Just an Eclectic Collection of Reviews feat. Lindy Ryan, Khaholi Bailey, Nikki Wallschlaeger, Chris Panatier, Tayi Tibble, & Cynthia Gómez

No true theme this week, simply catching up on the cool books I've read recently.

Side note: AuDHD and depression are a hell of a combo, folks.

Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan, Minotaur Books

This piece may easily turn into an appreciation post to my coworker Peg Turley, mainly because several of the books on here were picked up because she enjoyed them so much. Starting off, we have Lindy Ryan's terrifyingly cozy southern horror, Bless Your Heart.

Lindy Ryan is an active name in the horror community, having edited several fantastic anthologies over the past few years, including the recently released Mother Knows Best, with a stacked roster of authors. Bless Your Heart marks her novel debut, kicking off what may be one of the most fun ongoing series' for the next several years.

Bringing a unique spin to the vampire subgenre, this novel deals not quite with the bloodsucking undead, but the creatures who inspired our enduring vision of them: the Strigoi. Stemming from Romanian folklore, the Strigoi are said to be restless spirits who gain vitality from the blood of their victims, as well as other powers such as animal transformation and invisibility.

Dealing with these dangerous undead beasties are the women of the Evans family, who have taken on the undead and supernatural for many decades, though keeping the secret of their true adventures from the youngest Evans, Luna. However, strange murders begin to pop up throughout their small Texas town, causing the older generations to bring Luna quickly into the fold, kickstarting the newest generation.

This book strikes the perfect balance between its lighthearted southern humor and charm, and the gory, terrifying intensity of a thrilling creature feature. The pacing is immaculate as we are steadily fed the breadcrumbs of the mystery until its most bombastic twists are tanning your hide. With an explosive and honestly heartbreaking ending, Ryan drops one of the best cliffhangers, setting up a delightfully adventurous future for this series. If you love to laugh in your horror, this is the perfect read for your summer, though you'll definitely be watching your neighbors closely, all while checking over your shoulder...

The Miseducation of a 90's Baby by Khaholi Bailey, CLASH Books

No book cover has ever captured the hilariously simplistic power of its inner pages. One of my most anticipated essay collections of 2024, this debut of Khaholi Bailey's most painful and formative memories of her coming of age in a lawless 90's landscape channels nostalgia in a way that actually feels pleasant.

Miseducation is not a focus on what made 90's culture and media so influential to the Millennial generation, but rather a meditation on what it meant to be Black in a time with the exploitation of Black culture was at some of its most dizzying heights. With charm and unyielding snark, Bailey shows us this decade through her deeply perceptive eyes. For every moment of sobering clarity, there's painful belly laughs waiting on the very next page.

The blurb on the back evokes the voice of Samantha Irby, which certainly makes sense for the tone of many of the essays present, but Bailey's voice is so uniquely hers, introducing readers to a voice that will continue to ring for the next several decades. I absolutely cannot wait to see what she writes next because I will know I can melt into the peaceful comedy and wisdom of her wit.

The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier, Angry Robot Books

Another title inspired by Peg, as well as our coworker Hilary, holy shit this novel was a fantastically demented ride. I believe I described it as "if Shutter Island and American Horror Story: Asylum had a baby, but written way better" to Chris when I sent my reaction afterward.

Honestly, I stand by this assessment. I would even throw A Cure for Wellness in there because this so adeptly captured the asylum genre without ever feeling overtly exploitative. Panatier is very much aware of the dark and complex history at the heart of this subgenre and uses some of its worst cliches to flip the narrative on its ear.

A young woman is taken into police custody following the destruction of an infamously mysterious sanitarium, Hollyhock Asylum. Through interview transcripts, we are introduced to the enigmatic Charlotte Turner, a woman whose husband had brought her to Hollyhock to help strengthen their marriage. However, Charlotte is not as she seems. As her story unfolds, the mysteries grow deeper and stranger, leading to explosive revelations that even the most savvy of reader will not entirely predict.

The less you know going into this book, the better, as so much of its power lies in your slow descent into the narrative, head spinning as you try to keep up with the threads presented. Hollyhock itself is an absolute nightmare that knows exactly what it is, as well as the damage it does to its victims. Much like the temporal ambiguity of It Follows, The Redemption of Morgan Bright plays fast and loose with time, causing readers to question the time period it takes place in, which is completely part of the experience.

A powerful, terrifying, maddening, heartbreaking, and thrilling story that acts as a reminder of the dangers of stripping people of their bodily autonomy. You will come out the other side a completely different person than you were going in. Buckle your seatbelt.

Rangikura: Poems by Tayi Tibble, Knopf & Penguin Random House

New Zealand poet Tayi Tibble returns with the same bite, humor, and sensuality that made 2022's Poukahangatus an absolute smash hit.

Continuing her work of recontextualizing Māori folklore with what it means to exist as an Indigenous woman in 21st Century Europe. Spinning her own folktales as a means of analyzing the speaker's life and experiences, we witness a life lived authentically and unabashedly. Tibble exhibits her signature duality as her tone belies playfulness while the razor sharpness of her words and critique cut the reader.

This gorgeous re-issue shows just how much of a force the poet has been to reckon with as her career continues to grow. Her voice is confident and defiant at every turn, always leaving the door open for further connection to her history and personal story/continued growth. Come for the laughs, stay for the breathtaking storytelling.

Hold Your Own: Poems by Nikki Wallschlaeger, Copper Canyon Press

I never tire of the excitement I feel upon learning of a coming collection from Wisconsin poet, Nikki Wallschlaeger. Reading her 2017 release, Crawlspace, completely blew me away. The sheer control of form and voice in that collection of poems felt so musical and passionate, I consistently return to it to this day.

Hold Your Own marks her fourth collection, focusing on the act of seeking out peace and pleasure in a world that does everything it can to keep these experiences from Black women. These poems feel like the broadest scope that Wallschlaeger has approached, however, the power endures throughout every stanza and line.

Whether addressing America's continual courting of white supremacists and destructive violence, or the quiet peace of the home and family, her lyrical signature sings with stunning clarity and strength. Additionally present is a consistent through-line concerning the importance of community, especially amidst the self-destructive crumbling of the American empire.

Containing endless multitudes, Hold Your Own stands as another vigorous testament to Wallschlaeger's talent and voice within the poetic cannon. This book will release next week, 05/21/24 through Copper Canyon Press.

The Nightmare Box and Other Stories by Cynthia Gómez, Cursed Morsels Press

God dammit I love story collections. More often than not, I find some of the hardest hitting stories within these kinds of collections. My massive and endless thanks to the Cursed Morsels team for sending me a copy of this upcoming collection by a voice that deserves every bit of hype that should be coming to her.

Another addition to the Fantastic Cover Department, The Nightmare Box is a passionate reminder of what speculative fiction does for genre as a whole, acting as the Twilight Zone reboot we desperately need in this time. Channeling Matheson while ringing with the political prescience of Butler, Cynthia Gómez doesn't set the stage, but bazookas the hell out of it with a hit parade of fantastically chilling and emotional tales.

At the heart of all twelve stories are ordinary queer, Latinx characters who wield their powers to battle white supremacy, gender violence, and even class oppression with a gorgeously full heart. Several of these stories broke me down in the absolute best way, with my jaw practically hitting the floor at different points.

Gómez's voice is one of those that comes in the times we need them most, lilting above the noise and offering a singularly unique experience that rests in your bones for the rest of your days. Much like M. Lopez da Silva's debut collection, the immense love I feel for this book is massive and I appreciate its existence so much.

When this book releases on July 9th, I implore that you give it your undivided attention and let its bewitching euphoria take you over.