Dangerous mine shafts, an abandoned ski resort, families feuding for generations, and ghosts galore—the town of Glazier’s Gap has enough fodder for a whole string of Gothic novels. And that’s the idea. Ghosts of the Forbidden by Leanna Renee Hieber is the first book in the new Glazier’s Gap series published by Castle Bridge Media, which will include loosely connected novels that all feature a supernatural romance set in this unusual town. As the queen of haunting heartwarmers, Leanna Renee Hieber is the perfect author to start this series off, though this is her first foray into contemporary romance. But not to fear—while the story may take place in the twenty-first century, the lovers in Ghosts of the Forbidden are as stuck in the nineteenth-century as Leanna’s devoted readers are. Ghosts of the Forbidden comes out October 11. Continue reading Review of Ghosts of the Forbidden—Gothic Romance Is Back!
Category: Genre
Review of Bone Weaver—Imperial Russia-inspired Fantasy
A girl raised by the dead discovers her own life-saving magic in Aden Polydoros’s second novel, Bone Weaver. I knew Polydoros was one to watch from the moment he first announced his Jewish historical thriller debut, The City Beautiful, which was one of my favorite books from last year. So when I heard he was diving even deeper into fantasy with his next book, which takes place in a secondary world inspired by Imperial Russia and Slavic folklore, I immediately requested a review copy and was not disappointed. Bone Weaver comes out tomorrow, September 20. Continue reading Review of Bone Weaver—Imperial Russia-inspired Fantasy
Review of Certain Dark Things—Vampire Noir
Urban noir with vampires? Sign me up! I knew from the moment I finished reading Mexican Gothic that I would need to go devour all of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s previous books. Of course, I had to start with the one with vampires in it. Certain Dark Things was originally published in 2016, but after going out of print for a while it was re-released by Nightfire last year. And good thing it was, since it would be a shame for this fresh take on vampires to pass into obscurity. Continue reading Review of Certain Dark Things—Vampire Noir
Review of Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous
If you’ve been a long-time follower of this blog, you’ve probably noticed by now how much I love anthologies—especially anything edited by the inimitable Ellen Datlow. So of course I had to pick up her latest horror collection, Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous, which came out back in June. If you love monsters, this book has quite the selection! Continue reading Review of Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous
Review of the Greenhollow Duology: Silver in the Wood and Drowned Country
Looking for something short and sweet that will scratch that itch of wanting to run away into the woods with a forest spirit? Then may I recommend the Greenhollow Duology by Emily Tesh. These two novellas, Silver in the Wood and Drowned Country, came out in 2019 and 2020 respectively. But I just read them both together in the lovely audiobook narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies. Continue reading Review of the Greenhollow Duology: Silver in the Wood and Drowned Country
Dark Academia—A New Literary Aesthetic
“Dark academia.” You may have seen this phrase being used by bookish influencers on TikTok or tagged onto writers’ mood boards on Twitter and Instagram. The phrase is generally accompanied by images in muted earthy tones and dark burgundy, often featuring cardigans with elbow patches and pleated skirts, dark wood furniture, hallowed halls of learning, and libraries full of cloth-bound tomes. Though the term has only come into popular use in recent years, perusing an image search is enough to quickly give you a sense of the vibe—a cohesive aesthetic that encompasses fashion, architecture, and personal paraphernalia. But is there something more to dark academia than just visually appealing imagery with which to decorate one’s social media presence?
Review of Yellow Jessamine—Poisons and Possessions
When you’re a woman alone in a patriarchal world, you claw your way to power by any means necessary. This is the philosophy of Lady Evelyn Perdanu in Caitlin Starling’s 2020 fantasy novella Yellow Jessamine. Continue reading Review of Yellow Jessamine—Poisons and Possessions
Review of Lacrimore—A Monstrous Mansion
“It feeds on the horrors we commit….” A malevolent, sentient house serves as the lively setting of Lacrimore, a debut Gothic novella by S. J. Costello. The book came out in 2020 and was a winner of the Independent Publishers Book Awards. Continue reading Review of Lacrimore—A Monstrous Mansion
Review of The Ghost and Mrs Muir—Midcentury Ghost Romance
Would you move into a haunted cottage? For Lucy Muir, the ghost of a grumpy old sea captain turns out to be just what she needed to complete her picture of perfect domestic bliss in The Ghost and Mrs Muir. The novel was published by Irish author Josephine Leslie under the pseudonym R. A. Dick in 1945. It was adapted into a popular film in 1947, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. If you’re looking for something sweet, slow, and low-stakes to read this summer, definitely check out this classic! Continue reading Review of The Ghost and Mrs Muir—Midcentury Ghost Romance
Review of In the Vanishers’ Palace—Loving a Monster
In a corrupted and poisoned world, the worst diseases can only be cured with the aid of a powerful dragon. But a dragon’s help always comes with a price. Aliette de Bodard beautifully blends the post-apocalyptic genre with Vietnamese-inspired fantasy (and some spicy sapphic romance) in her 2018 novella In the Vanishers’ Palace. Continue reading Review of In the Vanishers’ Palace—Loving a Monster