Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Horror. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2026

Book Review: On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield

Title: On Sundays She Picked Flowers
Author: Yah-Yah Scholfield
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Horror, LGBT, Magical Realism, Adult Fiction
Pages: 231
Publisher: Saga Press
Year Published: 2020
Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

"In this sinister and surreal Southern Gothic debut, a woman escapes into the uncanny woods of southern Georgia and must contend with ghosts, haints and most dangerous of all, the truth about herself.

When Judith Rice fled her childhood home, she thought she'd severed her abusive mother's hold on her. She didn't have a plan or destination, just a desperate need to escape. Drawn to the forests of southern Georgia, Jude finds shelter in a house as haunted by its violent history as she is by her own. 

Jude embraces the eccentricities of the dilapidated house, soothing its ghosts and haints, honoring its blood-soaked land. And over the next thirteen years, Jude blossoms from her bitter beginnings into a wisewoman, a healer.

But her hard-won peace is threatened when an enigmatic woman shows up on her doorstep. The woman is beautiful but unsettling, captivating but uncanny. Ensnared by her desire for this stranger, Jude is caught off guard by brutal urges suddenly simmering beneath her skin. As the owman stirs up memories of her escape years ago, Jude must confront the calls of violence rooted in her bloodline.

Haunting and thought-provoking, On Sunday She Picked Flowers explores retribution, family trauma, and the power of building oneself back up after breaking down."

My Rating: 2/5

For such a short novel, this story covers so many topics. This book covers the tale of Judith Rice, who is escaping a childhood full of abuse and a home that never felt much like it, even though she's a child of forty-one. Taking to the woods, a house full of spirits and a world where it's hard to say what is real and what is not, we watch as she comes into her own. Who she is, who she's meant to be and who she will become. I enjoyed the start of the novel, and there were portions I found interesting in the middle. But there were portions that I just didn't like. The use of magical realism was fair, but it felt overdone to me. The metaphors and allagories were intense and important, but it felt like too much to be in such a short story.  For me, this was a book that felt just alright. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, it just was. 

Sidny

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Book Review: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee

Title: Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Adult Fiction
Pages: 304
Publisher: MIRA
Year Published: 2025
Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"Cora Zeng is a crime scene cleaner, washing away the remains of brutal murders and suicides in Chinatown. The bloody messes don't bother her, not when she's already witnessed the most horrific thing possible: her sister being pushed in front of a train.

Before fleeing the scene, the murderer whispered two words: bat eater.

Months pass, the killer is never caught, and Cora can barely keep herself together. She pushes away all feelings, disregards the bite marks that appear on her coffee table, and won't take her aunt's advice to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open.

Cora tries to ignore the rising dread in her stomach, even when she and her weird coworkers begin finding bat carcasses at their crime scene clean-ups. But Cora can't ignore the fact that all their recent clean-ups have been the bodies of East Asian women.

Soon Cora will learn: you can't just ignore hungry ghosts."

My Rating: 4/5

I'm not sure exactly what I just read, but I liked it. I think the author did a great job of combining mystery, folklore and the everyday horror that were present during Covid. The racism, the hate crimes, and the death that surrounded New York (as someone who wasn't there and only saw the news). That being said, I didn't expect many of the twists, which were great, but also felt unsettling in a way that took me out of the story at some points. I would be curious to learn more about the folklore and beliefs in hungry ghosts in the future if anyone has recommendations for nonfiction works surrounding these beliefs. 

Thank you for reading,
Sidny

Monday, May 4, 2026

Book Review: The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Title: The Reformatory
Author: Tananarive Due
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller, Horror, Adult Fiction
Pages: 570
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
Year Published: 2023
Format: Hardcover (Library Copy)

"Set in Jim Crow Florida, follows Robert Stephens Jr. as he's sent to a segregated reform school that is a chamber of terrors where he sees the horror of racism and injustice, for the living, and the dead.

