What I'm Reading: Wake Up and Open Your Eyes

October is just on the horizon, and the spooky posts, books, ideas, articles, and displays are coming. That is both a threat and a promise.

Speaking of a threat and a promise, that is a great way to describe the title of the book I am presenting today. The October 1, 2024 issue of Booklist has my STAR review of Clay McLeod Chapman's Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, and let me tell you now....this book is a threat and a promise precisely because waking up and opening your eyes in the plot of this book has TERRIFYING consequences AND you cannot help but have your own eyes opened up after reading it.

I cannot wait for more people to read this book so that I can talk about it. I especially want to share my colleague Konrad Stump's awesome comment about the ending and why it is perfect. BUT I CANNOT UNTIL YOU READ IT!

STAR
Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
By Clay McLeod Chapman
Jan. 2025. 320p. Quirk, $21.99 (9781683693956). 
REVIEW. First published October 1, 2024 (Booklist).

With his most ambitious novel yet, Chapman (What Kind of Mother), leans on established possession and zombie tropes and spins them into an original tale that hijacks readers’ nervous systems. It’s a few days before Christmas and Noah cannot reach his conservative parents in Virginia. Worried, he reluctantly leaves his family behind in Brooklyn to race south arriving at a disaster scene. His parents are clearly not well, and Fax* News is blaring in every room. But this opening is a brilliant red-herring, lulling readers into thinking they know what is coming. They do not. Told in three “phases” each with a distinct writing style, from Noah’s perspective to flashbacks of from his brother's family to a race through an apocalyptic landscape as Noah desperately heads home, incorporating social media, video transcripts, and news reports throughout, Chapman, chronicles The Great Reawakening– a virus that has patiently threaded its way through screens to infect half of America. A compelling, cinematic, visceral, and disturbing tale, driven by fully realized, sympathetic characters, this is a memorable novel that implicates all, regardless of where they stand on “the issues. A terrifying update to King’s classic Cell, for fans of discomforting, social commentary Horror like Wendig’s Wanderers duology, Felker-Martin’s Manhunt and Leede’s American Rapture.

*Fax is not a typo

Three Words That Describe This Book: visceral, nuanced, discomfitingly realistic

Further Appeal: I normally just give my editor, Susan, a sentence or two about my overall feelings about the book, to help as she edits, but for this one....oh boy, I gave her a paragraph. Here it is without spoilers (because as an editor, she often needs spoilers to make sure the tone of the overall books comes through in the review):

This book is bleak and cuts hard on liberals and conservatives. It is really a wake up call but I was not going there in my review. I mean, I will when I promote the review. Also it is GROSS. It is an all 5 senses horror book, but feels real– I tried to capture all of that with “A compelling, cinematic, visceral, and disturbing tale.”  [I gave her actual examples but I have reacted them here]. Also it uses great storytelling devices common to horror like the flashback [more reacted examples] and it uses found footage really well– a lot in section 3. As Noah is walking home from VA to Brooklyn to fill in the gaps but keep the pacing up. 

This novel is a straight up warning to everyone– no one escapes Clay’s wrath here. Not just conservatives. You can’t look away, even if you want to– hence the title. Eye opening– pun intended– especially for those who think they are most immune to the vitriol. Liberal doesn’t help you. Are you online at al?. Are you in any communities? Have you ever clicked on a link? Does your kid watch youtube?  The hook seems easy here, but the book is anything but easy. You will be implicated. If you are not, you aren’t paying attention.

It is presented in "Three Phases"– 3 different narrative choices– makes sense because three different situations. Use of social media posts and videos. 

Cinematic. It is a movie that writes itself– the book utilizes all 5 senses perfectly so that you can see and feel and hear and smell and touch everything. 

As I take notes, I keep a running list of candidates for my "three words." Here is the list for this book: 

barely fiction, squirm inducing (in every way, with your brain and your gut), visceral, triggers a full body anxiety response, possession/zombie/social commentary, nuanced, bleak.

