books, Horror, Reviews

What Waits in the Shadows by Wil Forbis

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DNF at 25%

I am disappointed with this book. The summary really played this story up and got me excited to read it. I mean an actual monster in the closet that is real… with deadly consequences? Yes, please. The execution, however was severely lacking.

While I liked Lisa as a character well enough, I felt like she was a pushover for most of the story, at least to the point in the story where I stopped reading.

The supporting cast was even less effective. Her boyfriend begins as an unrealistically perfect partner before quickly revealing himself to be a jerk, while her supposed best friend is so absent from the story that her inclusion feels almost pointless.


Another major issue was the pacing. After a strong and genuinely creepy prologue, the supernatural elements take far too long to return. The lengthy setup moves at a sluggish pace and often borders on dull, making it difficult to stay invested.

I’ll also admit that stories centered on angels and demons rarely appeal to me, so that aspect significantly reduced my enjoyment. Had the summary mentioned those themes, I likely would have passed on the book altogether.

That being said, I saw other readers who enjoyed this book, so this is very much the case of this book not being the right fit for me.

PS: Big thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced review copy.

books, Reviews, science fiction

Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey

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Stars: 4 out of 5

This is my fourth book by M.R. Carey. I loved The Girl with All the Gifts and Fellside, but Infinity Gate left me somewhat disappointed. Although Outlaw Planet is set in the same universe as the Pandominion series, it works well as a standalone novel and, for me, was much more enjoyable than the original duology.

The premise is a fun blend of science fiction and western. An entire population is mind-controlled into endlessly reenacting the American Civil War as part of a grotesque experiment. When a squad of soldiers from a highly advanced civilization enters the system, they discover to their horror that they are trapped there, cut off from help and unable to break the cycle within their lifetimes.

I particularly enjoyed the dual point-of-view structure. One storyline follows Bess, who was born and raised within the system and embodies the trauma and brutality of the endless war. The other follows Engineer Esten, the sole surviving member of a military unit that originally entered the experiment. Bess’s perspective adds emotional depth and shows the human cost of the system, while Esten’s gradually reveals the mysteries behind its existence. The two storylines converge in a satisfying finale that ties the book together effectively.

One issue I have begun to notice across Carey’s books is that I struggle to connect with his female protagonists. I suspect he intends them to be complex and deeply scarred individuals, but to me they often come across as emotionally distant and difficult to relate to.

I wanted to like Bess more, especially since she is the central protagonist, but I found myself far more invested in characters like Wakefull Slim and even the old man with his scorpillion. It says a lot that I was more emotionally engaged by an AI-powered gun than by the woman carrying it.

That said, the ending was excellent. It brought the various plot threads together neatly and delivered a satisfying conclusion. Would I return to this series if Carey writes another installment? Possibly.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for providing a free review copy.

books, Horror, Lovecraftian horror, Military science fiction, Reviews, science fiction

Necrotek by Jonathan Maberry

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Stars 3.5 out of 5

This is the second book based on the Lovecraftian mythos that I’ve read this year, the first being A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young. Despite drawing from the same source material, the two books couldn’t be more different. One leans into existential horror, while this one is firmly in the military-action horror camp.

The book starts strong. A space station filled with military personnel, journalists, scientists, and representatives from various Earth religions gathers to witness the test of a new warpline gun. Naturally, the test goes horribly wrong.

I have to admit that the chapters covering the test and the immediate aftermath of Asphodel Station’s transport were genuinely chilling. Space, time, and even reality itself begin to warp and collapse, confronting people with horrors that are both real and born from their own minds. That’s nightmare fuel right there.

The first encounter with the shoggoth was also an edge-of-your-seat read. The action scenes throughout the book are well written, with plenty of tension and high stakes.

Unfortunately, the frequent info-dumps kill a lot of that momentum. I found my attention wandering, even during major action sequences, because they were constantly interrupted by exposition, existential crises, or “meaningful conversations.” The fight with the shoggoth vanguard is a good example—the action repeatedly stalls while Soren reflects on the Necrotek and wrestles with his doubts.

Speaking of necrotek, we have to wait until almost 80% of the book before that technology actually comes into play.

