Chaos & Confetti

Like many, when October rolls around, I get an insatiable hunger for scares and horror.  However, with a toddler at home and a wife who is not into horror at all, it can be tough to find space for frights in my life.  A lot of what I watch is with my wife, so my old tradition of overloading on scary movies in October isn’t quite what it used to be (probably better for my sleep anyways).

Thankfully, reading remains a mostly solitary act that lets me delve into whatever genre I desire (sorry dear, that I constantly what to go into plot points of books you wouldn’t want to pick up for yourself).  This year, I filled October with books of horror (and a few others) to my satisfaction.  I will say that I didn’t quite finish all the ones I wanted to though, so don’t be surprised if a few spill into November’s reviews as well.  

As always, books will be rated on a 1 – 5 star scale with 1 being bad, 2 being meh, 3 being good, 4 being great, and 5 being absolutely excellent.  If you enjoy what you see and don’t want to wait until the next book post, please follow us on Goodreads.  We’ll stay consistently updated there before compiling our month’s reading and thoughts here.

Let’s Go!

Ms. Demeanor by Elinor Lipman – 3/5 Stars

Jane Morgan, a respected lawyer, decides to be a little wild and indulge in some intimacy on a private rooftop.  It’s not private enough though, since a neighbor with binoculars not only sees Jane but calls the cops as well.  Now, sentenced to home confinement and temporarily disbarred (hopefully temporarily), Jane needs to reevaluate her life and her relationships.  Does she really want support from her twin sister?  Is social media cooking something she can become passionate about?  Is there really someone else under house arrest in her apartment building?  Also, what’s this about being suspected of possible murder?

Ms. Demeanor is a light and charming read that delves into the unique life of Jane.  As a former lawyer with a good support system, confined to her very nice apartment, her problems can be a little first-world, but the deeper roots of wanting to find her place in the world and looking for love are still relatable.  Thankfully, Jane herself is a nice human being and easy to like.

This novel introduces many subplots and characters that keep the book from ever feeling uneventful or boring.  Not every aspect is a homerun, but there is always something enjoyable going on.         

Lipman builds a nice world within the small bubble she creates, which should be fun for a visit.  The ending of the novel does feel a bit rushed, but not in a major way.

Ms. Demeanor would be great for those who love quirky and charming stories, oddball happenings, and slow burn romances.

The Test by Sylvain Neuvel – 5/5 Stars

Idir is sitting to take his British Citizenship Test.  He has studied and hopes to provide a better, safer life for himself and his family.  Then, the test becomes something Idir never could have expected.  Suddenly, instead of multiple choice, Idir is dealing with decisions of life and death.

The Test is a quick novel that should have readers blowing through it to find out what happens.  Unfortunately, only so much can be said without spoiling what’s inside the book.  What I can say is that the story sets up a tense, nerve wracking dilemma.  As the story progresses, readers will feel for Idir, while most likely wondering what they would do in a similar situation.

This is a novel of morals, hard decisions, and the big question of, “what makes a good citizen?”

Strongly recommended for those who enjoy a tense experience filled with moral grays and a dash of science fiction.     

The Last Stair into Darkness by Cliff Barlow – 3/5 Stars

The Last Stair into Darkness is a collection of twenty short horror stories by Cliff Barlow.  From the supernatural to the more mundane horrors, Barlow’s stories explore the many forms frights can come in.

Like most short story collections, the quality of the different tales do vary and what tales resonate with different readers will be hard to predict.  Overall though, Barlow does a solid job of crafting quick and interesting tales.  His tone, details, and premises should pull readers in and leave them with a few memories to haunt their nights.

Unfortunately, many of Barlow’s stories did leave me a bit unsatisfied.  Often each chapter felt like it was often hitting its full stride when the story would end abruptly.  It was like having a restaurant close each time they are about to bring out the main course.  It is often the standard for short stories and horror stories in general to leave reader wanting more and to leave endings open or ambiguous, but it still felt like too much was left unsaid.  Still, I did enjoy what Barlow did include.

I would recommend The Last Stair into Darkness for fans of horror, short stories, and a little variety when it comes to their scares.

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach – 4.5/5 Stars

The narrator reflects back on his childhood, gaining understanding of the dark reality that ties together so many of his seemingly unrelated experiences.  Youth introduces us to our first understandings of friendship, family, and self, but it may be warning us of what we should fear.

