Queer Gods, Sexy Eldritch Pirates, Revenge Smells Fishy, Time Hopping Anticolonialism, White Apocalypse, and Scarecrow Labor Rights - Reviews

As summer begins its steady death throes to transform into the best season of the year (fight me), it's only fitting that nothing at all changes on this blog. Because let's be honest, I review horror all year-round, so it's just a bit more of the same.

That said, I do love this movement of Summerween, not only as a massive fan of Gravity Falls, but also as someone determined to get their creepy little horror fingers all over everything.

Regardless, the bitch is back for yet another roundup of recent beloved reads and recommendations as we catapult toward pumpkin spice heaven and bonfire oblivion.

In XTC "Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead voice: LET'S BEGIN!

Out of the Drowning Deep by A.C. Wise, Titan Books

Another of my absolute favorite Canadians, writer A.C. Wise returns in 2024 with an astounding new novella, Out of the Drowning Deep. Part Sci Fi, part detective story, part cosmic horror, yet completely A.C., this genre-bending tale introduces us to the Bastion, a place that stands as its own relic of time, being that religion and divinity have splintered into various forms of faith and un-faith.

One such person that continues to frequent the Bastion is the Pope, whose presence is of much interest given that he's set to abolish organized religion entirely. However, someone has different plans, as suddenly, with a cry in the night, it is found that the Pope is dead!! Cue lightening crackle and boom of thunder.

With no visible wounds or signs of struggle, it is up to the Bastion's sole automaton, Scribe IV, to solve this perplexing mystery. Sending out a signal to any who may answer, he hopes to reach anyone aside from the Sisters of the Deep, an underwater sect who seem hell bent on using this tragedy to their devious advantage. Luckily, detective Aquinas St. John–Quin for short–arrives with the assistance of a rather excitable Angel. Between these three, the game is afoot, and what transpires is a magnificent mystery full of queerness, existentialism, hope, and wit–as is the A.C. Wise way.

This was one I was very excited to get to, though I am biased because I adore her writing. But the wealth of complexity within the book's exploration of religion and divinity is always something quite close to my heart, so being able to engage within this exciting story was its own gift.

Also it's nearly impossible to not fall in love with the characters of her books. Everyone is fleshed out in beautiful detail, with selfless actions and sacrifice abound. We see many grow and change, overcoming addiction, realizing their autonomy, and so much more. The novel also deals quite a bit with religious trauma (AKA my bread and butter) so be sure the tread carefully if this is something that effects your reading.

Propulsive, spooky, and heart-wrenchingly lovely, Out of the Drowning Deep is bound to set the world alight when it comes out 09/03/24.

If this book sounds of particular interest, and you're within the Philadelphia area, perhaps consider attending her launch party with us, September 03, at Doylestown Bookshop where we'll discuss Out of the Drowning Deep and other delights! Attendance is FREE.

(Endless thanks to Titan for the print ARC–seriously it means SO much!)

The Flesh of the Sea by Lor Gislason & Shelley Lavigne, Hedone Books

You know what makes my heart soar? Gay pirates. Not solely due to shows like Our Flag Means Death, or the hammy subtext of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but because of the rich history of queerness surrounding pirating. It's a genre that honestly should be blowing up more.

Thank the heavens that my prayers were answered one day by a little band of queer misfits called Hedone Books (pronounced HEE-DOE-KNEE) who announced their upcoming epistolary pirate horror by the name of The Flesh of the Sea, by none other than Lor Gislason and Shelley Lavigne, of Sick! Stories from the Goop Troop fame!

This slim but absolutely adorable novella tells the story of two "friends," Wilford Bowen and Jean-Baptiste de Beaupré. John-Baptiste is a member of the illustrious Royal Society in London, while Wilford has struggled to attain such an honor, despite his hunger for scientific discovery. In a bid to find creatures big, small, and supremely terrifying, the latter joins onto a pirate ship, quickly becoming one of the crew as they sail the seven seas, encountering bizarre sea-life and dangers abound.

These dangers are recounted in Wilford's frequent letters to Jean-Baptiste, which read like a love-sick "best friend" info-dumping about his nerdy science stuff in hopes of lighting the other's soul on fire...erm...I mean, exciting him...

ANYWHO, we're also treated to Jean-Baptiste's journal entries, beginning as a space to voice his worry for his friend, but quickly descends into will-they-won't-they territory. This book is so god damn sweet and wonderful, I had to squee in excitement sometimes, if only to vocalize the sheer antici............pation of their eventual reunion.

While there's much to be said about the current landscape of gay romance, especially if we're talking cis gay romances, it can feel hard (giggity) to find actual fantastic storytelling alongside a plot that writes itself. The chemistry between Wil and Jean is like placing your hand upon a stove that's been running for hours–electric and STEAMY. Gislason and Lavigne once again display their prowess in just how lovingly they construct these characters and their relationship.