Gracetown, Florida

June 1950

Twelve-year-old Robbie Stephens, Jr., is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, a reformatory, for kicking the son of the largest landowner in town in defense of his older sister, Gloria. So begins Robbie's journey further into the terrors of the Jim Crow South and the very real horror of the school they call The Reformatory.

Robbie has a talent for seeing ghosts, or haints. But what was once a comfort to him after the loss of his mother has become a window to the truth of what happens at the reformatory. Boys forced to work to remediate their so-called crimes have gone missing, but the haints Robbie sees hint at worse things. Through his friends, Redbone and Blue, Robbie is learning not just the rules but how to survive. Meanwhile, Gloria is rallying every family member and connection in Florida to find a way to get Robbie out before it's too late. 

The Reformatory is a haunting work of historical fiction written as only American Book Award-winning author Tananarive Due could, by piecing together the life of the relative her family never spoke of and bringing his tragedy and those of so many others at the infamous Dozier School for Boys to the light in this riveting novel."

My Rating: 3.75/5

This wasn't what I expected when I started reading this book. I thought for some reason that it was a horror with a smattering of Historical Fiction, and by smattering, I mean the setting (similar to This House Will Feed). I didn't realize that the author was basing this work on a family member, or how much this would read as a historical fiction, rather than supernatural horror. Obviously, there are horrific elements (basically the whole book), but not in the same writing I would expect from a horror-specific book. I plan on reading some of her reference texts to gain a better understanding of the subject matter, because I do beielve it is incredibly important to acknowledge our history as humans to help steer us to a better future.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Monday, April 20, 2026

Book Review: This House Will Feed by Maria Tureaud

Title: This House Will Feed
Author: Maria Tureaud
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Horror, Historical Fiction, Adult
Pages: 368
Publisher: Indie Published
Year Published: 2026
Format: Ebook (Kindle Unlimited)

"Amidst the devastation of Ireland's Great Famine, a young woman is salvaged from certain death when offered a mysterious position at a remote manor house haunted by a strang epower and the horror of her own memories in this chillingly evocative historical novel braided with gothic horror and supernatural suspense for readers of Katherine Arden's The Warm Hands of Ghosts and The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins.

County Clare, 1848: In the scant few years since the potato blight first cast its foul shadow over Ireland, Maggie O'Shaughnessy has lost everything- her entire family and the man she trusted with her heart. Tolling in the Ennis Workhouse for paltry rations, she can see no future either within or outside its walls- until the mysterious Lady Catherine arrives to whisk her away to an old mansion in the stark limestone landscape of the Burren.

Lady Catherine wants Maggie to impersonate her late daughter, Wilhelmina and hoodwink solicitors into releasing Wilhelmina's widow's pension so that Lady Catherine can continue to provide for the villagers in her care. In exchange, Maggie will receive freedom from the workhouse, land of her own, and the one thing she wants more than a chance to fulfill the promise she made to her brother on his deathbed- to live to spite them all.

Launching herself into the daunting task, Maggie plays the role of Wilhelmina as best she can while ignoring the villagers' tales of ghostly figures and curses. But more worrying are the whispers that come from within. Something in Lady Catherine's house is reawakening long-buried memories in Maggie- of a foe more terrifying than hunger or greed, of power that calls for blood and vengeance, and of her own role in a nightmare that demands the darkest sacrifice..."

My Rating: 4/5

In an already horrific time, imagine a horror movie takes place that includes cannibalism, spirits, folklore and more. While this story took a bit of time to warm up after about the 30% mark, I was in and couldn't wait to pick it up each time I had the opportunity. I look forward to reading more from the author, who does a wonderful job at setting the atmosphere and expanding on an already dark time in history. Characters were flawed, but understandable, and the twists were interesting and kept me hooked.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Book Review: A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

Title: A Dowry of Blood
Author: S.T. Gibson
Series/Standalone: Vampire Companion Series (Book #1)
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Retelling, Adult
Pages: 292
Publisher: Indie Published (Redhook)
Year Published: 2021
Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

"S.T. Gibson's sensational novel is the darkly seductive tale of Dracula's first bride, Constanta. 