This novel will  elicit a full body response. 

The characters here are relatable, and as they make bad choices or are put into horrible situations, readers are unable to look away, compulsively turning the pages while resisting a full body squirm. 

Final thoughts here: Chapman is a must read horror author at this point....every book. But this book specifically, it is a novel that every American needs to read. This should become a classic novel about wanting us– dystopian like The Handmaid’s Tale.

Readalikes: I came up with so many and yet, this book stands alone. First, Chapman treads the same ground Stephen King’s Cell– but updated for 21st Century. The other 3 books in the review above all have the same feel as this novel; all of them do the thought-provoking, social commentary, without sacrificing it being a good horror novel thing well.

One of the other things I love about Chapman's novels, he always shouts out all of the books he read or consulted while writing each book That is in the acknowledgements, and you can use it as a way to find readalikes as well. He does it for EVERY BOOK.

In this case it really helped me because while I was reading Wake Up and Open Your Eyes, I kept thinking

it had a similar feel to Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman but I could not explain why. And then I got to the acknowledgements he mentions it as well. Ion the same paragraph he also shouts out We Need to Do Something by Max Booth III.

I also think this is a great next generation read for fans of Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy. Get those copies out and promote that series as a "while you wait" option for this book.

This book comes out in January. Order it now!

What I’m Reading: Supernatural Thrillers That Make Great Beach Reads

For your summer reading pleasure today I have two excellent examples of supernatural thrillers. These are books with horror elements but which read much more like a thriller-- desperately fast pacing, specific areas of detail (archeology in first review and geopolitics in the second), and lots of cinematic action. I would call these books “horror adjacent.” Horror fans might not be completely satisfied but man, thriller fans will; in fact, you might get some of those thriller readers to branch out and give horror a try after reading these books.

These are books every public library should own as they will find a wide audience. Both are also extremely easy to book talk as you will see. I even provide soundbite reviews for both to make it easy for you.

I will begin with Ararat by Christopher Golden. The plot summary from Goodreads:

When a newly engaged couple climbs Mount Ararat in Turkey, an avalanche forces them to seek shelter inside a massive cave uncovered by the snow fall. The cave is actually an ancient, buried ship that many quickly come to believe is really Noah’s Ark. When a team of scholars, archaeologists, and filmmakers make it inside the ark for the first time, they discover an elaborate coffin in its recesses. The artifact tempts their professional curiosity; so they break it open. Inside, they find an ugly, misshapen cadaver—not the holy man that they expected, a hideous creature with horns. A massive blizzard blows in, trapping them in that cave thousands of meters up the side of a remote mountain…but they are not alone.

Appeal: That's just the summary. Here's why you would read this book or not.

The supernatural thriller parts are perfect. Golden is a best selling and award wining author, so this fact should not surprise you in any way. But it should open him up to new fans. This novel has all of the best action and danger of a Clive Cussler adventure except instead of an evil organization or government, the bad guys are up against a demon. A pretty awful and terrible one.

Like any good thriller the pacing is quick and the action is cinematic. It is breathless by the end but does not sacrifice the details for the pacing which is good because those details are what make it an interesting read overall.

The frame is well done. From the details of mountain climbing, to what it would be like to live on said mountain as a storm rolled in, and the archeological specifics are fleshed out but also seemelessly integrated into the story as it happens. It is very satisfying.

The international cast of characters is realistic for who would be there if Noah's Ark was found. Our main characters are an engaged couple who are famous adventurers with books and documentary movies. They are an American, Jewish male and a lapsed Muslim, British woman. But there are people of many races and ethnicities from all over the world working in different areas of expertise. This is a truly representative cast of characters from all walks of life. But the best thing about the characterization here is that the anxiety and pure terror-- those most horror moments-- are a result of the novel’s superior characterization.  I will say no more about that though because it would give away the fun and scares of reading this book.

