The Thirteenth Child

 The Thirteenth Child  by Erin A Craig 498 pages

Synopsis: Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

My Thoughts: This book, while the story sounded interesting, fell a bit flat for me. I loved Merrick, he was trying to be a good godfather, but ultimately Gods don't understand humans. Hazel was a great main character, but since she was so young (which Merrick didn't seem to realized) she did make mistakes and wasn't taught how to be like a god. 

PENDERGAST: THE BEGINNING by DOUGLAS PRESTON

 PENDERGAST: THE BEGINNING  by DOUGLAS PRESTON  (Pgs 369)

Amazon Review: 

It only took six months for the life of Special Agent Dwight Chambers to crumble around him. First, he lost his partner, and then, tragically, his wife. Returning to work at the New Orleans Field Office, Chambers is dismayed to find himself saddled with mentoring a brand new FBI agent—a certain A. X. L. Pendergast. As Chambers tries to pull himself together, his enigmatic and exasperating junior partner pulls an outrageous stunt that gets both of them suspended.

Pendergast welcomes the banishment, because it gives him the opportunity to investigate a peculiar murder in Mississippi that has captured his fancy. Chambers grudgingly goes along. What starts off as a whimsical quest swiftly turns into a terrifying pursuit, as Chambers and Pendergast uncover a string of grisly, ritualistic killings that defy any known serial killer profile.
 
Thanks in large part to Pendergast’s brilliance and unorthodox methods, they solve the case and find the killer… and that is when the true horror begins.

I have read every book in the Pendergast series, except one, and I enjoyed learning more about the early life of Agent Pendergast.

Anathema

 Anathema by Keri Lake 690 pages

Synopsis: Only the banished know what lies beyond the woods ...There are whispers about what lurks in Witch Knell—the forest where sinners go to die. The villagers call it The Eating Woods because what’s taken is never given back. Only those who’ve lost their senses would dare to go near. Or the banished.

Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to breach the misty labyrinth of trees, but a tragic turn of events compels her beyond the archway of bones, to a boundary no mortal has crossed before. One that cloaks a dark and fantastical world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring.

It’s there that he dwells, the cursed lord of Eidolon. The one tasked to keep her hidden from the magehood that seeks to crucify her in the name of an arcane prophesy. Zevander Rydainn, known to his prey as The Scorpion, is the coldest, most calculated assassin in all of Aethyria and he’d sooner toss his feisty ward to a pack of vicious fyredrakes than keep her safe. If only he could.

Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his despised curse and vanquishing the slumbering evil in Witch Knell. Unfortunately for Lord Rydainn, fate has other plans for the irresistible little enchantress. And his growing obsession with her threatens to destroy everything.  Including himself.

My Thoughts: This book... was insane.. The magic system, very intricate and fascinating. I love a plot heavy kind of book as well, with a touch of romance and full of gothic vibes. Maevyth was one of my top favorite FMC's I've had the pleasure of getting to know. 

Two Twisted Crowns

 Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig 437 pages

Summary: In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.

If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.

And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.

My Thoughts: Book 2? Just as amazing as book 1! I loved getting a deeper understanding of The Nightmare and how he came about. I loved learning more about the Providence Cards, the magic behind it all. My brain didn't catch the importance of different types of trees in the first book, but they do hold a great importance. I love how each family has a tree name! I loved how the first book had a focus on the main love interests, and the second book we now have a new focus on two secondary characters and their blooming romance! It was refreshing to have a series (duology in this case) not focus on the same romance and create tension and drama!!!!!! Read this DUOLOGY!

One Dark Window

 One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig 399 pages

Summary: Elspeth needs a monster. The monster might be her.

Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.
When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.

My Thoughts: My friend kept telling me to read this duology and I finally decided it was time! I have found I truly do enjoy a lot of gothic romantasy books and I was surprised that I did. I loved the character, Elspeth and the fact that she has a monster living inside her head essentially. I love the idea of different cards with different magic in them and the mystery of the mist. The little poems at the beginning of each chapter have important information in them about the Providence Cards which I actually enjoyed reading (usually those annoying little poems at the beginning of chapters are annoying to me, but this time around I actually liked reading them). 

Phantasma

 Phantasma by Kaylie Smith 497 pages

Summary: When Ophelia’s sister disappears, there is only one way to save her. Ophelia must enter Phantasma, a deadly contest inside a haunted mansion, and claim its prize—a single wish.

Phantasma is a maze of twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, of demons and temptations. Ophelia will face nine challenges, each more dangerous than the last. There can only be one winner, and the other contestants will stop at nothing to eliminate their rivals.
Every day the house creates new monsters. But just as Ophelia’s fears threaten to overwhelm her, a mysterious stranger offers her a bargain.
Charming, arrogant and infuriatingly attractive, Blackwell claims he can guide her through the lethal trials ahead. All he asks in return is ten years of her life.

Ophelia knows she shouldn’t trust him. Blackwell doesn’t seem dangerous, but appearances can be deceptive. Worse still, she feels a dark and irresistible attraction drawing them closer and closer.
Her life is on the line. But in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart

My Thoughts: I actually really enjoyed this book. The smut ridiculous and very unrealistic... but the storyline..? Excellent. I loved the twisted Trials (very descriptive and gross at times) and I loved loved loved that the main character had OCD and the OCD that is not normally talked about. Can't wait to pick up book 2 eventually. 

Starling House

 Starling House by Alix E. Harrow 320 Pages

Summary: Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.

As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.

If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.

My Thoughts: This book was very interesting and captivating, but also a struggle at times. I did love how unlikeable the main character, Opal, was. It's hard to want good for her, but also there's an underlining understanding on why she is the way she is, the trauma she was put through. The unraveling of the mysteries of the house was done very well and the undeniable chemistry between Opal and Arthur was perfection! I recommend this book if you like horror fantasy. 

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington--336 pages

A group of friends fight to choose their own fates in this trope-savvy, self-referential young adult thriller from the acclaimed author of Their Vicious Games , about a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.

Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early—The Best Summer Ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t ever mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the Best Summer Ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by…a demon?

But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human—going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush, Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle.

Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?

Thoughts: I thought this book was just okay. I really enjoyed the author's sense of humor but there were also moments that felt kind of cheesy. But that could've just been the author's intention because the characters actively discuss horror movie cliches, too. Either way, I got a little bored because of it at times.

EXTINCTION by DOUGLAS PRESTON

 EXTINCTION by DOUGLAS PRESTON  (PGS 370)

Erebus Resort, occupying a magnificent, hundred-thousand–acre valley deep in the Colorado Rockies, offers guests the experience of viewing woolly mammoths, Irish Elk, and giant ground sloths in their native habitat, brought back from extinction through the magic of genetic manipulation. When a billionaire's son and his new wife are kidnapped and murdered in the Erebus back country by what is assumed to be a gang of eco-terrorists, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Agent Frances Cash partners with county sheriff James Colcord to track down the perpetrators. As killings mount and the valley is evacuated, Cash and Colcord must confront an ancient, intelligent, and malevolent presence at Erebus, bent not on resurrection but on extinction.

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by NEIL GAIMAN

 THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by NEIL GAIMAN  (Pgs 192)

Sussex, England. A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. Although the house he lived in is long gone, he is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock, and her mother and grandmother. He hasn't thought of Lettie in decades, and yet as he sits by the pond (a pond that she'd claimed was an ocean) behind the ramshackle old farmhouse, the unremembered past comes flooding back. And it is a past too strange, too frightening, too dangerous to have happened to anyone, let alone a small boy.

Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper and resonated in unimaginable ways. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie—magical, comforting, wise beyond her years—promised to protect him, no matter what.

A groundbreaking work from a master, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is told with a rare understanding of all that makes us human, and shows the power of stories to reveal and shelter us from the darkness inside and out. It is a stirring, terrifying, and elegiac fable as delicate as a butterfly's wing and as menacing as a knife in the dark.

Mister Magic by Kiersten White

 

Mister Magic by Kiersten White, 295 pages, ⭐⭐⭐

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Read for book club. Realistically this is like a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I read Hide by Kiersten White, and she has a way of writing 80% of a good horror book but then ending it with this crazy off the walls concept at the end and giving me whiplash. Reading her acknowledgements at the end of this helped understand her writing and I liked the store a bit more because of that, but I just don't think her works are for me.

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach

 

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach, 243 pages, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Penpal began as a series of short and interconnected stories posted on an online horror forum. Before long, it was adapted into illustrations, audio recordings, and short films; and that was before it was revised and expanded into a novel!

How much do you remember about your childhood?

In Penpal, a man investigates the seemingly unrelated bizarre, tragic, and horrific occurrences of his childhood in an attempt to finally understand them. Beginning with only fragments of his earliest years, you'll follow the narrator as he discovers that these strange and horrible events are actually part of a single terrifying story that has shaped the entirety of his life and the lives of those around him. If you've ever stayed in the woods just a little too long after dark, if you've ever had the feeling that someone or something was trying to hurt you, if you remember the first friend you ever made and how strong that bond was, then Penpal is a story that you won't soon forget, despite how you might try.

This book has been on my radar quite literally for at least a decade. I grew up reading "creepypasta" and scary reddit forums, and this was one of the most popular ones. It's a book I had always meant to pick up but just never got around to it. A podcast duo that I like recently did a reading of the story so I was finally able to experience it, and WOW. There are a lot of mixed reviews due to some plot holes that don't make a lot of sense, but I enjoyed this story so much that I can completely look past them. This is a story that continues to build suspense and the final chapter left me wanting to stare at a wall from how horrific it was. 

A MONSTER CALLS by PATRICK NESS

 A MONSTER CALLS by PATRICK NESS (PGS 237)

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.

Read for the SciFi/Fantasy Book to Movie Book Club in February.