The May 2024 issue of Booklists has my reviews of the upcoming Chuck Tingle and Josh Malerman novels. Both require that you pre-order them now. They will have wide and happy audiences.
Reminder, you can find the reviews in Booklist or at Booklist Online but below you can find my draft reviews with bonus info and my three words.
But FYI: Both of these books are MUST BUYS!
First, the STAR review:
By Chuck Tingle
July 2024. 304p. Tor Nightfire, $26.99 (9781250874658).
First published May 1, 2024 (Booklist).
Self-publishing sensation, Tingle (Camp Damascus) burst onto the traditional publishing scene with one of the best books of 2023, but his follow up is even better. Misha, a semi-closeted, horror screenwriter has built quite a career for himself over the last two decades, but when asked to kill off the female leads of his popular show right after they kiss, he refuses. However, the algorithm, which rules Hollywood, demands he obey, or else. With the help of his best friend and boyfriend, Misha becomes the unlikely hero of not only his own story, but also that of the entire world, endangered by a powerful, insidious evil. Tingle’s effortless narrative flow is awe-inspiring. He begins with an uneasy tone that steadily builds to full on existential terror, along the way taking readers on a highly entertaining fast paced ride, filled with thought-provoking satire, original monsters, and some of the most realistic characters they will encounter on any page, all to prove that love is real and Horror itself is at its core, a celebration of life. A book for anyone who likes the immersive, high-stakes Thrillers of Blake Crouch or Horror novels about making movies like Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay or A Light Most Hateful by HaileyPiper.
Three Words That Describe this Book: perfectly paced, creepy becomes terrifying, a celebration of life Further Appeal: Here are more notes from when I was reading and writing the review. As you will see, I have many many notes. This book has so much in it and all fit was a jot to read and discover, but, alas, in print, I only get 200 words:
- I saw a reviewer who was confused by the screenplay excerpts included. I thought they were perfect, Helped to introduce more unease and disorientation-- ratchet it up. And they ended up being important to the storytelling, the twists, and the overall story; they added necessary detail and framing by showing not telling us what is going on. It also worked because the entire novel is about storytelling and writing screenplays. The pay off is PERFECT for it as well. It is there to knock you off a bit as a reader on purpose.
- This book is perfectly paced, perfectly built– every detail matters– fun, creepy, existentially terrifying, but also ultimately a celebration of life.
- I know Tingle's motto is-- Love is real-- and it is here but it expands to be a celebration of life itself. No one does relationships better in print than Tingle. From love to friendship to mentorship-- he is able to capture on the page the real feelings of true interactions between people and what they mean to each other with depth, care, and truth.
- I am struggling to figure out how much to share. I know reviewers will give spoilers. But I will say that post writer and actor strike issues of AI and more are clearly in this book-- and wow are they chillingly real.
- ½ way exactly, the twist. He is an expert at crafting a story and I was not surprised to look up at the page count when the whole story changed and see it was the middle. Speaking of, prepare to read this in 2 sittings. If you have time 1, but I did two.
- No detail is left unaddressed. Every detail matters. Creepy turns to terrifying. Effortless flow.
- Misha is in a race against time, fighting monsters from his past, both human and supernatural. There are very real lives at stake here.
- How does he write these perfect books that are super entertaining with amazing characters and nuanced, realistic relationships, thought provoking about serious issues, existentially terrifying and yet ultimately encased in love.
- This is a book about the creation of art as well, and its effect on all that it ultimately touches.
- Side note: I finished this book during the 2024 Oscar ceremony telecast; there is a crucial extended scene toward the end of the book at that event.
Further Readalikes: The above mentions of Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay and A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper are perfect because if you smooshed them together, that is this book,. A story about creating stories– especially screenplays Ala the Tremblay, but also with a Weird, SF element and the excellent relationships of Piper. It really is those two books smooshed together in terms of tone, theme, storytelling and over all message. And every detail matters in all 3 books. It is spectacular to watch it all come together as a reader. And it is done in a way that seems effortless, that it flows naturally, but of course, that was very hard for these authors to achieve and takes great care and skill. If you like Chuck Tingle, please read A Light Most Hateful by Hailey Piper, you will love it, I would be remiss to mention there were definitely Clive Barker vibes here. LA is a character in the story. If you want more of that read the classic, Coldheart Canyon. This book is heavily meta like Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward, but with like 3 fewer layers and a faster pace. This is not a judgment on either book. I gave both stars. The similarity here is in the focus on the fact that the power of the story is held by the writer and how what the writer includes or excludes matters. One is more methodically paced on purpose and the other is fast paced. Both are gems.
Second, the upcoming novel from Josh Malerman.
June 2024. 384p. Del Rey, $28 (9780593723128).
First published May 1, 2024 (Booklist).
Malerman [Spin a Black Yarn] is back with a new novel that begins uneasily and relentlessly builds to full-out, feel it in your gut terrifying. Eight year-old Bela, the sole narrator, lives in suburban Detroit with her Mommy, Daddo, and “Other Mommy,” a being who lives in her closet, but comes out frequently to ask the young girl, “Can I go inside your heart?” Readers enter as “Other Mommy” is losing patience with Bela, getting more bold, even leaving the house to remind Bela that she must say yes, and soon, or else. Bela immediately grabs readers’ attention and pulls them into her disquieting world, while Malerman finds effective ways to add context from the adults’ points of view without sacrificing Bela’s authenticity or the fast pace. Readers will be ensnared for the duration, wanting to look away or take a break from the unceasing onslaught, but they cannot because “Other Mommy” will follow readers, even off the page, not allowing anyone to escape. For fans of Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage and Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.
Three Word That Describe This Book: Child POV [exclusive], chilling, relentless
Further appeal: My review and the publisher summary give you all that I feel safe enough to say about this book. It is a story you have to experience. It is a full body fear situation. You will scream at the page like a movie. You will scream and the characters from Bela-- who is captivating-- and the adults.
This book is NOT for the faint of heart. It is intense and bleak but quite a ride.
Some may not love the exclusive child POV, but in this case, the book won'r work without Malerman committing to it. Bela is just aware enough to that the "Other Mommy" is bad, but also she sees enough to know that things aren't great at home too. Details are filled in by her troubled parents venting their feelings to her while they think she is asleep.
But to say more than the overall tone and the POV is to ruin the experience of reading this.
Further Readalikes: The entire thing reminded me of an old school Paperbacks from Hell but with a modern sensibility. I think that is the easiest was to book talk this book. Right away your readers will know exactly who it if for.
To help library workers, who are my review's main audience I referenced 2 titles that would most easily help them understand who this is for (not that they need help getting Malerman books off the shelf and into readers' hands. The Baby Teeth rec is for the narration and content and the HEX comp is to hint at the bleakness and also some of the appearances of the "monster" scenes are similar.
A tangential rec is A Head Full of Ghosts, but that one is more about making the reader think about what they read and if it is real or not while in this Malerman novel, "Other Mommy" is a real monster. This is not in Bela's head. Instead, Malerman is out there going for the readers' gut, to make them feel the fear in the bodies. If you are still thinking about it after, it is because you are having nightmares-- which is a valid response.
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