The ending is FANTASTIC and it's 100% horror, not thriller. Of the two books I am reviewing today, this one is the most like a traditional horror story, but I do think the thriller aspects that make the book a great, wide audience crowd pleaser, will keep it from being a favorite of pure horror fans. Horror readers will enjoy it, but not love it [like they loved The Ruins in my readalike list below, but then again, non horror fans don't love that books as much either]. Supernatural thriller fans on the other hand, might just find themselves a new favorite author!

This is a book you can hand out easily to many readers. Simply say to them this quick Becky's soundbite review:

Imagine that the ruins of the real Noah's Ark were found, on top of Mt Ararat, in the middle of winter. Send a team of government officials, religious scholars, and archeologists up to excavate and study it. Then watch in sheer terror as while at work, they also find the remains of a demon, one whose soul has been patiently waiting for fresh victims for centuries. Finally watch them all try to escape the demon's clutches [remember they are on top of a mountain, in the middle of a blizzard]. This is the perfect read for a hot day. It's chilling-- both literally AND metaphorically."

That is all you need to tell potential readers. The look on their faces will immediately let you know if this book is for them or not.

Three Words That Describe This Book: detailed action sequences, chilling, interesting frame

Readalikes: I mentioned Clive Cussler above and that wasn't a joke. People who like his adventure stories about raising undersea wrecks will enjoy this story, as long as they do not mind the supernatural aspects here.

Speaking of undersea adventure, Ararat reminded me of my favorite horror-thriller beach read from last summer-- Pressure by Brian Keene. Click through for the details but except for the setting, the books are pretty similar.

But if you really want your terror to come from another cold mountain [without a boat lodged on top of it], Sarah Lotz has you covered with her most recent release, The White Road. Lotz is a solid supernatural thriller writer in her own right. You should check out her other books too.

Speaking of very cold settings for horror try The Terror by Dan Simmons. Here the explorers are looking for the Northwest Passage but they find a monster instead. It is a classic of this subgenre.

Finally, I mention The Ruins by Scott Smith multiple times in this entire post [for both books], I also manage to bring it up all of the time in general [proof here]. This is one of my all time favorite horror novels. I first read it years ago, but it has never left me. In 2015, I included it in this column in Library Journal where I wrote:

In Scott Smith’s The Ruins ..., four American friends vacationing in Cancun, Mexico, meet a German tourist who enlists them in the search for his brother, who went missing on a trip to the Mayan ruins. Despite warnings from the locals, the five climb an ominous hill covered in flowering plants—a hill that ends up holding them captive. Forced into a mortal struggle with a monster, they soon regret their decision to enter the jungle. Smith’s petrifying, original, and gruesome story never lets up and is sure to make readers regard even the most common of houseplants with a touch of fear.

The Ruins is more terrifying, more gory, and more intense than Ararat but man is it great. Plus Smith blurbed Ararat so, he approves.

Okay, next book...

I read Skitter a few months ago. It is the second book in Boone’s The Hatching series. As my review from Booklist explains:

Skitter. 

Boone, Ezekiel (author).May 2017. 352p. Atria/Emily Bestler, hardcover, $26  (9781501125072); e-book (9781501125096).  First published April 7, 2017 (Booklist Online).

Few things invoke immediate fear in humans like a giant spider can. Now imagine an action packed, apocalyptic thriller, featuring carnivorous spiders quickly destroying the world. But if arachnophobia was Boone’s only inspiration, it wouldn’t sustain book one, let alone a series, and thankfully, after introducing this scenario in The Hatching, Boone still has always had much more up his sleeve. Skitter picks right up where book one left off, skipping around the world, moving quickly between places and characters, allowing readers to see the world wide implications of dealing with this deadly threat. We meet many compelling characters, some we like and some we loathe, but they all feel real, their fear is palpable, and their motivations and actions ring true to who they are. This is a horror novel that moves swiftly and catches the reader up in its tantalizingly terrifying wake. However, the scariest moments here come from the fact that watching the apocalypse happen, in real time, has an unexpected urgency; the geopolitics are eerily realistic despite the fact that the spiders are not. But, don’t expect any resolution because true to its place as the second book in a planned, trilogy, Skitter leaves you hanging and breathlessly waiting for more. This is perfect for fans of speculatively driven, apocalyptic literature with a geopolitical focus and tons of action like World War Z or any series by Mira Grant.

