In an absolutely unsurprising move I'm ecstatic to inform you guys that I am still 100% Sarah Rees Brennan and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina trash.

Web of Dreams could have been an enthralling and tragic tale. Unfortunately, it remains one of the more disappointing offerings of the Casteel series.

Quarantine reading means V.C. Andrews binge-read. When the world is a dumpster fire, dive into the extensive V.C. Andrews backlist. One of V.C. Andrews greatest triumphs in her legacy is the fact that she has a character named Heaven Leigh. I stand by that. Oh, well, here we go! Time for the Casteel series to begin!

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina continues with its next enthralling installment: Daughter of Chaos!

It's official: Sawkill Girls makes me wish it was Autumn already. Is it Halloween yet?

Is this real life? AM I REALLY PARTICIPATING IN THIS BLOG TOUR? Pinch me, I must be dreaming. Catch me, I'm falling.

#FashionVictim by Amina Akhtar | Reviews: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5)

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  

Don't let my two start rating lure you into a false comfort--this novel was deliciously evil and is the textbook definition of guilty pleasure. It's witty and biting, it's dark and disturbing, it's utterly stylish and blasé while hitting certain topics right on the nose. It is fun and vicious.


#FashionVictim is highly reminiscent of Gossip Girl: Psycho Killer and I love it all the more for this reason. The story begins at a Vogue-like office setting; paired with one deliriously messed up narrator, Anya, and her Blake Lively-esque co-worker, Sarah, who Anya not only wants to be BFFs with, but who she also--ahem--stalks. And this is only the beginning.

At its core, the novel is about wishing for something more. Also high-fashion and murder. In other words: readers are in for a wildly absurd ride that they are either going to love or hate. Much like Anya's worship or kill tactics... there are no inbetweens for reader and #FashionVictim.

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage | Rating: ★★★☆☆

As a note, a physical copy of this novel was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.  

Wow. Where to begin with this novel? I've been trying to gather my thoughts on it for nearly a week. I guess the first word that comes to mind is: WILD. I can honestly say that I've never read a thriller quite like Baby Teeth. The only problem is, I can't figure out if that's a good or a bad thing. My mind was unable to process fully what was happening sometimes--I had so many questions and so many more theories. The term mind f*ck was essentially made for books like Baby Teeth--and I mean that.

Unexpected, and confusing, as many parts of Baby Teeth were, there was also a familiarity of the novel. It's not as if we've never read a book where a child is so... troubled. I can name a few characters similar to young Hanna. What makes Zoje Stage's work standout is not because of the various parallels between this book and others, it's the way that she executes every plot turn in Baby Teeth. I found myself disturbed and chilled during many moments and the narration of Hanna was a real treat--because it made me feel A LOT. How can a child's mind be so dark? I was shocked. There was that childlike naivity that you'd expect of someone her age, but then she'd turn the reader around and frighten you.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn | Rating: ★★★★☆

I think we can all agree that The Walking Dead is one of the most iconic comics in the modern horror genre both because of the show's obscene popularity and the comics startling beginnings. Volume 9, Here We Remain, reminds us why the series has spawned such a large fanbase that only continues to grow. Here We Remain is both terrifying and heartbreaking in its base of emotions. Which is both an incredibly moving trait and overwhelming.

We saw the end of an era in the previous installment that was what laid the groundwork for this one. Here We Remain is a testament to the fact that The Walking Dead is more than just another horror-themed zombie story, there is this startling amount of humanity and soul even as we see these characters forced to move forward in the face of loss and terror. Here We Remain signals another change to the story as Rick and Carl struggle with the deep cut of loss and begin their next chapter. The sense of doom lingering in the background like the shadow it has always been.

The thing about Here We Remain is that, now that we've lost so many more, it reminds us of the dire situation these characters are in. And how utterly unprepared they are.

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys by Various Authors | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5 nearly 4)

 “Not all monsters are filled with darkness.' She wanted him to understand this so badly that her voice trembled.

He didn't even hesitate. 'This one is.'

She allowed herself a moment to admire Tommy, the way he stood so resolute, like a knight charging after the monster. He just didn't get that this fight wasn't his to wage.

'Exactly so,' she finally said.

Good anthologies can be hard to stumble upon for me. I just don't seem to enjoy them well enough. Especially those of the horror/thriller variety. Fortunately, Slasher Girls and Monsters Boys is one of the better releases in recent memory despite any weak points it had throughout its impressive collection of short stories. Admittedly, I only initially picked up the collection for the stories by A.G. Howard, Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo and Jonathan Maberry, but I'm glad I did regardless! Because there were quite a few gems in it that made the lesser stories less disappointing to me. Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is more good than bad. And by good, I mean bad--in the terrifyingly explosive and delicious way.

The Becoming of Noah Shaw by Michelle Hodkin | Rating: ★★★★☆

"Fate is bullshit. Destiny doesn't exist. If I want a happy ending, I'll have to write it myself."

As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Edelweiss by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

When the Mara Dyer trilogy ended a few years back, I found myself beyond bummed to say goodbye to these gorgeous and intriguing characters. One might say that I get overly attached to fictional characters, now more than ever, and there's just something about Mara, Noah, Jamie and Daniel that just went straight to my heart and began to weave themselves into my veins.

