Way back in October, I challenged myself to dip my toes in the horror genre to get into the mood for spooks. Although Halloween skeletons have long been replaced in favor of string lights and snowflakes, horror can be enjoyed all year round. Here are my personal reviews of the horror novels I read and would recommend.
‘When the Wolf Comes Home’ by Nat Cassidy
Synopsis: When a struggling actress stumbles upon a peculiar little boy on the run from his violent father, she takes the kid on an impromptu road trip in search of safety. However, carnage is left in their wake wherever they go, even when the boy’s father is nowhere in sight…
“When the wolf finally comes home, none will be spared.”
‘When the Wolf Comes Home’ by Nat Cassidy
Review: 5/5
This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. Right away you get the sense that something is off; the little boy who the book revolves around (who is also nameless) has never been outside, never allowed to watch TV or read books. His father is unnaturally aggressive, literally tearing apart the whole house to confiscate the one set of fairytales the boy managed to steal. On the other hand, Jess, who is grappling with her estranged father’s passing, is living a drearier life, with a dull job at the diner and little to no opportunities in her ideal career field of acting.
I thought I had a solid understanding of their predicament, but a major plot twist halfway through the book pulled the rug out from under me. The conflict of the book features an extremely unique dilemma — one that I can’t reveal without spoiling the book — that I honestly can’t say I’ve ever encountered before, especially not in horror. Every new chapter filled me with dread as every worst-case scenario played out more atrociously than I could have predicted. Nat Cassidy is pretty blatant about the book’s grim conclusion, flat out telling you in the foreword, along with a myriad of content warnings, that there will be no happy ending. I will say that the book is horrifically gruesome, so although the foreword does kind of spoil the book, I would recommend looking at it if you are a sensitive reader.
‘Bury Your Gays’ by Chuck Tingle
Synopsis: Misha, a screenwriter freshly nominated for his first Oscar, is suddenly pressured to kill off his lesbian characters in his show’s final season. Although he initially refuses, he begins to question his decision when characters he’s previously written manifest in real life, all with malicious intent. Misha is sure that the awakening of his fictional characters is connected to his lack of cooperation with his producers, but he has to figure out how they’ve been summoned…and how to stop them.
Review: 3.5/5
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book; Chuck Tingle is notorious for having rather…peculiar…literary interests (you’re gonna have to look him up yourself), but it surprised me. Even though it’s advertised as queer horror, the majority of the book focuses on how queer people are portrayed in media; how queer suffering “sells better” than queer joy, how gay characters often aren’t allowed any depth and complexity beyond their sexuality, and how asexual people are left out of the conversation altogether. It also briefly criticized the advancement of AI. However, despite the really interesting commentary on queer representation, it was somewhat lacking in the horror department. Sure, it had some horror elements (mysterious specters, spurts of violence) but ultimately didn’t send chills down my spine.
‘Bloom’ by Delilah S. Dawson
Synopsis: Weary of her uninspired, ordinary life, career-driven Rosemary seeks out adventure in the pockets of life; specifically, in the whimsical farmer’s market she frequents every weekend. When she meets Ash, a beautiful, self-sufficient apothecarist, she is drawn to her mysterious allure (and decadent cupcakes). Ro falls under Ash’s spell too quickly to notice that some things really are too good to be true…
Review: 3/5
Cottagecore lesbians is a classic trope that I will always treasure, but cottagecore lesbians in a gothic romance? Misha from Bury Your Gays would be psyched. The story was a little slow to begin, although that might be because Rosemary is a frustrating character to follow. With so little going on in her life, she obsesses over Ash, but since she knows so little about her, her internal dialogue becomes repetitive. She is also incredibly naïve, to the point where I feel like I’m in the head of a teenager and not a 30-year-old. The red flags in the story start to creep up throughout the novel, but Rosemary stubbornly neglects them in favor of new love. The last few chapters are where the story starts to ramp up its horror factor, and it was well-written enough to the point where I was genuinely starting to panic as if I was the one in Ro’s shoes. I did kind of guess the plot twist due to the hints strewn about throughout, but I was still shocked at the execution. Overall, a decent read, but I was more resigned to Rosemary’s fate than horrified.
After this year’s Halloween haul I can’t get myself out of the horror genre. Suffice it to say, my Goodreads shelf may not be that diverse in genre for the next few months.