That said, I did like the characters. Soren tends to proselytize a bit more than I personally enjoy, but the cast is generally strong. I especially loved the Lost Souls and found myself rooting for them, even though a group with a name like that practically announces its fate from the beginning. Surprisingly, my favorite character ended up being Sybil. For an AI, she’s incredibly likeable. I also understood Lost’s desperation. It is the last survivor of a long-forgotten race, and the enemy they once fought has returned with a vengeance.

The ending clearly leaves the door open for a sequel, and I’ll probably pick it up. I just hope this book got most of the world-building out of the way so the next installment can focus a little more on action and a little less on exposition and philosophical reflection.

PS: Big thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy.

Horror, Lovecraftian horror

A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young

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Stars: 4 out of 5

Lovecraftian existential horror meets the harsh realities of modern Korean culture, creating a compelling but deeply bleak story.

Despite its short length, this novella leaves a lasting impression. While I found it engaging and thought-provoking, it is undeniably dark and depressing.

One of the book’s strongest themes is its critique of modern Korean society, where beauty and wealth are often treated as measures of personal worth. Illness, disability, or physical differences are frequently viewed as personal shortcomings rather than circumstances beyond an individual’s control.

Against this backdrop, the government’s response to a village whose residents suddenly transform into grotesque monsters feels disturbingly believable. Rather than helping them, authorities quarantine the village and effectively abandon its inhabitants, leaving them to survive—or perish—on their own.

The protagonist, Mu-young, is a survivor carrying significant trauma and depression. She attempts to maintain order and a sense of control in an impossible situation, even though this means killing those who violate self-isolation rules. Although she is far from a likable character, her motivations are understandable, making her a complex and sympathetic figure.

My main criticism is the ending. I feel like it was rushed, with all the plot threads converging into a chaotic and messy conclusion. But that is to be expected for such a short novella. Overall, I enjoyed A Plagued Sea and would gladly read more of Kim Bo-young’s work if it becomes available in translation.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy.

books, Dark fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

A Sword of Bronze and Ashes by Anna Smith Spark

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Stars: 2 out of 5

I had such high hopes when I picked up this book. The description was right up my alley, since I love Celtic and Nordic lore-inspired stories. Unfortunately, the book itself was a big disappointment.

I think the thing that so many people loved this book for and gave it 5 stars reviews is what didn’t work for me at all, and that’s the writing. It’s overly purple and dramatic. It uses 50 words to describe something when just 10 would have been plenty. While it is justified in some case, like describing the Hall of Roven for the first time, it quickly gets tedious.

I also struggled with the stream-of-consciousness narration. The story is told entirely through Kanda’s perspective, and her constant cycle of fears, complaints, self-recrimination, and denial became frustrating after the first hundred pages. As the story progressed, I found her narration increasingly difficult to tolerate.

The dialogue was another challenge. Conversations are filled with stutters, unfinished sentences, false starts, and abrupt shifts in thought. Rather than feeling natural, the dialogue often felt disjointed and difficult to follow. At times I just wanted to shake them and yell, “Focus! Use your words!”

Communication—or the lack of it—is a recurring trait among the characters. They keep secrets, avoid difficult conversations, and allow resentment to build until situations explode into conflict. Many of the story’s problems could have been avoided if the characters had simply spoken honestly with one another.

By the end of the novel, I had grown to dislike most of the characters, making it difficult to care if Kanda and Calian got Sal back or what would happen to Dellet. They were all pathetic and selfish, and a lot of their problems could have been solved if they had just talked to each other before things got out of hand.

I am happy for everyone who liked this book and the writing style, but I’m afraid that this author and I will part ways after this book.

PS: Big thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.

books, Ghost Story, Reviews, Romantasy, Urban fantasy

The Lighthouse at the Edge of the World by J. R. Dawson

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Stars: 2 out of 5

This started so strongly, then puttered out somewhere around the midway point.

Mostly because the author didn’t quite know what story she wanted to tell. Was this a romance? A coming-of-age story? A story about grief and how different people deal with it? About the afterlife? Love and betrayal, and courage in the face of adversity?