It's almost as though they spent painstaking time crafting the scaffolding of this story and not wasting it shit-talking people on the internet...🙃

Now I bet you're wondering, but Violet, what about the horror?? Oh my sweet summer children...The creatures and body horror that befall this band of buccaneers. It's a true delight. Cosmic crustaceans, funky fungi, sultry sirens, and much more, it's within Wilford's keen descriptions that we realize the true horrors of the ocean. Or maybe they're not so horrible?

If this sounds up your alley, I truly cannot recommend it enough, The Flesh of the Sea is a heartwarming queer love story that will keep you riveted throughout, you'll easily forget it's rated RRRRRR.

(Endless thanks to my beloved Caitlin Marceau for the physical ARC of this amazing book. I indeed was able to COPE.)

House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias, Mulholland Books

The Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award winning Gabino Iglesias is back again after the beauty that was 2022's The Devil Takes You Home, offering another thrilling crime horror novel that seems to lean a bit more into its supernatural elements.

At the center of House of Bone and Rain are five friends–Gabe, Bimbo, Paul, Tavo, and Xavier. They've been through thick and thin together, yet their bond is massively tested when Bimbo's mother is gunned down outside of the night club she worked at. After spending some time in jail, Bimbo comes back with one mission: to kill the sons of bitches that killed his mom.

However, things aren't quite that simple, and as the friends tread dangerously into the underground of Puerto Rico it becomes evident that nothing is as it truly seems. Now with targets on their backs, as well as the backs of their loved ones, they must find a way to bring this nightmare to a close once and for all, no matter what it takes.

I believe that Gabino Iglesias is one of the best novelists currently writing. Devil is one of those novels that not only bridges genre, but additionally stands as its own modern classic. House of Bone and Rain ups the ante in a beautifully grim and realistic way. Much like Mario in Devil, Gabe is one of the main voices we hear from in this story, and possesses a strength and empathy that carry him throughout the escalating strangeness and violence. He's our compass, and we struggle with the moments of foggy morality right beside him as the stakes grow ever-higher.

Another fantastic highlight of this book is how closely it deals with themes of colonization, especially within Puerto Rico and the effects of poverty against the backdrop of an extremely powerful and affluent crime lord, Papalote. Everything happens within a raging hurricane, bringing a dark and eldritch evil to San Juan, though is said darkness aiding or harming their cause? Because of the hurricane, Iglesias zooms us in to the way that class endlessly effects the denizens that surround them. Two of my favorite quotes surrounding this particular topic are:

And

Class remains an important topic of critique within Iglesias's work and it felt the most prevalent within this novel in particular. The war the men wage against this larger syndicate is something that feels so hopeless, but regardless of whatever forces come for them, there is never a moment they give up fighting for their loved ones and the island as a whole. We could certainly learn a thing or two from that.

Revealing the supernatural aspects would rob you of the experience of this fantastic thrill ride, so all I will say is Gabino flawlessly interweaves folklore, religion, and a reconfiguring of specific horror tropes that felt like such a massive, anti-colonial middle finger toward H.P. Lovecraft and his legacy of racism, using non-white communities as the basis for his horrors.

House of Bone and Rain is a unique and fast paced novel that tugs at your heart every step of the way. No matter what goes right or wrong, these characters continuously return to family and found family in the emotional core of this fantastic follow up. I wait patiently for whatever he cooks up next.

Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera, Tordotcom

Yeah, that's right, I read Saint of Bright Doors and then shortly after read Rakesfall, can you blame me??

I found this cover to be so gorgeous when I first unpacked it at work, I immediately wanted to dive in. Then I remembered I still hadn't read Saint of Bright Doors and figured I should rectify that. These books aren't explicitly connected, I just feel weird working backwards sometimes.

Rakesfall is a standalone follow-up that takes the brilliant scope of its predecessor and expands it even more, sending audiences on a inter-dimensional and generational tale of political intrigue, anticolonialism, and love (though I may have somehow missed that part). Ringing familiarly to Octavia E. Butler's transformative Xenogenesis Trilogy, Chandrasekera gets waaaay more surreal with this adventure, weaving in and out of timelines, messing around with gender, and presenting a century-spanning race to save the world, or at least as these characters have come to know it, despite colonialism and capitalism.

