Spin a Black Yarn by Josh Malerman

Title: Spin a Black Yarn

Author: Josh Malerman

Genre: Horror/Speculative Fiction

Published: August 15, 2023 by Random House

I received a copy for review through NetGalley.

Spin a Black Yarn is a collection of 5 novellas that have memorable new spins on common genre norms. Malerman takes on a haunted house, a serial killer, space travel, dangers of AI, and revenge. These are very familiar yet his stories are wholly unique and surprising as these themes are turned on their head. These are novellas I will not soon forget.

Half the House is Haunted explores a brother and sister's relationship growing up in a house that was half haunted. What does that mean? Which half? 4 stars

Argyle follows a dying man's confessions of dark twisted desires that he never acted on. This was really disturbing and effective story despite his lack of actual murder. 5 stars

Jupiter Drop is about a man dealing with a tragic accident that decides to take a vacation to Jupiter where he will be able to drop through Jupiter in luxury. He soon finds out that you can not run far enough to escape your problems. 5 stars

Doug and Judy Buy the House Washer takes on a couple that are self-obsessed and want the prestige of owning The House Washer that will clean everything in the house perfectly, but they don't expect for all of their dirty little secrets to be exposed as well. This story made me laugh and got quite tense in the second half. 4 stars

Egorov is about brothers who seek revenge on the man who killed their third triplet by haunting him to madness. A great idea with some great scenes of horror with a gothic flare. It was a bit slow, but shined in moments 3 stars

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Comments

When the Night Falls by Glenn Rolfe Book Review

Title: When the Night Falls Author: Glenn Rolfe Series: Until Summer Comes Around Book 2 Genre: Horror Published: 6/11/24 by Flame Tree Press I received a copy for review through NetGalley. A group of vampires descend upon a beach town after a documentary airs about the killings that took place there years ago. These vampires seem set on getting to Rocky, and leave a large body count in their wake. When the Night Falls is the sequel to the beach town vampire story Until Summer Comes Around. This time the story is a little bit darker and a little bit bloodier. It takes place in the 1990s with plenty of fun nods to the decade to set time and place. I would highly recommend this series to fans of vampire stories. These are fast fun reads for summer. My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Hetty by Eddie Generous

Title: Hetty Author: Eddie Generous Genre: Horror Published: September 18, 2021 by Omnium Gatherum I received a copy for review through NetGalley. What It's About: Hetty Stanley was a schoolteacher. Hetty Stanley was a prudish spinster. Hetty Stanley was a murderer. Hetty Stanley has been dead for more than a century. Dane Butler is doing his best. His best isn’t enough, but a little luck puts him into an inherited home that shares a property line with a woman and her son. Winona and her son Casey are no better off than Dane, forcing the strangers to rely on one another. One day, Dane looks up from his computer at the sound of Winona shouting. Her four-year-old son is missing—no boots and no coat, January in Minnesota. Hours pass. Police scour the woods and begin pointing fingers at the only plausible suspects, but one high-ranking officer knows the painful history. Children have been disappearing from the old schoolhouse property for decades, and although it is impossible, the...

The Dead House by Billy O'Callaghan

Book Title: The Dead House Author: Billy O'Callaghan Genre: Fiction, Gothic, Horror, Ghost Story, Thriller Goodreads This best-selling debut by an award-winning writer is both an eerie contemporary ghost story and a dread-inducing psychological thriller. Maggie is a successful young artist who has had bad luck with men. Her last put her in the hospital and, after she’s healed physically, left her needing to get out of London to heal mentally and find a place of quiet that will restore her creative spirit. On the rugged west coast of Ireland, perched on a wild cliff side, she spies the shell of a cottage that dates back to Great Famine and decides to buy it. When work on the house is done, she invites her dealer to come for the weekend to celebrate along with a couple of women friends, one of whom will become his wife. On the boozy last night, the other friend pulls out an Ouija board. What sinister thing they summon, once invited, will never go. Ireland is a country haun...

Mindy's Book Journey

Search This Blog