What Moves the Dead

 Tell me a story... about a sickness shrouded in mystery

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Publication date: July 12, 2022

Date read: March 8, 2023

When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all. 

This book is a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher”.

I first want to note that I have not (yet) read “Fall of the House of Usher”, so I cannot comment on its success as a retelling. 

This book is less than 200 pages, but it is able to pack quite a punch into its short length. It is more creepy and unsettling than pure horror, but the atmosphere and creepiness are established so well so quickly. This book is my first by Kingfisher, but if she is able to set a stage this well in her other books, then I can’t wait for the next one. 

The book has a slightly confusing bit near the beginning where Gallacian pronouns are explained (Alex’s character is from this region, and the pronouns are quite complicated). It is confusing, but don’t be worried if it never completely sinks in - it helps to develop Alex’s character, but isn’t really necessary to the plot. I do like the way that the complicated pronouns are just stated as a normal thing and not made a big deal of, past the short explanation. I can see how this might be off-putting to some readers, though. 

I really enjoyed just how creepy this book was. Without giving anything away, the shooting of the hare was so wonderfully disturbing that I knew this book was going to be good, and it didn’t disappoint. Anyone with serious triggers for animal death should not read this book, but for anyone who isn’t sure, there is a fair amount of animal death, but the animals aren’t “right”, and the killing is necessary to the plot. 

The characters are well done and enjoyable to read, but really the star here is the atmosphere. No complaints about the characters at all, though. 

I also recommend reading Kingfisher’s author’s note, because while I was reading this book I did get serious Mexican Gothic vibes (although I actually liked this one a bit more), and she actually talks about that in her author’s note. (She was actually in the process of writing What Moves the Dead when Mexican Gothic came out, and noticed the similarities herself - and actually recommends that book as well). 

Overall, this is a wonderfully creepy short horror novel that I highly recommend to all horror readers. It’s one of the better atmospheric horror books I’ve read, and one of my favorites of the year so far.

Content warning: gore, body horror, war (mentioned), surgical amputation (mentioned), graphic animal death.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Immortality

 Tell me a story… about the quest to live forever

Immortality: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Publication date: February 28, 2023

Date read: February 24, 3023

Audiobook narrated by Mhairi Morrison and Tim Campbell

When Hazel Sinnett saves a life that leads to her arrest, she seems doomed to rot in prison until a message intervenes: Hazel has been specifically requested to be the personal physician of Princess Charlotte, the sickly granddaughter of King George III. Soon Hazel is dragged into the glamor and romance of a court where everyone has something to hide, especially the enigmatic, brilliant members of a social club known as the Companions to the Death.

This book is the sequel to Anatomy: A Love Story. 

I loved Anatomy when I read it last year, and while I don’t believe this book is quite as good, it still holds up and makes for an interesting story. 

The first book was more setting the scene, and exploring the difficulties for a woman to become a physician - a book that was much more focused on the people than the somewhat fantastical plot points. This book, as the title implies, focuses more on the effects and complications of the Immortality potion. 

I did love the way that this book brought in a lot of real historical people and events, especially how it dealt with the “madness” of King George. While I missed the personal relationships of Anatomy, I did like (for the most part) the direction that Immortality took. 

Without giving away any plot, I didn’t love the conclusion of the Charlotte storyline, which did make me rate the book a little lower than I might have otherwise, but it was still a strong story and one that I really enjoyed. Hazel was still wonderful, and I liked her interactions with the other characters in the story. She’s one of the most believable strong women that I’ve read in historical fiction in a while (even if some of the plot points are fantastical), and I would definitely read more from this series if the author decides to continue. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, with the caveat that there are fantasy elements involved with the potion of immortality. It is necessary to read Anatomy before this one, however, because while this is more or less a standalone story, the backstory of the potion and Hazel’s relationship with Jack are necessary to really enjoy this one. But they’re both great reads, so don’t let that hold you back. 

I also highly recommend the audiobook - Mhairi Morrison narrates both and does a wonderful job. 

Content warning: gore, execution, misogyny, classism, detailed medical descriptions, miscarriage/abortion. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

In the Lives of Puppets

 Tell me a story... about life - real and artificial 

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune

Publication date: April 25, 2023

Date read: January 29, 2023

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots--fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.
The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio-a past spent hunting humans. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

I put off writing a review of this book for a while, because I’m still having a difficult time figuring out how I feel about it. I first want to say that I love The House in the Cerulean Sea (one of my all-time favorite books) and Under the Whispering Door. So I wanted to love this book more than I actually did. 