Many critiques I've seen of this book focus on how scattered the novel feels; that it doesn't connect the massive swing it takes. It is incredibly sprawling, but I don't see this as a weakness of the novel. He knows exactly what he's doing and is able to bring it all back together when it needs to. But also, who the hell cares if it's sprawling? Not all books–especially sci fi and fantasy–are going to follow traditional narrative structure. Christ, even Saint of Bright Doors messed with this formula and that's what makes Chandrasekera so compelling as an author. He's offering us new ways of imagining and critiquing our worlds. I'm not saying that everyone should love this novel, or that anyone who doesn't like it is wrong. I merely implore you to spend time with it and let its expansive style envelope you and show you its secrets.

For folks a bit more familiar with Butler's work, or even that of Samuel R. Delany, this kind of narrative style may feel familiar to you. I haven't read Cloud Atlas, but I imagine it has a similar form of surrealism/magical realism that it plays around with. I specifically enjoyed the audiobook for this novel, gorgeously narrated by Shiromi Arserio. The way she reads Chadrasekera's prose left me closing my eyes at certain moments, drinking in the imagery.

While Rakesfall may not be for everyone, it has a lot to offer if you give it a try. Perfect for folks who enjoy the authors I mentioned, as well as the historical sci fi of author Nisi Shawl. Definitely a favorite of this year!

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice, ECW Press

Moon of the Crusted Snow has been on my TBR foreeeever, and considering this year saw the release of a sequel, it felt like the perfect time to finally tackle this apocalyptic classic.

Taking place entirely within a small Anishinaabe community, Moon of the Crusted Snow never entirely reveals to us the cause of the apocalypse. Rice builds the tension steadily by making the initial stages seem like simple power failure, yet as the days continue and the power isn't coming back, unrest and panic begin to spread throughout the community. When two younger members of the reservation, away at college, suddenly return on stolen snow mobiles, it's revealed just how much panic and violence the world is falling into.

What I love about this particular set up is that news of the apocalypse is unattainable. No communication is available and even when the boys return to the reservation, their experience is zeroed in on the college itself. We hear nothing of the rest of the world, or even the US, which I imagine is likely wiped off the map at that point, considering the direction we continue to head in.

Everything changes even further with the arrival of, wait for it...A WHITE MAN!!

I already forget the guys name because it was such an excellent white antagonist name in its simplicity. The stranger and his friends found the boys' tracks when they brought the snowmobiles back and he doesn't seem to want to take no for an answer. He quickly installs himself amongst the community, making nice with folks throughout and steadily forming a reliance on his power.

Even in the apocalypse a white man can't not make the lives of Indigenous people utter hell.

Naturally, it gets to a point where the stranger holds all of the power and influence in the reservation, and it's up to members of the community to fight back before the entire community is destroyed. There are amazing connections to allegory and folklore within the novel, with the more terrifying sequences coming in the form of nightmares that hold truth after awaking. Propulsive and jaw-dropping, with a powerful streak of hope throughout, Moon of the Crusted Snow is one of those books you need to read to prepare for any kind of apocalypse.

A Spectre is Haunting Greentree by Carson Winter, Tenebrous Press

LOOK. AT THIS. COVER!!! Earlier this summer I received a package from my faves at Tenebrous Press and at first I was very perplexed. I didn't remember ordering anything substantial from them lately, and when I opened the package I thought it was one MASSIVE book, but it turned out to be From the Belly by Emmett Nahil (which you should definitely read) and this fantastic bucolic horror from superstar Carson Winter.

With a heart reminiscent of Christopher Golden's All Hallows, and action the likes of Norman Partridge's Dark Harvest, A Spectre is Haunting Greentree spins a yarn about a woman seeking escape from the PTSD caused by her abusive ex-husband and finding herself in a quaint, yet strange southern town called Greentree. The locals are warm enough, businesses are family run and give off very small-town vibes, and the bed-and-breakfast that her friend has asked her to stay in has a beautiful cornfield filled with menacing looking scarecrows!

This being a horror novel, things start to get pretty weird pretty quick as things take a turn for the folk horror when it's revealed just how deep things go in this town. Especially when the scarecrows climb down off their perches to demand their labor rights and kill some yuppy ass. There is a decidedly fun labor commentary throughout the story as the scarecrows rise up to take on the townspeople that have used them for so long but given very little in return.

Winter writes fantastic characters, and there's a last minute stinger that will absolutely break your heart in a very cinematic way, but it completely feels earned. The main character, Carina, has my whole heart and watching her overcome countless horrors and panic attacks was truly special.

Absolutely horrifying and endlessly compelling, A Spectre is Haunting Greentree is the perfect novella to scratch that folk horror itch, and pairs perfectly with the oncoming Fall...

And that's that, folks! I may be a little silent for the next week or so, for I will be in the process of moving to the Philadelphia area! But I will continue to read and you bet your bottom dollar you're gonna hear all about it when I'm ready. Stay safe and lovely, my sweets <3!