Further Appeal: I hit at the major appeals in the review, giving almost no plot there because you read this book because of the eerie urgency and original frame. What the details of the plot are is secondary.

One thing I did not mention though are the characters. Since this is book 2, you have really gotten to know them-- good and bad. Boone switches off between characters all over the world, but there are clearly a few for which he has the most affection and interest. I am not convinced all will make it through safely at the end of book 3, but you will keep reading to see what happens to these characters as much as to see how the spiders will be defeated and how civilization will prevail. That is the sign of a good horror novel or thriller-- when you care about the characters as much as the scares.

It is important to note that you must read book 1 first and after reading this one, you will be desperately awaiting book 3.

Like Ararat above, this is a supernatural thriller, but while the Golden novel is more horror than thriller, this is more thriller than horror. The action, heroes on a desperate mission, and political stuff takes precedence over the terror.

Three Words That Describe This Book: apocalyptic, chilling, cliffhanger

Readalikes: The two I mentioned in the review are the best options- especially the Newsflesh trilogy by Grant which I have reviewed here. As you can see in my review of the final book in the series, the thriller aspects win out over the horror.

I would also suggest also Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger Series- the gold standard in today’s supernatural thriller world.

For fans of spiders in horror try Sarah Pinborough’s, Breeding Ground or David Wong’s This Book is Full of Spiders. Both are excellent and will give you the creepy crawlies for weeks.

For people who just want more of the danger of nature in general but don’t care about the political and/or apocalyptic angle, I would also suggest The Ruins from above, the classic Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham or Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.

What I’m Reading: Haven and The Burning World

I have two horror reviews in the 12/1/16 issue of Booklist. Both received stars, although I want to point out the second one here is shockingly good and it’s a DEBUT!!! Finally, both are great options for teens as well as adults.

Please note, most of the other titles in these reviews link to more reviews by me. Click through for even more information and/or readalike options.

The Burning World by Isaac Marion

Feb. 2017. 512p. Atria/Emily Bestler, hardcover, $27  (9781476799711); e-book, $9.99  (9781476799735). First published December 1, 2016 (Booklist).

In 2011, Marion released Warm Bodies, a refreshingly unique post-apocalyptic zombie novel. It told the love story of R, a recovering zombie, and Julie, a human girl. It’s popularity led to a movie and a clamoring for Marion to release a sequel. But it was clear that in order to continue R and Julie’s story, Marion would have to deepen the world building and characters, so he went back and wrote a prequel, The New Hunger (2013). Now, Marion has finally returned with that much desired sequel, The Burning World, and his efforts at laying a more stable groundwork behind the Warm Bodies world made it worth the wait. R and Julie are still helping recovering zombies rejoin the slowly healing world, but a new threat flies in, a corporate entity known as Axiom, with henchmen, secrecy, and violent domination on their minds. R, Julie and their friends, including an Axiom employee, end up on the run. What follows is a cross country journey to discover the truth behind Axiom and just how much of humanity is left out there, but along the way, our heroes also begin to understand more about themselves, their personal pasts, and how they each fit into the story of the end of the world. With exciting action sequences, intriguing new characters, and a much more epic scale to the story, The Burning World will leave readers satisfied but eagerly anticipating book four. Suggest to fans of epic horror with a science fiction tilt like Justin Cronin’s The Passage trilogy or Mira Grant’s Newsflesh series.

YA Statement- With a full cadre of “new adult” heroes trying to save the world while also looking for just how they fit into it, teens will find much to continue enjoying in this series.