This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession...

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things.

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death."

My Rating: 5/5

I loved this. I wasn't expecting to absolutely love it! The whole time it's been on my shelf, I was so focused on the fact that it was horror, I wasn't thinking about how well the writing could work. How the story could really grab me, and the parallels it could draw to other abusive relationships. The symbolism was incredible, and the pacing was fantastic. I can't wait to read more by the author.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Book Review: The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

Title: The Final Girl Support Group
Author: Grady Hendrix
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Thriller, Adult, Fiction, Horror
Pages: 326
Publisher: Berkley
Year Published: 2021
Format: Paperback (Borrowed)

"In horror movies, the final girls are the ones left standing when the credits roll. They made it through the worst night of their lives... but what happens after?

Like his bestselling novel The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, Grady Hendrix's latest is a fast-paced, frightening, and wickedly humorous thriller. From chain saws to summer camp slayers, The Final Girl Support Group pays tribute to and slyly subverts out most popular horror films- movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Scream.

Lynette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre. For more than a decade, she's been meeting with five other final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, working to put their lives back together. Then one woman misses a meeting, and their worst fears are realized- someone knows about the group and is determined to rip their lives apart again, piece by piece. 

But the thing about final girls is that no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up."

My Rating: 3/5

I liked the concept of this book, I liked the original aspect of this book, but the writing style wasn't quite what I expected. While parts were fast paced I felt that other aspects dragged. I didn't care for the main character, and found that the way they all were fairly stereotyped, I wasn't super into. I didn't see the plot twist coming, but once it got there, it did make a lot of sense. I would be curious to read more of his work, but I won't be picking up another one super soon. Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Monday, February 2, 2026

Book Review: Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Title: Starling House
Author: Alix E. Harrow
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Adult Fiction
Pages: 308
Publisher: Tor Books
Year Published: 2023
Format: Audiobook (Library Copy)

"A grim and gothic new tale from Author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can't stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.

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 Sterling- 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 ehr 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 Rating: 4.5/5

This tale follows Opal, who feels like an unreliable narrator, but is she? Her love for her brother pushes her to the extremes and makes the reader wonder, what would I do for the ones I love. It also follows Arthur and his trials and tribulations with the land he owns, and the nightmares that follow him. Overall, this is the tale of two people finding home in places they least expect, and confronting things one never thought possible, while maintaining the suspenseful and at time horror based elements. 

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Book Review: The Merciless by Danielle Vega

Title: The Merciless
Author: Danielle Vega
Series/Standalone: The Merciless Series (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Horror
Pages: 279
Publisher: Razorbill
Year Published: 2014
Format: Hardcover (Own It)

"Forgive us, Father, for we have sinned

Brooklyn Stevens sits in a pool of her own blood, tied and gagged. No one outside these dank basement walls knows she's here. No one can hear her scream. 

Sofia Flores knows she shouldn't have gotten involved. When she befriended Riley, Grace and Alexis on her first day at school, she admired them, with their perfect hair and their good-girl ways. They said they wanted to save Brooklyn. They wanted to help her. Sofia didn't realize they believed Brooklyn was possessed.

Now, Riley and the girls are performing an exorcism on Brooklyn- but their idea of an exorcism is closer to torture than salvation. All Sofia wants is to get out of this house. But there is no way out. Sofia can't go against the other girls... unless she wants to be next."

My Rating: 3.5/5

I've had this book on my physical TBR for a while, and I'm glad I got to it. It was an intense read, and for people looking for horror with that 2010s kind of young adult style this was perfect. I was honestly surprised by how intense the body horror was and the horror scenes overall. The characters were interesting, but I don't see myself reaching for the next book in the series at this time.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Saturday, December 14, 2024

Review: Shame: Conception Pt. 1

Title: Shame: Conception: Part 1
Author: Lovern Kindzierski
Artist(s): John Bolton
Series/Standalone: Shame Series (Vol. 1)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Adult Fiction, Horror
Pages: 60
Publisher: Renegade Arts Entertainment
Year Published: 2011
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"When the purest woman on earth allows herself one selfish thought it is enough to conceive the most evil woman the world has ever known.