I think the author wanted to include all of these themes, but didn’t manage to cover any of them in a meaningful manner in the end. It feels half-backed, with a meandering plot and underdeveloped characters.

I loved Nera, though. If this were her coming-of-age story, I would have been all for it. She is bright and alive, and I enjoyed discovering the world of the living with her, as well as getting to know the other souls at the station.

However, I couldn’t stand Charlie, so their romance was a lot harder to stomach. Yes, I know she is suffering, and has PTSD, and her family is all together shitty to her, but she still comes across as selfish and rather cruel.

And, I’m sorry, but her choice near the end of the book was so out of character even for her selfish self that it felt ridiculous. It happened only because the author needed to bring Harosen and his demon face-to-face again somehow. I would argue that there were better ways. He could have put Nera in danger while she was out in the city, and Harosen would have had to conquer his fear and step out into the world to save her. That would have been a great redemption arc for him, instead of whatever pathetic ending was written.

And while I love magical dogs and the idea of them being guides for the souls of the dead, the way they were written was… jarring, I guess? Their interactions with each other are surprisingly petty. I was more annoyed than endeared with them for most of the book.

And the ending was… underwhelming, to say the least. I also don’t particularly agree with the end of the Station. It served a purpose – it let some souls heal and rest before they were ready to cross over. Or to wait for their loved ones so that they didn’t cross alone. What happens to those souls now? Do they just get forcibly escorted to the veil, or are they stuck in a loop in Chicago until their time comes? Also, what about other cities? Do they have Veils like that as well?

There is a good story in there somewhere, but I think it would have benefited from a tighter plot and less purple prose. It’s also very heavy on feelings, often to the detriment of the story, especially when Charlie is concerned.

PS: My thanks to Netgalley for my review copy.

books, Horror, Reviews, science fiction

The Iron Garden Sutra by A.D. Sui

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Stars: 4 out of 5

I didn’t quite know what to expect when I picked up this book. I was surprised to find a “murder ship” story with a strong element of cosmic horror. I also didn’t expect to enjoy Iris and his AI companion as much as I did.

Iris and his AI companion are definitely the highlight of the book. They are a fascinating duo—two separate consciousnesses sharing a single mind. They bicker and can even hurt each other at times, but they also genuinely care about one another’s well-being. As you learn more about their relationship, it becomes increasingly compelling and easy to appreciate.

The deeper I learned about Iris’s trauma, the more I empathized with him. He constantly strives to be useful, to do the right thing, yet he feels he is never quite enough—that he is falling short of what it means to be a Vessel. I was glad to see him eventually find some measure of peace, even though it comes after a series of difficult and painful events.

I wasn’t as engaged with the other characters, as they are less developed and often feel like expendable background figures. I found it difficult to distinguish between the students for much of the book. They are mostly portrayed as frightened and helpless, with others trying to protect them, but they lack distinct identities.

In terms of the story, it’s a strong example of cosmic horror combined with claustrophobic suspense. A group of people explores a derelict generation ship, only to discover that the ship is not as lifeless as it appears—and that it poses a deadly threat.

The book also explores interesting ideas about what it means to be alive versus simply aware, along with a thoughtful perspective on the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am looking forward to the next installment, especially since the ending leaves things on a cliffhanger.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

books, Horror, Native American, Reviews

Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina

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Stars: 5 out of 5

This was a hard book to read, not only because it is a horror novel, but also because of the dark themes it covers. But it is also a darn good book.

As a first-generation immigrant, I don’t know a lot about the different Native American nations and their cultures, so this book was a fascinating window into that world. And I would have loved it for that little glimpse of a different culture alone, but it accomplishes so much more.

Yes, it’s a horror story, but strangely enough, even though there is a supernatural element behind all the deaths and horrifying things happening on the reservation, it’s not the main focus of this book.

The main horror is the bleakness of the lives of everyone on the reservation. The author manages to paint an oppressive picture with just a few words – the oppressive heat and humidity, the rundown trailer homes parked on overgrown lots, dirt roads with no street signs on them, and the lack of hope in everyone who lives there. The children are the only ones who are still smiling; everyone else has been beaten down by life into resigned apathy, fueled by drugs and alcohol. No prospects, no way out, no future… My skin is crawling just remembering this.

As far as the story itself goes, it’s broken into two narratives – the present-day story where Noemi is trying to understand why her boyfriend seemingly jumped in front of a car and died, and the past story when her uncle Louie faced something horrifying and won.

I admit that I was a lot more involved in Louie’s story than Noemi’s. The reason for that is that there is a progression and resolution to his story. He witnesses some horrible events, but he discovers what caused it and he defeats the evil spirit (at least within himself). Yes, it leaves him scared both physically and mentally, and he decides to run away from those memories, but at least his story has a conclusion. With Noemi, we still don’t know whether it was an accident or if her boyfriend had killed himself. Plus, I wasn’t as invested in her story, to tell the truth.

All in all, this was a wonderfully creepy story about human desperation and the darkness that lurks within all of us. About balance and what happens when we disrupt it. And about hard choices. I will definitely read other books by this author.

books, Dark fantasy, Fantasy, Reviews

How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying (Dark Lord Davi 1) by Django Wexler

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Stars: 4 out of 5

I must admit that I wasn’t particularly enamoured with this novel in the beginning, because I couldn’t figure out the direction the author was taking it. Was it supposed to be satire or humor like Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series? It had too many dark vibes for that. It was creating a weird dissonance in my brain. But once I got past the first few chapters and decided to go with the flow and see where the story took me, I enjoyed the journey quite a lot.

I think the biggest reason why it took me a while to warm up towards this book is Davi herself. She has a rather cavalier attitude towards life and death, especially her own. But she is also very quick to kill and maim others because she believes that once she dies and resets to the beginning, everyone will reset with her, so none of this is real.

I understand where this attitude is coming from. If you spent a thousand years dying horribly over and over again, and watching people you get attached to die no matter what you do, you either go insane or stop taking anything seriously. And I think that Davi is a bit insane by this point. Thinking that this is all just like a video game, where she can just reset to the beginning if it doesn’t work out, is her way of coping with the horrors of the situation.

And I love the fact that the further she progresses in her attempt to become the Dark Lord, the more she gets invested in the lives and well-being of her companions. And that when a certain event happens that causes a reset, she comes to the realization that her actions have consequences. That everyone who died until now will stay dead, and it’s her fault. The sheer moment of panic she had after that was very relatable.

I also loved most of the supporting characters, and even some of the villains are pretty interesting and multidimensional. The world is also fascinating. I really want to know who built the ruins where the Convocation takes place. They look a lot more advanced than anything either the humans or the wilders of this world would be capable of now.

I am not a fan of cliffhanger endings, but I can accept it in this case. After all, Davi accomplished the objective she set for herself at the beginning of the book. I am willing to wait until the next book to find out where the story takes her afterwards.

PS: My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

books, Fantasy, Reviews, Urban fantasy

Cold Iron Task (The Unorthodox Chronicles 3) by James J. Butcher

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Stars: 4.5 out of 5

This is an excellent story. Both Mayflower and Grimsby are put through the wringer here, but both come out on the other side with some significant character growth.

What I like about Grimsby is that he is genuinely a good guy. Life really tried to beat him down time and time again, but that didn’t make him bitter or jaded. He isn’t trying to lash out at a world that frankly put him through hell. He chooses compassion and believes in treating people right. He cares about his friends, even too much sometimes.

My only complaint is that he seems to be a little too trusting for someone who’s had such a hard upbringing. I mean, I understand that he feels guilty for what happened to his friend and wants to help, but he could have asked a few more questions before agreeing to the heist, don’t you think?

But it’s also wonderful to see how much of a positive influence he is on his friends, even if he doesn’t realize it. The fact that Mayflower turned to him when he needed support is very telling. Mayflower from book 1 would have laughed at the mere idea of it, then punched you in the face for even suggesting it.

I’m glad that Grimsby finally learned a new spell, and OMG it is so fitting of his character! Hopefully, now that he has found peace with himself and realized that his magic isn’t damaged, that the burns are an intrinsic part of him, he will be able to advance as a magic user.

This book also raises more questions about who his mother was and what really happened during that apartment fire. Hopefully, we will get more answers in the next book.

My dreams and stories. The life of a writer.