Further Appeal: Okay, let’s be honest, Marion could have phoned it in here. But I really want to give him credit for going back and writing the prequel first to build up the foundation of the world and then move to the sequel to the enormously popular Warm Bodies. 

The Burning World moves the story away from its narrow scope, literally and figuratively which is a big change, but I think a good one.

Also, this novel introduces familial love back into the story through a few different characters. This makes sense as the characters are shifting from survival mode to actively trying to rebuild society.

Three Words That Describe This Book: exciting action, epic scope, moving

Readalikes: Other apocalyptic but non-zombie titles that readers may also enjoy include:

• Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel because like The Burning World, we see flashbacks to how the world was destroyed and see a moving portrait of how people are trying to piece it back together.
• The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker because like The Burning World we see the apocalyptic event through the eyes through a young person. In this case, the full weight of the apocalypse hasn't taken hold yet, but it is coming. 

Haven by Tomy Deady

Dec. 2016. 504p. Cemetery Dance, hardcover, $40  (9781587675133). First published December 1, 2016 (Booklist).

In 1961, the small town of Haven, Massachusetts was terrorized by a series of child murders. When a local, disfigured, young man, Paul Greymore was put in jail, on shaky evidence, for the murders, the residents of Haven thought they could go back to a peaceful life. However, in the unseasonably warm spring of 1978, 17 years later, Paul has been released, is reconnecting with those who believe in his innocence like the local Priest, a young neighbor named Denny, and his best friend Billy, when the strange killings start happening again. Some old grudges are leading the police chief to target Paul, but the evidence clearly points to something evil and monstrous lurking in the caves and lake in the town’s forest. Paul and Denny lead a ragtag group of unlikely heroes, heroes with as serious things to overcome in their personal lives as they do with the human and supernatural threats endangering their community. With compelling characters (both good and evil), a shifting narration that keeps the story moving, a slowly unveiled, but relentlessly building sense of dread, a recently unearthed and devastating secret from the past, and breathless action sequences, Haven is a well crafted example of what is best about horror today, and this is only Deady’s first novel. While obviously for fans of Stranger Things and classic, 1980s, small town horror by those like King or Straub, don’t let the novel’s setting keep you looking in the past. There is a 21st Century perspective behind this tale similar to Jonathan Maberry’s award-winning Pine Deep Trilogy or Jonathan Janz’ Children of the Dark. Hand out freely to anyone looking for a solid scare.

YA Statement- With strong coming of age themes and young, outcast heroes leading the charge against the monster and town bullies, Haven is the perfect choice for teens looking for a bit complexity to go with their chills.

Further Appeal: I just want to reiterate how good this novel was. I had everything you want from an old fashioned horror novel, yet it didn’t feel dated. This is a debut novel that I want to make sure libraries order and hand out to patrons who love any of the authors I mentioned above. They will not be disappointed.

Three Words That Describe This Book: sense of dread, shifting pov, compelling characters

Readlaikes: Besides the many I crammed into the review, I would also suggest this to your fans of Paul Tremblay, especially Disappearance at Devil’s Rock and Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.

What I’m Reading: I am Providence, Bite, and Natural History of Hell

I have three reviews in the July 2016 issue of Booklist. I like all of these titles for a wide audience, but the first two listed here are EXCELLENT and should be read by more than just genre fans. As per usual, I have reposted my draft reviews with links to the magazine’s page. All three received a STAR review in the magazine. You may need to log in to read the reviews. They also appear on NoveList. I also give extra comments and readalikes here on the blog. Enjoy.

