I have read and reviewed a lot of books for Booklist since April and many of them are seeing the light of day in the July issue, five to be exact [and there are still four in the publishing queue for the next couple of issues].
I will be breaking them up into 2 batches, posting today and tomorrow. Today, 3 titles: 2 Horror and 1 Western, all of which are not getting the huge promotional push that tomorrow's two titles are, but they are excellent reads for a wide audience.
Below, as usual, you can find my draft review and extra information about appeal, readalikes, and of course, my three words.
I will begin with the Western.
In this entertaining and thought provoking debut, readers meet Eldon Quint, a Farmer, living on the frontier with his two young sons, as he is being pursued by a gang of armed men, in a blinding blizzard. Eldon is confused until he stumbles upon his identical twin brother Clayton, aka, the outlaw Jack Foss. The shootout moves to Eldon’s home and leaves one of his son’s dead. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Eldon and Clayton, as Eldon makes his way to Springfield, MO to bury his child, dodging those who mistake him for his brother, as Clayton desperately follows, trying to keep the family safe, this is a modern take on the classic Western with a satisfying dash of psychological suspense, flashbacks to provide context, and plenty of wild west action. It is about survival, permeated with violence and revenge, but it is also a tale of redemption strikingly anchored by familial love, its awesome power propelling everything that happens and also surprisingly balancing the scales of the twin’s character by its conclusion. A clear winner for fans of Westerns driven by flawed, but sympathetic characters on a family focused quest such as News of the World by Jiles or True Grit by Portis.
Further Appeal: I cannot overly stress the pull of familial love anchoring this story and propelling everything that happens. Add to that, a touching author's note [at the end of the book] reinforcing this.
The twins and the mixed up identity issues add tension and suspense. One is a farmer and one is an outlaw but both are a mix of good and bad in the traditional sense. And because it is from both povs everything is kept on edge and unsteady. But there is also the tension from this idea that the story is weighing the "good" and "bad" of each man. If it were a scale, at the outset, the farmer brother is perceived as "lighter," while the outlaw brother, "heavier," and yet over the course of the novel they balance out. I enjoyed that aspect.
“Loving wrath” from the title is the perfect descriptor. Also the novel has an excellent ending, one that underscores the main themes of the book, is touching, and believable. Not all debuts stick the landing. This one does.
Over all, a solid Western especially considering it is a debut. Character centered and yet compelling because of flashbacks and complex characters and their relationships [twin brothers and a fugitive black woman]. Also features: family secrets, violence, revenge, regret.
I will note however, I was not thrilled with the portrayal of Native Americans. It is the villain who treats the "Natives" the worst, and clearly this is on purpose to darken his character further, but still, I didn't love using Native Americans to make the villain appear worse.
Three Words That Describe This Book: evocative setting, flawed characters, compelling
More Readalikes: The Outcasts by Kathleen Kent is another a good option. Also check out this post where I have a list of "Not Your Father's Western." All of those titles work.
Sept. 2021. 300p. Inkshares, paper, $18.99 (9781947848870).
First published July 2021 (Booklist).
Opening with an ominous note, from the editor of a True Crime magazine, warning that what we are about to read is the last article by Bradley Ellison, sent moments before his death, a fantastic tale that cannot be verified, this epic novel then goes on to lay bare the isolated town of Three Summers, TN, a town with a haunted history of murder and monsters, a place with meancing ties to the earth itself. The multiple mysteries unravel like a jigsaw puzzle built without a guide. There are multiple storylines, featuring similar characters, told in eerily overlapping time frames; layering that intensifies disorientation and ratchets up the unease, keeping the pace methodical enough to enhance the atmosphere, while the snippets of Bradley’s article, slowly unveiled as prefaces to each chapter, encourage the reader to fit the pieces into place, albeit with fear about the picture that will ultimately be revealed. Terrifyingly realistic, yet clearly supernatural, fueled by generations of secrets, this promising debut is reminiscent of modern Southern Gothics as varied as The Boatman’s Daughter by Davidson, Sing, Unbury Sing by Ward, and Swamplandia! By Russell.
Further Appeal: This is a 500 page book that is set up as the slow unveiling of a horrible haunted story. This was very hard to boil down into 175 words and NOT give the mystery part away. I tried to focus on how it feels to read the book.
Methodically paced on purpose, to drag out the mystery, but it moves forward constantly. Unease, confusion, terrifyingly realistic. You might not get off the highway at a small town exit ever again. And that alone makes it a great read.
The layering keeps readers disoriented, and yet, the story leads those same readers to the answers. Trust the intricacies of the plot and narrative structure to lead somewhere. This needs saying because again, it is a debut and that is not always the case with first novels.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Menacing, Intricately Plotted, Intensely Disorienting
Readalikes: The three readalikes listed above, together make 1 readalike for this book. It also reminded me of another promising debut that wasn’t perfect plot-wise, but was amazing in terms of capturing a feeling on the page-- Tinfoil Butterfly by Rachel Eve Moulton.
Another readalike path for this book would be cult books, especially those with a supernatural overlay such as The Children of Red Peak by Craig DiLouie.
By Brom
Sept. 2021. 320p. Tor Nightfire, $29.99 (9781250622006); e-book, $14.99 (9781250621986).
First published July 2021 (Booklist).
Opening with a note that in October of 1666, 112 townsfolk were killed by the Devil, the story then flashes back to March of that fateful year as Abitha is brustling under the harshness of Purtainic rule. When her brother-in-law tries to take their farm to repay his outstanding debts, Abitha convinces her husband and the town elders to defy him, despite the dangerous consequences. While in the woods at the edge of the farm, the Devil is being reborn. As it struggles to remember its past, it finds companionship in Abitha and uses its powers to help her discover her own. An enticing but methodically paced story, enhanced by Brom’s creepy artwork throughout, where every detail of the uneasy atmosphere, world building, and character development matters, this is a tale that will unsettle readers as their emotions vacillate between fear and celebration. With Abitha, her brother-in-law, and the Devil and his minions all having a say, readers are both entertained by the suspense and asked to reckon with the true nature of evil. For all who enjoy historical horror with healthy doses of dark fantasy, witchcraft, and vengeance, in general, and titles like The Year of the Witching by Henderson, specifically.
YA Statement: Abitha is a self determined young woman who refuses to conform if it means compromising her principles. Her drive to make her own way and fight the establishment to do what is right at all costs will attract many teens to this bewitching historical tale.
Further Appeal: Here are a few more appeal notes, but honestly, this one I was able to capture above pretty well.
- Great ominous opening and the unease is carried throughout, it never leaves, even as world building and character building details are necessary to move the plot forward. And the drawings help too. And of course, October comes around eventually.
- Contemplates an important but nuanced question- what is evil? It’s not as black and white as we humans like to think.
- The suspense and dread are palpable here. From the first lines of the plot too. Not just the ominous note
- Parallels between their corrupt puritanical society and our current world are easy to make. Maybe a little too easy.
Three Words That Describe This Book: methodically pace, world building, unsettling
Readalikes: For more witch books, try the anthology HEX LIFE edited by Golden and Deering. But also check out my Library Journal star review of another recent historical horror novel that I liked more: Hearts Strange and Dreadful by McGregor. That one is not witch, but it has the same excellent historical world building. I think it is even better because McGregor doesn't rely on what we know about Puritans to create the fear and dread.
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