From the imaginations of award winning creators: Lovern Kindzierski, John Bolton and Todd Klein, is born the dark faery tale trilogy of shame."

My Rating: 1/5

I don't think I realized what this graphic novel was going to be, and after reading it, I'm still not sure I can describe it. The feeling of, "What the hell did I just win?" is still rattling around in my skull. I didn't find it to be in my wheelhouse and for that reason, I won't be continuing on with the series.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Book Review: Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker

Title: Beware the Wild    
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Series/Standalone: Beware the Wild Duology (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Magical Realism, Paranormal
Pages: 327
Publisher: HarperTeen
Year Published: 2014
Format: Paperback
First Line: "It's no secret, ours is the meanest swamp in Louisiana."

"It's an oppressively hot and sticky morning in June when Sterling and her brother, Phin, have an argument that compels him to run into the town swamp- the one that strikes fear in all the residents of Sticks, Louisiana. Phin doesn't return. Instead, a girl named Lenora May climbs out, and now Sterling is the only person in Sticks who remembers her brother ever existed.

Sterling needs to figure out what the swamp's done with her beloved brother and how Lenora May is connected to his disappearance- and loenr boy Heath Durham might be the only one who can help her."

My Rating: 2.5/5

This wasn't all I hoped it to be. When I heard about it from someone reading vlogs a while ago, I expected it to be a horror book, but I would consider this more magical realism, rather than horror. I spent a lot of time reading this book trying to see if it was actual magic or an unreliable main character. Along with these factors, I do worry about the way disordered eating was dealt with within the story. I understand that this book was published a decade ago, but for those reasons alone I cannot recommend it. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Review: Everything Vol. 2: Black Friday

Title: Everything Vol. 2: Black Friday
Author: Christopher Cantwell
Illustrator(s): I.N.J. Culbard, Steve Wands
Series/Standalone:
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror, Science Fiction, Adult
Pages: 128
Publisher: Berger Books
Year Published: 2020
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Things in Holland, Michigan are stranger than ever: while some of the townspeople fall deeper into the mysteries of the disturbingly alluring and increasingly inescapable Everything mega-store, a growing array of renegade citizens form an underground resistance against its masters. Murky answers to bizarre questions finally surface... who, or what, is really in control of Everything... and why? Monstrous villains will be revealed, all out war will explode out in the parking lot, and deep beneath the store, the remaining few will venture forth into an unfathomable- maybe even inhuman- horizon as the American Dream gets derailed in a nightmarish turn."

My Rating: 1/5

I don't know why I expected this to be able to hit all the plot points that I hoped it would. This felt rushed and I was hoping for a bigger build-up of what was going on with this company, this town and this science fiction setting. It was not all I hoped.

Thanks for reading,
Sidny

Monday, July 1, 2024

Review: Everything Vol. 1

Title: Everything Volume 1
Author(s): Christopher Cantwell 
Artist(s):  INJ Culbard
Series/Standalone: Everything Series (Vol. 1)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Dystopian, 
Pages: 128
Publisher: Berger Books
Year Published: 2020
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Everything is a gleaming new mega-department store that has everything you want... but it might take away what you need... things like your sanity, or maybe even your life.

From wayward teens to lonely housewives and ambitious city officials, most in this otherwise-sleepy Michigan town are thrilled with the arrival of EVERYTHING and its catalog-perfect manager, Shirley.
But thrill turns to frenzy and when bouts of mania, random hellish fires, violent explosions and unshakeable psychic disturbances start to overtake the population, a few-like depressive out-of-towner Lori and a suspicious local named Rick- begin to suspect EVERYTHING might be the cause.
What twisted power has taken hold of Holland, Michigan and its town-folk? Who-or-what- exactly is in charge here and what insidious plans are in store?"