I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas

Aug. 2016. 256p. Night Shade, paperback, $15.99  (9781597808354). 
First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

The Summer Tentacular is the biggest annual convention for fans of legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft and Colleen is a newly published Lovecraftian who is not sure what to expect during her first trip to Providence. When her roommate, the maligned author of the horror mash-up Catcher in R’lyeh, Panossian, is brutally murdered and the skin of his face removed, Colleen goes into Nancy Drew mode, spiraling deeper into the bizarre world of geeks, self important writers, manuscripts bound in skin, occult rituals, and Cthulhu to try to catch the killer. With the viewpoint alternating between Colleen, as she spirals deeper into her own personal Lovecraftian nightmare, and Panossian himself, dead in a drawer in the town morgue, this is both a compelling, satisfying mystery and a dark, macabre tale. Is Panossian there to help us solve his murder or is he simply the narrator of a Lovecraftian tale, his final story, with Colleen as his protagonist? This is a smart, wry, and fun novel, filled with biting, hilarious satire. Mamatas uses his story to take an honest look at Lovecraft, his troubling legacy of racism and sexism, how it comes into play during this current revival in his popularity, but you can also feel Mamatas’ true affection for the author and the larger community of misfit horror authors shining through in tribute. A great choice for readers who enjoyed Matt Ruff’s thoughtful exploration of the author and his legacy in Lovecraft Country, those who liked the dark humor, mystery, and speculative elements in Ben H. Winters’ The Last Policeman trilogy, and anyone who has ever been part of a fandom.

Further Comments: It’s a mystery but it’s at a horror convention and one of the narrators is dead-- he’s the murder victim, but is not a zombie. He’s dead in morgue but sentient enough to speak to us-- the reader. Also the entire book reads like a Lovecraft tale with the other protagonist caught up in the nightmare.  Such a smart and fun book.  But what is its genre? Ultimately I think I would put it in horror because it ends up open on Colleen’s fate (but the mystery is solved for readers) and it is very chilling, but the mystery is solid and would be enjoyed by those readers too.

This is a book that you need to add to your collections and hand-sell A TON!!! It will be a crowd pleaser.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wry, fandom, genre mashup

Readalikes: Beyond what I mentioned in the review itself, people may be interested in more Lovecraft and or Lovecraft inspired tales. I did a book talk on these titles recently and will post that recording when it becomes available. But for now, here are a few titles you can start suggesting:

• I Am Providence: The Life and Times of H.P. Lovecraft by S.T. Joshi. In two volumes, this is considered the definitive biography of the author
• Broken Hours by Jacqueline Baker
• The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
• The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft edited by Aaron French

Bite by K.S. Merbeth

Aug. 2016. 304p. Orbit, paperback, $9.99 (9780316308700). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

Merbeth’s action driven debut introduces us to Kid a, skinny, teenage girl who has known no world other than this post-nuclear apocalyptic one. Barely surviving alone after the death of her father, knowing she should not trust strangers offering a ride, but too tired and hungry to care, Kid gets in the car with two ominous figures-- the large, dreadlocked Wolf and the bright blue haired Dolly. And so begins a fast paced ride through a barren world where food and water are scarce, “Raiders” and “Sharks” rule the trade routes, and cannibalism is a real survival option. Kid’s first person narration grabs the reader immediately and we hang on her every word as she falls in with Wolf and his gang. The first battle scene comes immediately and is closely followed by another, and then another, strung together and constantly escalating. But in between the fighting there is equally as compelling character development. Wolf’s crew, villains all, but lovable and principled ones, come to be known and loved by Kid- and us. She watches and learns from each, and as a result, comes through the story stronger, both because she now has a “family” and has finally taken control of her own survival. Filled with dark humor, wit, and a realistic post-nuclear setting, Bite plays off the idea of who are the “good guys” in such a harsh world. Think Carl Hiaasen thriller set in a Mad Max world and you have an idea of what to expect.

YA: Yes this story contains some violence (and cannibalism), but Kid’s transformation from young victim of the post nuclear bomb apocalypse to active player in her own survival will greatly appeal to older teens.

Further Comments: When I first got this book for review in the mail, I looked it over, read the publicity material, and thought, “this is going to be dumb.” BOY WAS I WRONG. This book was great. It had tons of action, but also was extremely thought provoking. Give this immediately to everyone who loved Mad Max last year and is looking for something to recapture that magic.

Here are a few other notes I made while reading Bite which I could not fit into the review:

• Loved the constant jokes about her being mistaken for a boy. It added some comic relief
• The setting is perfectly described.  
• Narration and characters- WONDERFUL
• These characters grow as people, but still not good guys. You can’t be a good guy and survive in this world. Just bad enough to survive. But they protect each other to the death.

Three Words That DescribeThis Book: action! [not a typo, it needs the !], great characters, thought provoking

Readlaikes: Because this book is so unique, I had many readalikes in mind, but I chose to keep in succinct in the magazine to make it easier for you to booktalk it. Here are more:

• This is clearly going to be a series. The book read like Mira Grant’s phenomenal zombie thriller Newsflesh series. No zombies here, but they are similar in every other way.
• Last year I reviewed Builders by Daniel Polansky. I was reminded of it while reading Bite. Click through and I think you will see why.
• The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi. These books are similar in many ways-- female protagonists, the need for water. But also different in others. Bite is more like an action movie with a caper sensibility, while The Water Knife is more of a post-apocalyptic thriller.

A Natural History of Hell: Stories by Jeffrey Ford

July 2016. 279p. Small Beer, paperback, $16  (9781618731180); e-book (9781618731197). 
REVIEW.  First published July, 2016 (Booklist).

In this collection of 13 stories, most previously published, Ford showcases his award-winning talent for crafting creepy tales that bend the world as we know it in an unexpected way. While the stories here are not linked, they all do share a common theme of the wickedness lurking just beneath the surface of everyday life. And, while each uses different degrees of the supernatural influence to get there, all employ a dark and uneasy atmosphere, quirky, loner characters, and thought provoking endings, some even coming rather abruptly, but all forcing you to fit what you just read into your own worldview, with delightfully unsettling results. For example, in “Blameless,” we join the newly fashionable trend of staging a public exorcism party for your teen. This macabre and satirical story succinctly skewers both adult over- reactions to teenage behavior and lavish coming of age parties. Stories like “Terror,” which imagines the “true” ghost story behind an Emily Dickinson poem and “Rocketship to Hell,” which plays homage to the Science Fiction masterpieces of the pulp era, honor their historical source material while still having something to say about our present.  But it is in “Blood Drive,” where every senior in high school is required to carry a gun to school and far right, politicians are in control, where the chills hit very close to home. This collection is a good choice for fans of short stories by Neil Gaiman, China Mieville, or Kevin Brockmeier.

Further Comments: "Blood Drive” is, for better or worse, a timely choice to give to people right now. Overall, this collection will surprise many people who think they do not like short stories. They are like little novels.

Three Words That Describe This Book: wickedness, unsettling, timely

Readalikes: Like the authors I mentioned in the review, any authors who writes dark fantasy novels and short stories would be a great readalike option. Ones I did not mention but who also fit are Stephen Millhauser, Keith Donohue, Elizabeth McCracken, and Karen Russell.

I also think people who like Adam Johnson should also give this collection a try.

Phew, that’s a lot of reviews. Plenty of books to enjoy.

What I'm Reading: City of Mirrors and The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror

Today I have my draft versions of two reviews that appear in newest issue of Booklist

The City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin

First published May 1, 2016 (Booklist)

Four years after The Twelve ended with a cliffhanger, fans will rejoice as Cronin returns with the final installment in his bestselling, post-apocalyptic trilogy. The action picks up 98 years after the destruction of society, soon after the showdown in Iowa where the original twelve virals and their spawned armies were destroyed. Humanity has settled into a calm normalcy that no one alive has ever experienced. We catch up with old characters and observe a new generation coming into adulthood without the constant fear of attack. But while the walls are coming down and people are beginning to populate new settlements, Patient Zero, is secretly readying for a final attack to destroy humanity once and for all. The bleak and menacing atmosphere, nerve wracking tension, twisting plot, and intense battle scenes keep the pages turning as in the first two books, but this final novel also adds a saga-like quality to the entire trilogy, one that may resonate with fan’s of Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves. Readers of the series will be satisfied with the conclusion, appreciating not only the resolution of the conflict, but also the explanation of how humanity rose from the ashes to prosper again, of which readers had previously only seen fleeting glimpses.

More From Becky: Readers of this blog know that I loved The Passage. The Twelve though, was only okay. Now to be fair, I am not a fan of 2nd books in trilogies in general, so that did not surprise me.

This concluding novel though, was very good. It is satisfying both in how it wraps up the epic story, but also in how it spends time going back to explain where it all began. No spoilers, but there is a large section in the first third of the novel which goes back to explain the entire life of "Patient Zero" up to the point at the beginning of The Passage. This section is written in a different tone and style than the rest of the book, but to me, it fit perfectly because it is set in what was a different world from the world of the series. It also serves to answer many questions, which left unanswered, would have made this trilogy's conclusion less satisfying.

Another question I am getting is with the long time span between books 2 and 3, do you have to go back and re-read book 2 before beginning The City of Mirrors? My answer: no. Honestly, if you read the Wikipedia recap of The Twelve and combine that with the excellent job Cronin does incorporating some refresher information into the story, you will be fine.

And for those of you who have waited to even begin this award winning series until it was complete, you are in for one heck of a fun ride.

Three Words That Describe This Book: menacing atmosphere, returning series characters, satisfying conclusion

Readalikes: My suggestion of Seveneves in my draft above, did not make the final cut review, but I definitely thought of the Stephenson novel when I finished The City of Mirrors. 

Mira Grant's Newsflesh trilogy or Parasitology series are also great options for fans of scientific thriller/horror hybrid storytelling with strong characters, intense tension, and a menacing atmosphere.

You can also go back to my original review of The Passage for many more readalikes-- including the most obvious one, The Stand by Stephen King.

The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates

First published May 1, 2016 (Booklist)

STAR REVIEW

In this collection of six previously published stories, Oates has created a book of intense tales filled with unreliable narrators. Using an economy of words to produce an overflow of feelings, in particular extreme unease and tension, Oates ropes you in, seduces you, takes you on a dark and twisted ride and then pulls the rug out from under you, over and over again. Often you start to see the twist coming, but that is not her purpose, obscuring the denouement. Rather these stories are all about the anxiety, tension, mood and the extremely damaged, unlikable characters who keep your eyes glued to the page. When the story ends, you are both gasping for air and rushing to turn the page to begin the next story. The first, “The Doll-Master” may be the most predictable of the bunch, but the creepy feeling it produces lingers, casting an anxious shadow over the entire collection. Stories four and five, “Equatorial” and “Big Mama” build the collection to an intense climax, with “Big Mamma” in particular proving that Oates can be the best macabre writer in the world when she want to be. The final story, “Mystery Inc.,” a love letter to crime fiction and bookselling that could be The Storied Life of AJ Fikry’s evil twin, makes for a fun and unsettling conclusion. This is a collection with wide appeal especially for your fans of compelling and intense psychological suspense as found in the stories of Shirley Jackson, last year’s Slade House, or Gillian Flynn.

More From Becky: If you haven't read Oates ever or in a while and you prefer her more macabre stuff, this collection is worth your time. It is VERY good. [FYI I still am holding out for both her and Haruki Murakami to win the Nobel Prize, but genre bias is real.]

Three Words That Describe This Book: extreme unease, twisted, damaged and unlikeable characters.

Readalikes: I mention 3 above and you can use the links I provided to posts and reviews I have written to find many more.

For those of you who specifically want more short stories of the dark, creepy and twisted variety, check out any collection edited by Ellen Datlow.