Plus, the overall creepy vibes and atmosphere the original trilogy possessed was right up my alley. When I heard that Hodkin would be returning to these characters--a new set of novels centered around Noah Shaw--I nearly screamed in excitement. In all honesty, I probably did. Even with that joy, I was a little hesitant and skeptical on how this spin-off would truly work. The Becoming of Noah Shaw is, of course, its own story and a truly intriguing one at that. Michelle Hodkin manages to work right back into her groove and has just as tight of a grip on my heart as she did when The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer came to be.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins | Rating: ★★★★☆

The very first thing (the most important thing, really) you should know about There's Someone Inside Your House is that its entire storyline is a mix of genres. At its core, it's very much so a typical Stephanie Perkins novel--with a lot of thrills, chills and twists sprinkled in for good measure.

This seems to be some level of confusion or distress for some readers, due in part to the way it was marketed (as a full on slasher novel) and the manner in which we--as readers--take upon ourselves to build up an image of what we believe the story will be before picking it up. At the end of the day, this is what brings in the disappointment afterwards... our inability to understand that a story isn't always our first impression of it.

Truth is: in There's Someone Inside Your House, Perkins pens a wickedly delicious thriller, slashed deeply with romance, wit and lovable characters. The novel itself is exactly how you might picture a horror novel by her to be--and I found it thoroughly entertaining. So, no. In my eyes, it didn't feel quite as frustrating for me as many other readers have seemed to say. There's Someone Inside Your House is not a full-blown horror novel but it still twists the reader in their seat from suspense and is far from a letdown.

Are you guys ready for a SUPER AWESOME YA Urban Fantasy novel entwined with horror? As I am typing this, I'm reading it to my friend and she is all: OKAY, I'LL BITE. Because AUTUMN IS THE TIME FOR CREEPY READS! I mean, Autumn is the time for #ALLTHEREADS but ugh, there is just something about the two extreme ends literature: fluffy and terrifying.

They don't go hand-in-hand with each other. But with AUTUMN? Yes, please. And The Lovely Dark by K.A. Last is here to slay your entire existence and chill you to the bone. So, do yourself a favor--follow the cut, find out all you can, read the excerpt and ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!

The Walking Dead: Vol. 08, Made to Suffer by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn | Rating: ★★★★☆

As always, The Walking Dead kicks things up a notch with the next installment. It asks questions of humanity--who would we, the ordinary, be in such dire circumstances. One thing is certain: we'd be forever changed.

Following the events and cliffhanger of the previous volume, the survivors find themselves with a brand new (and in some cases, old) threat ready to take everything away from them. We've got classic horror abound! Disturbing villains, questionable good guys who only want to survive, and just about every gory trope in the book. But that's what we love about the series, right? The shock, the terror, the idea that what is old (the tropes) can become new again?

In this volume--it's all there. Moreso, it is utterly heartbreaking. We're talking, "Hey. Do you want to just take my heart out right now and shatter it?", levels of madness and pain. We lose quite a few of the characters we'd come to love and two are just so far beyond heavy and disturbing, I cannot begin to describe my graphic novel hangover--which is funny because this is NOT my first read of the series.

Overall, a great read for someone looking for a scare.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 06: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn | Rating: ★★★★☆

Proving once again what a staple this is in anyone's horror/graphic novel collection, The Walking Dead continues with its sixth volume, a collection of gory tales of survival in a zombie apocalypse. You see the horrors first hand--the death, the savage nature we're drawn to, the burning passion of love and hate and most of all surviving until tomorrow. During my first reading of this series, I have to admit, I wasn't altogether fond of many of the strips in This Sorrowful Life but this time around I enjoyed it far more than I had. I still have some complaints (more of life back at the prison as the group grapples to survive, not knowing whether Rick, Michonne and Glenn are dead) but for the most part this was one of the most suspenseful installments yet.

The biggest threat isn't always zombies in The Walking Dead: it's humans, too, at their very worst. Enter, The Governor. Sadistic, troubling, chilling--any of these things can describe such a horrid character. He is one of those characters that scares the heck out of you and makes your stomach turn. Worst of all, he is holding some of the survivors captive and torturing them.

Abigale Hall by Lauren A. Forry | Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)

A copy of this novel was provided through NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.

There was something utterly engrossing about Abigale Hall. Before I even cracked open (or whatever the eBook equivalent of that phrase is) I knew this. Even the briefest of summaries will signal that this novel is going to be a trip. That is the most important thing you should know about this release by Lauren A. Forry: it is a trip. Creepy in all the right ways, Abigale Hall is a very solid release that keeps you on the edge of your seat and has not only a secretive air to it, but also an incredibly intelligent one.

I cannot stress how intense the story is itself. It has that dark vibe to it that a good, old fashioned thriller would and because of this darkness it's very easy to envision everything. Abigale Hall is fashioned in the way that an old, spooky movie is and it's so painfully vivid, you can't bring yourself to look away. Lauren A. Forry is a master of suspense who put forth a lot of effort to make this story bigger than its cover and description says it is. Which makes it stand out a lot more than I had imagined. Picture a historical novel mixed with a thriller and add in a solid dash of just about every genre. I don't want to make a comparison to V.C. Andrews novels (because, in truth, Lauren A. Forry has a far more descriptive and coherent way of expressing her tale) but I do think that fans Gothic fiction will appreciate this story more than the ordinary reader.