My Rating: 4/5

This was such an odd introduction to a series but it hooked me right away. A dystopian book about the greed of capitalism? Sign me up. I would strongly recommend if you want a little disturbing mixed with an odd feeling of familiarity, EVERYTHING may not be as it seems.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Review: Something is Killing the Children Vol. 7

Title: Something is Killing the Children, Vol. 7
Author: James Tynion IV
Artist: Werther Dell'Edera
Series/Standalone: Something is Killing the Children (Volume 7)
Genre: Graphic Novels, Horror, Adult
Pages: 144
Publisher: BOOM!Studios
Year Published: 2024
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"The final chapter of the Tribulation saga and the decisive showdown between Eric Slaughter and Cutter.

After narrowly surviving the Duplicitype, Erica Slaughter must still reckon with the murderous Cutter in order to save the people of Tribulation. Seperated from Dolly and driven by desperate rage, Cutter won't stop until she exacts her revenge on Erica. But the horror is far from over as the terrifying Duplicitype, the infamous monster wearing Erica's likeness that changed Something is Killing the Children forever, also remains at large and in relentless, sinister pursuit! And with Cecilia showing up onsite, will Erica finally find the ally she needs or is betrayal in the cards? Whose side are they on? Most importantly, what chance does Erica stand?"

My Rating: 4/5

I enjoyed this one more than the last one and I think the addition of flashbacks helped my enjoyment overall. I look forward to continuing the series. 

Sidny

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Book Review: My Sweet Audrina by VC Andrews

Title: My Sweet Audrina
Author: VC Andrews
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Horror, Adult Fiction
Pages: 403
Publisher: Pocket Books
Year Published: 1982
Format: Physical Copy

"VC Andrews, author of the phenomenally successful Dollanganger series, has created a fascinating new cast of characters in this haunting story of love and deceit, innocence and betrayal, and the suffocating power of parental love.
Audrina Adare wanted so to be as good as her sister. She knew her father could not love her as he loved her sister. Her sister was so special, so perfect- and dead.
Now she will come face with the dangerous, terrifying secret that everyone knows. Everyone except....
My Sweet Audrina."

DNF @ 60%
My Rating: 1/5

I bought this book after I read Flowers in the Attic when I was in high school and finally decided to pick it up. This book did NOT age well. While I understand that language choices have changed over the past 40 years, I'm curious how this book was reprinted in 2011. I'm also curious as to how people didn't see where the twist was. After reading the first chapter I was pretty sure I knew exactly what was going to happen and after reading the spark notes I was correct about the twist. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Monday, October 9, 2023

Review: Something is Killing the Children Volume 6

Title: Something is Killing the Children Volume 6
Author: James Tynion IV
Illustrator: Werther Dell'Edera
Series/Standalone: Something is Killing the Children Series (Vol. 6)
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror, Adult Fiction
Pages: 144
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Year Published:  2023
Format: Paperback Copy (Library Copy)

"With the last person in her corner gone and a ruthless agent from the Order of St. George closing in, Erica Slaughter finds herself alone and without a prayer. Can she take on this horrific new monster plaguing the small town of Tribulation, New Mexico by herself, or is this the end of her story? Erica is faced with a choice to reach out to an unexpected source for help, or find herself dealing with both a monster and her human enemies alone... Erica Slaughter faces her deadliest challenge yet in the next volume of the Eisner-winning and Harvey Award-nominated series from GLAAD Award-winning author James Tynion IV...."

My Rating: 3/5

This volume was fine for me, but I think because I can no longer binge the series, I'm starting to lose hold of the plot. I would be interested in reading it all once it's completed but for now, I will be taking a break from the series. The ideas are excellent, the art style is fascinating and the characters are dynamic. Lots to like, just not my favourite.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny


Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Book Review: You've Lost a Lot of Blood by Eric LaRocca

Title: You've Lost a Lot of Blood 
Author: Eric LaRocca
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Horror, Adult
Pages: 236
Publisher: Self-Published
Year Published: 2022
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"A disturbing new vision of terror from the author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.