Though the writing quality of Penpal may be a bit questionable at times, the story more than makes up for it and the quality actually works to enhance the idea of someone trying to piece together a narrative they don’t understand, one built from fragments of childhood memories.  

The nonlinear format of this novel allows individual tales of suspense to be told, but then they slowly illuminate each other as the book goes on.  LIke venturing deeper in the dark woods, the trees that once seemed like individual obstacles soon combine into one dark labyrinth.  Readers know bad things are going to happen, but they’ll have trouble pulling themselves out once they start.

One of the most appealing pieces of Penpal is that while fictional, it almost feels like something that could have happened.  The threats feel realistic and the confusions and frights of a child are understandable.  The grounded aspects make this a scary story that might happen near you.

I would strongly recommend Penpal to those who like horror, slow reveal, nonlinear story telling, and dark, tense stories.  

Midnight Mass by F. Paul Wilson – 5/5 Stars

The Earth is mostly run by vampires, and humans are slowly being edged either towards extinction or as an existence as only cattle.  In Jersey though, a few holdouts remain and soon will unite in hopes to, if not turn the tides, at least put up a fight against the vampires and the humans who have betrayed their own kind.

Wilson builds a world overrun by the classic vampire.  He takes most of the old tropes and mythos and weaves something special out of it in order to create his own version of hell on Earth.  These vampires are irredeemable, creatures of the night they are near invincible.  They are monsters in every way, neither romanticized nor held up as something misunderstood.  Midnight Mass sets the protagonists against a nearly impossible to overcome force and then gives glimmers of hope.  But is hope enough?

The story rotates narrators throughout.  This helps gives the story a strong pace while also giving readers insight into the workings of multiple characters, aspects of this world, and plot elements.  With an ever changing perspective, it also means no character is safe, since anyone can be killed and replaced with yet another narrator.

Midnight Mass is a dark story that takes what makes vampire stories great and turns it up a notch.  For readers who enjoy vampires, fights against the odds, moments of despair, twists, and books along the lines of other great vampire stories such as Salem’s Lot, this is the book for you.   

The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu – 3/5 Stars

Ropa is a young girl with the power to talk to ghosts. In fact, that’s how she makes her living.  She carries messages from the dead to the living, for a fee.  Eking out a living is enough for Ropa, but soon she gets tangled up in a few life changing affairs.  Her discovery of the Library of the Dead may open up new opportunities, and the news that someone or something may be preying on children will definitely set Ropa on a collision course with danger.

The Library of the Dead is a solid young adult novel, with a quick pace and a lot happening.  It hits an interesting balance of feeling like the beginning of a series with plenty to explore later, while also moving at a quick enough pace that it is surprising how much actually happens in the novel.

Huchu creates a unique world based on ours but with enough differences to keep readers intrigued.  Many of the introduced elements to his world will be interesting to see unfold in later novels.  

Ropa reads like a teenage protagonist.  Her thoughts and actions feel very adolescent, but without feeling childish or naive.  She definitely gives off the vibe of wanting to be tough (being distant, using swears), without always knowing what that actually means. 

Overall, I liked The Library of the Dead, even if it didn’t grab me the whole way through.  A few plot points are a bit convenient, but nothing major to turn off readers. 

I would recommend The Library of the Dead to fans of young adult novels, the supernatural, and street smart female protagonists.   

Below by Laurel Hightower – 3.5/5 Stars

Addy, a recently divorced woman driving by herself to a horror convention, soon must face the possibility of navigating the isolated roads during a snowstorm.  A truck driver offers to lead the way through the storm and to provide some company through his radio.  Despite her reservations, Addy agrees.  All seems good until a creature with red eyes appears and causes an accident.  Addy now must descend into the unknown to help the trucker and discover that reality might not be as firm as she once imagined.

Below is a quick tale that packs a punch.  Hightower puts Addy through nightmare after nightmare.  What starts off as a pretty straightforward premise ends up taking quite a few turns and adding a number of elements.  As a shorter book with so much happening, the pace stays quick.  The ending slows down a bit and at least attempts to put a narrative bow on the entire novel.  

Those looking for a simpler monster story may be disappointed, but those seeking more psychological terror that puts the protagonist through the ringer will be pleased.