There is a lot to like about this book. The side characters - especially Nurse Rached and Rambo - were wonderful and really funny. I just didn’t mesh with our lead characters at all. I really liked Vic, but unlike in Klune’s previous books, I just didn’t connect with him in a way that would make this book resonate with me like the others did. 

I thought the setting was really interesting, and the idea of a world made up almost completely of robots was a really fun concept. Klune’s books are always completely unique in their premise, which I do appreciate. I also love his writing style, and in that sense this book did not disappoint. 

I honestly just think that maybe it was the wrong time for me to read this book. There was a lot I enjoyed, but at the same time it just dragged for me. I can’t completely reconcile the idea that I can like a book and also that it takes me forever to read, which made it really difficult to rate 

In the end, if you like Klune’s previous books I would still recommend this one. It didn’t completely work for me, but I also can’t find a lot of fault in it - it just didn’t affect me like I was hoping it would. 

Content warning: child abandonment, fire, violent murder. 

Note: sexual humor and talk of masturbation. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book  

Gleanings

Tell me a story... about the past lives of Scythes

 Gleanings (Arc of a Scythe #3.5) by Neal Shusterman

Publication date: November 8, 2022

Date read: November 27, 2022

There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control.
Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between.

Most of these short stories either take place in the past (in relation to the Scythe books), or in the time between Thunderhead and The Toll. Full disclosure: I was only about 25% of the way through The Toll when I read Gleanings, so I can confirm that you can read Gleanings without having finished the last book, with only minor spoilers (all of which come in the first quarter of the book and are spoilers that you could have guessed anyway). But do not read this book without having read Thunderhead, or you will be completely spoiled on that book. 

This is a compilation of short stories, and as with any books of that type, there are some hits and some misses. I wouldn’t say that there are any full misses in this book - there aren’t any stories that I disliked completely - but there were a few that left me feeling a little “meh”. My favorite stories (no spoilers) we’re “Formidable”, “Never Work with Animals”, “A Martian Minute”, and “Perchance to Glean”. 

Overall, this was a really fun compilation of stories. I loved how we got to see into the past, finding out how Scythes Curie and Goddard got their starts, but then also just got to see some standalone stories about the Scythedom. Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite young adult authors writing today, both for his creativity and writing style. I think that science fiction is one of the hardest genres to write well, given that it often involves inventing new worlds or concepts, and he just does it so well. I highly recommend this whole trilogy, but would definitely recommend this book when you’re finished with it, as a fun addition with some really great stories. 

Content warning: murder, grave desecration, cruelty to animals, physical assault, violent death, suicide. 

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

Final Girls

 Tell me a story... about changing someone’s mind 

Final Girls by Mira Grant

Publication date: April 30, 2017

Date read: November 17, 2022

Narration by Jennifer Pickens

Dr. Jennifer Webb has invented proprietary virtual reality technology that purports to heal psychological wounds by running clients through scenarios straight out of horror movies and nightmares. In a carefully controlled environment, with a medical cocktail running through their veins, sisters might develop a bond they’ve been missing their whole lives—while running from the bogeyman through a simulated forest. But…can real change come so easily? Esther Hoffman doubts it. Esther has spent her entire journalism career debunking pseudoscience, after phony regression therapy ruined her father’s life. She’s determined to unearth the truth about Dr. Webb’s budding company. Dr. Webb’s willing to let her, of course, for reasons of her own. What better advertisement could she get than that of a convinced skeptic? But Esther’s not the only one curious about how this technology works. Enter real-world threats just as frightening as those created in the lab. Dr. Webb and Esther are at odds, but they may also be each other’s only hope of survival.

This was a short book - only 112 pages - but it really packed a punch in such a short number of pages. The first scene, for example, with two girls running for their lives, was legitimately scary. The book is very well-written, managing to create some real scares, as well as doing a pretty good job with characterization. I didn’t think any of the characters were super likable, but they were all interesting to follow.

I had the audiobook version, and I thought that the narrator was a good choice. I do think that this book would be just as good in written format.

Overall, this is a really good horror novella that is able to do what it sets out to do in just over 100 pages. It’s a good mix of psychological and physical horror, so any fan of the genre should enjoy this one. Definitely recommended.

Content warning: murder, manipulation of a patient under medication/therapy, bullying, death of a parent, child sexual abuse (mentioned)

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book 

Futureland

 Tell me a story... about the most spectacular theme park in the world

Futureland: Battle for the Park (Futureland #1) by H.D. Hunter

Publication date: November 8, 2022

Date read: January 3, 2023

Welcome to the most spectacular theme park in the world.

Everyone wants a ticket to Futureland, where you can literally live out your wildest dreams. Want to step inside your favorite video game? Go pro in a sports arena? Perform at a real live concert? Grab your ticket and come right in. Yet with all its attractions, Futureland has always just been home to Cam Walker, the son of the park's famous creators. And when Futureland arrives at its latest stop, Atlanta, Cam is thrilled for what promises to be the biggest opening ever. But things aren't quite right with the Atlanta opening. Park attractions are glitching. Kids go missing. And when his parents are blamed, Cam must find the missing kids and whoever's trying to take down his family . . . before it's too late.

This book is geared toward middle grade readers, so I am not the target audience for this one, but my review will address both adult and middle grade readers. 

First of all, I wish this book had been around when I was eleven. Science fiction can be such a fun genre and I wish it was written more for younger audiences. It reminded me of the classic kid detective stories, like Cam Jansen and Encyclopedia Brown (who I loved!), but set in a sci-fi environment. 

As an adult reader, I still actually really enjoyed this one. The mystery is a little easy to figure out, but that is to be expected. The story is actually very well-written and didn’t feel like it was “dumbed down” for kids. I also liked that the non-sci-fi plot points were actually pretty relatable - starting at a new school, trying to make friends, establishing some independence from your family. There is a lot that kids will like and identify with in this story. 

I also liked that, even in adult fiction, I’ve never really seen this idea played out, of a traveling amusement park. The closest I can think of is usually the horror trope of a traveling carnival. But this idea I found to be very creative, and can see how it would be very appealing to middle grade readers. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I think it’s a great story for kids who enjoy either science fiction or detective stories, and would also be a great option for getting new readers into these genres. It’s also a book that, as an adult, I wouldn’t mind reading with my child, as it would keep my interest as well. Highly recommend. 

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

A Bend of Light

 Tell me a story... about a mystery in a small town

A Bend of Light by Joy Jordan-Lake

Publication date: September 6, 2022

Date read: December 16, 2022

Five years after the war, Amie Stilwell, a photo interpreter for an Allied unit in England, returns to her hometown in Maine. Jobless and discouraged but stubbornly resourceful, she’s starting over in the same coastal village where her life once went so wrong. Waiting for her is Shibby Travis, the surrogate mother with whom Amie never lost touch. But the unexpected also awaits. 

A silent, abandoned boy is found with a note from a stranger pleading that he be watched over. Amie and Shibby take him in, but the mysteries multiply when a Boston socialite is found dead in Amie’s barn and an old friend, believed to be a casualty of war, suddenly reappears. Trained to see what others cannot, to scan for clues, and to expose enemies, Amie uses her skills to protect a child, solve a crime, and find the motive behind a veteran’s masquerade. But through the hazy filter of a town’s secrets, Amie must also confront her own painful past.

This book was a surprise, in that it starts out as a pretty typical historical fiction novel about starting life over after the war, and turns a corner into murder mystery. While I wasn’t expecting it, I really enjoyed both aspects of the plot and thought that they were both done very well. My only complaint about the plot was that Tom Dornay’s story seemed very out of place and slow at the beginning. I knew it would tie in to the rest of the story, but waiting for it to do that was a little distracting. 

I thought that the murder mystery was interesting and well-written. I didn’t guess what was going to happen in the end, but thought that it all made sense when it was explained. 

The characters were really fun and well-developed. Not all likable, but all interesting. I loved the small-town aspect of the story and how everyone’s lives intertwined. Everyone was so distinct and their various personalities and quirks made the historical fiction aspect of the plot really fun to read. 

Overall, this was a very enjoyable story. The mystery was interesting and the more character-driven plot points were just as enjoyable. The slow, slightly distracting Tom Dornay storyline only took away a little bit from my enjoyment, and once things begin to tie together more, it was quite a page-turner.

I would recommend this to both historical fiction readers and mystery readers. Both aspects are well-done and I think genre readers of either would enjoy this. 

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Content warnings: sexism, attempted suicide, war, murder, homophobia, child abandonment, blood, violent death, bombing, sexual assault

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. 

U4 - Stephane

 Tell me a story... the teens of the apocalypse

U4 - Stephane by Pierre-Paul Renders and Denis Lapiere, art by Adrian Huelva

Publication date: April 27, 2022 (French)

Date read: December 26, 2022

Before the virus, Stéphane led the quiet life of a bourgeois student in Lyon with her father, an eminent epidemiologist. The U4 pandemic wiped out the entire population, with the exception of teenagers, in ten days. But Stéphane has one conviction: his father survived, protected by the army, and he is looking for a solution to the pandemic. Rather than join the R-Point where the majority of the young people are organized, under the supervision of the few surviving soldiers, she prefers to stay alone in the apartment to wait for her father's return... It is a risky choice: creeping anarchy progresses and gradually plunges Lyon into chaos... Stéphane does not believe in this strange appointment in Paris for the expert players of Warriors of Time, but the circumstances may make her change her mind...

There are four volumes of this comic - Jules, Koridwen, Stephane, and Yannis - that can be read in any order. The conclusion - supposedly called Khronos - should be read only after reading the first four. *I say “supposedly”, because it looks like it was called Contagion in the French release…

I’m really enjoying this series, and can’t wait to see how it all comes together in the end. I like how each story loosely goes together, seeing the main characters from the other volumes pop up briefly in other issues; fun to see scenes played out from two different points of view. 

I rated this book a little lower than the previous two that I’ve read - Jules and Koridwen - because I just wasn’t quite as invested in her storyline, but it was still interesting and well-written and illustrated. Stephane just was a little more isolated and less connected to the main pandemic storyline through a lot of this volume, and I was anxious to get back to the action.

Overall, this was still a fun addition to the series, and I think anyone who enjoys post apocalyptic comics will really enjoy this series.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Content warnings: nudity, pandemic, attempted sexual assault, murder, killing of animals, police brutality 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Frizzy

 Tell me a story... about learning to love yourself

Frizzy by Claribel A. Ortega; art by Rose Bousamra

Publication date: October 18, 2022

Date read: November 1, 2022

Marlene loves three things: books, her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable", "good hair". But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tia Ruby—she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair.

I thought this graphic novel was so cute. Marlene is an amazing character that I think a lot of kids will identify with - not only those with unruly hair, but those with any physical characteristic that they don’t love. And I think that the challenge of trying to find yourself while also trying to fit in to what your family expects of you at a young age will appeal to anyone. 

I really enjoyed the artwork by Rose Bousamra. I feel like hair is one of the hardest physical aspects to draw realistically, and she did a great job of showing the differences between Marlene’s styles. 

I also thought that it was really cool that Tia Ruby basically included a good method for treating Marlene’s type of hair. It fit into the story, but also I could imagine it being really helpful to kids in this situation. (Disclaimer: I am Caucasian and have thick but otherwise easy to manage hair, so I don’t know for a fact that Ruby’s method works, but it sounds legit). 

Overall, this was one of my favorite graphic novels from this year. I think that most middle grade readers will enjoy this one, but I highly recommend it for kids (and adults) with “difficult” hair. The issue is dealt with in such a real but sweet way that will appeal to many young readers. 

Rating: 5/5 stars 

Content warning: death of a parent, bullying 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book 

Black Cake

 Tell me a story...about a mother’s secret past

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Publication date: February 1, 2022

Date read: September 30, 2022

Eleanor Bennett’s death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares the story of her childhood in the Caribbean, her escape from the island, and a mystery of a long-lost daughter. As their mother’s story unfolds, Byron and Benny try to make sense of what they thought they knew about their family, as well as attempt to repair their once-close relationship. 

I first want to say that I misunderstood the NetGalley/Goodreads plot summary for this book, and I assumed it was going to be Byron and Benny traveling, trying to figure out something from their mother’s past. But it was actually a split timeline story, with Byron and Benny listening, in the present day, as their mother told her story. Not bad, just not what I was expecting.

Byron and Benny weren’t super likable characters, but I liked following their stories as they found things out about their family that they weren’t expecting. Eleanor’s story took a lot of unexpected turns, and while I wasn’t all that invested at first, I soon got sucked in. I really liked Eleanor as a young woman.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable historical fiction story about a woman who has to reinvent herself. It takes a lot of twists and turns that kept it interesting and fun to follow. I didn’t love the present day characters as much, but did like the way they kept the story grounded. This is a very well-written and interesting book that I think anyone who likes historical or contemporary fiction will enjoy. 

Rating: 4/5 stars 

Content warning: death of a family member/loved one, rape, character forced to give up a child, police profiling, racial discrimination 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.