'Each precious thing I show you in this book is a holy relic from the night we both perished- the night when I combed you from my hair and watered the moon with your blood.

You've lost a lot of blood..."

My Rating: 2/5

This book was disturbing for me. The use of insects and the way the story is told is excellent. But I felt like either I was missing something or the book was. While it was uncomfortable, it wasn't exactly what I thought I was getting into. I would really enjoy reading more from the author and seeing if there is something I would enjoy more from this author.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Review: Haunthology by Jeremy Haun

Title: Haunthology
Author: Jeremy Haun
Artist(s): Jeremy Haun
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Graphic Novel, Horror
Pages: 152
Publisher: Image Comics
Year Published: 2023
Format: Paperback Copy (Library)

"From creatures of the night... to even more terrifying creatures of the day, Haunthology is an anxiety-inducing collection of 28 short stories and vignettes from the mind of JEREMY HAUN, the writer and artist behind, THE BEAUTY, THE REALM, The Red Mother, The Approach and other nightmarish mindscapes. Whether exploring a claustrophobic old house full of nefarious entities or exploring the heavy thoughts one has during the pending end of the world, this very personal project was completely written and drawn during the COVID shutdowns."

My Rating: 1.75/5

This didn't leave me with anxiety or fear. I wanted to be unsettled and uncomfortable but I just don't think any of the short stories had enough time to freak me out. This might be a me problem but I need more time for an author to work on the atmosphere to scare me. Overall, just ok. The art was gorgeous though.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 13

Title: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 13
Author/Artist: Shuzo Oshimi
Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks 
Genre: Manga, Horror, Adult
Pages: 224
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Year Published: 2022
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"It's been 20 years since his mother told Seiichi that she renounced motherhood, since she thanked him for being a killer, since he tried to strangle her there in the courtroom- and somehow he made it through. living alone, working the night shift at a commercial bakery, barely speaking to his father, Seiichi's life is solitary and empty, and he likes it that way. But nothing lasts forever....

The grand preface is over- and now the real story begins!!!"

My Rating: 1/5

I think this is where I will be leaving the series. I don't care to continue on, the time jump did nothing for me, and the direction the plot is taking isn't for me. I doubt that I will continue at this point but I would still recommend the series for anyone who wants to be a bit unsettled. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Monday, July 3, 2023

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 12

Title: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 12
Author: Shuzo Oshimi
Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks Series
Genre: Manga, Horror, Adult
Pages: 256
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Year Published: 2021
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Ordinary middle school student Seiichi Osabe receives love and care from his mother Seiko. 
Until one summer an incident changes the family dynamic forever.
This is a story of a mother's love that has gone too far..."

My Rating: 2/5

This didn't capture my interest the way I wanted it to. I just felt as though not a lot happened throughout this volume although there were some plot points they weren't all I wanted from it. It was just ok for me.

Thanks for reading,

Sdiny

Review: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 11

Title: Blood on the Tracks Vol. 11
Author: Shuzo Oshimi
Series/Standalone: Blood on the Tracks Series 
Genre: Manga, Horror, Adult
Pages: 256
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Year Published: 2021
Format: Paperback (Library Copy)

"Shigeru's midnight visit leads Seiichi back up the hill where his mother dropped him as a child... and as events begin to fold in on themselves like the layers of his psyche, Seiichi starts to see the past through Mommy's eyes....

With one symbolic act, Seiichi can finally free himself of his mother's malign influence- but is this a nightmare, or is it all too real?!

My Rating: 3/5

This is where we're going off the rails. I really thought I had a grasp on where the series was going and yet, boom the author has surprised me once again. I didn't love the twist, but I can respect it. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny