure if she’s just trying to hard to make it this gruesome story that has shock value and is failing, but the overall story is not satisfying. The characters she portrays are well developed, and I did appreciate their relationships with one another. Especially given the fact that these characters are pushed together as strangers who become friends. If you’re really into witches and the occult, it’s worth a read, but if not I say it’s one to skip.

Book Review

Where He Can’t Find You

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Where He Can’t Find You by Darcy Coates

Publication Date: November 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A creepy page turner that will keep you invested in intriguing characters, so long as you can suspend disbelief of reality.

4/5 Stars

Book Summary: Abby and her friends have a set a rules to keep them safe from the Stitcher, who haunts their small town with disappearances and murder. When her sister goes missing, she will stop at nothing to uncover the secrets of the Stitcher.

My Analysis: I was unsure about how I would feel about this book, but I gave it a try because it had a very interesting premise. I throughly enjoyed it and found myself looking forward to when I could read more. The author does a nice job of writing in some pretty creepy moments. Some of which are a bit gruesome in description, so be aware of that. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the characters that were intertwined with the overall story. It was very interesting to hear personal past experiences from characters. The biggest challenge with reading this book though is that the reader has to suspend disbelief in reality for it to really work as a novel. That does go along with any kind of supernatural elements, but there are other moments throughout that you just have to accept instead of question the likelihood of it actually happening.

Book Review

Here Lies Olive

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Here Lies Olive by Kate Anderson

Publication Date: October 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: If you are very into reading ghost-related material and have exhausted everything else on the topic, give this a read. If not, it may be best to skip this one.

1/5 Stars

Book Summary: Ever since Olive had a near death experience, she has been obsessed with what comes after we die. She has decided to keep everyone at a distance, with the thought that the Nothing that comes after death makes creating relationships pointless. Olive finds herself faced with a ghost, who she strikes a deal with. She will help him locate his unmarked grave if he tells her what comes next in the afterlife. A somewhat unlikely crew bands together on this endeavor in hopes of getting answers and saving the town from some suspicious events that occur.

My Analysis: I had a really tough time getting into this book. The premise sounded interesting, but overall, I just don’t think it was executed well. I really liked the descriptions in the beginning of the dark tourism of the town, but unfortunately it went downhill from there. I think ultimately it would be better suited as a middle grade book (with the removal of some more YA moments) and would appeal more to that audience. Olive’s mental health struggles with death were done well, as were her relationships with the other characters. As much of a horror book as this set out to be however, the supernatural aspects and ghosts represented fell flat. I had thought by the summary that Olive would be the only one able to see the ghost in the story, and I think that would have been much better for the plot. Understanding that some suspension of reality must occur in this genre, the supernatural abilities seemed overly coincidental for the characters who happened to get together in the narrative.

Book Review

Summer Rental

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Summer Rental by Rektok Ross

Publication Date: June 2023 | Thanks NetGalley for an ARC

Overall Verdict: A thriller with some good jump scares, but only worth the quick read if you can put up with lackluster writing and suspended reality.

2/5 Stars

Book Summary: Summer Rental tells the story of a group of recent graduates who rent a house on remote Palm Key Island to have one last party before college. Even though they are a seemingly close group of friends, everyone is hiding something from one another. When a hurricane hits, they are cut off from the rest of civilization and trapped inside the house. This is only the beginning of their problems however, as they soon find one of their group has been murdered. As the body count rises, everyone is forced to confront their secrets.

My Analysis: I have mixed feelings about this book. The premise is very intriguing and overall the plot moves forward at a nice pace. There are a lot of ‘jump scare’ moments that I enjoyed and added to the thriller aspect of the novel. I did not see the twist towards the end coming until it was just about to happen, which I appreciated as the reader. The language that the author used however, drove me a little crazy. Making the characters very clear that they were teenagers was way overdone – the slang she included detracted from the story. I also did not appreciate the toxic friendships that were portrayed in the narrative. I understand why the author wanted to show this, but it is not a great example for teen readers to see characters acting this way toward one another. I think she could have gotten her point across without them being quite so awful to one another, even if many of them were entitled. Overall it is a quick psychological thriller that may be enjoyable if you can get past the writing.