The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

The Paris Apartment 
by Lucy Foley
⭐⭐

The Paris Apartment introduces us to Jess, a twenty-eight-year-old bartender who is on the run from her past, as she reaches out to her brother, Ben, a journalist, for help. She travels to Paris to stay with Ben in his somewhat new apartment until she can get back on her feet. When Jess arrives to find her brother missing and his cat covered in what looks like blood, her journey to finding her brother begins. Looking for help from Ben's neighbors, Jess realizes that the other tenants in the Paris apartment aren't who they seem to be, but can she trust them?

I don't want to say it, but I like to be fully transparent - this is in the top five worst books I've read this year. So many people loved it! I wanted to love it, too!! I really did!!! But no matter who hard I tried, I just couldn't do it. 

I'm keeping my criticisms brief because this is all personal opinion and I'm not going to condemn a book just because I didn't like it. Firstly, every character, with the exception of Jess, was unlikeable and there was no depth to any of them! They were all one dimensional! Every chapter is from a different person's perspective, but they all read like the same character. Sophie and Jess were the most unique characters, but everyone else had the exact same voice. It was also very predictable for me (except for the very end, but even then, I wasn't blown away). 

Aside from the ending, there was nothing really redeeming about this story for me. I wanted to like this, I really did, but I came extremely close to DNFing it. Ultimately, I stuck with it until the end, but unfortunately, it just wasn't my cup of tea. However! As I always say - different strokes for different folks! 

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey
⭐⭐

Upon finishing Just Like Home, I felt really conflicted. I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. It took me a few days to gather my thoughts but I'm confident about my feelings now. 

Vera is the daughter of a notorious serial killer and has spent most of her life running from the past, her hometown, and her mother, Daphne. When Daphne calls Vera, after a very long estrangement, to tell her that she is dying and needs her daughter by her side, Vera decides to face her demons and return home - to the house her father built and where he murdered his victims. Just Like Home is the story of Vera's childhood, her family, her past, and what happens when she comes face to face with what she's been running away from for so long.

This book had amazing potential. Everything about the story was interesting and it had a Sharp Objects vibe to it that I was so excited about! I think it's safe to say that it didn't quite live up to that expectation. This is one of those books where the themes and the plot are spectacular but the writing and ending totally dropped the ball.

There are many positive aspects to Just Like Home - it's an interesting family dynamic, the prose throughout was great, and I personally really liked the deeper insights into Vera's background through the chapters taking place throughout her childhood. Where it fell short were the characters - there are only four characters in this book, and they were mostly one dimensional - no development or evolution takes place for them. The whole story, from the dialogue to Vera's thoughts to the descriptions, was extremely repetitive. I believe the author's purpose was to show how the past is constantly pressing into Vera, how she's being haunted by her father and the memories of the house. Despite that, I don't think it was successful and this book would probably be 100 pages less if we weren't constantly reminded that Vera's dad built the damn house.

You also feel like you're on the verge of something happening, but - surprise! - nothing happens. The twist at the end was a little out there, too, and not in a good way. With all of that said, however, I did really like how the past was always creeping into Vera's present, and I found the relationship between her parents super interesting. 

Overall, I really would not recommend this one. It's not atrociously terrible, but it lacks the emotional and psychological depth that really could've made this story special. The themes were strong, but unfortunately, the writing wasn't. In place of this book, I would recommend Sharp Objects instead!

Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers

Man Made Monsters
by Andrea L. Rogers
⭐⭐⭐

Man Made Monsters is a really unique short horror story collection. It follows multiple generations belonging to one Cherokee family, beginning in the 1800s and continuing into our present time and future.  Each story contains its own horror element - from vampires, to aliens, to zombies - as well as discussing real life horrors, like colonialism, school shootings, and domestic violence. 

I really wanted to love this collection more than I did. That's not to say I didn't like it, because honestly, I liked most of the stories! I found the thread of family, love, and culture at the heart of this collection really powerful, and each story was one of a kind whilst still loosely connecting to the tales that came before and after. My main criticism is that, though entertaining and thought provoking, the stories themselves were very short. For me personally, I couldn't connect emotionally with many of the characters because we only spend tiny windows of time with them. I would've enjoyed more characterization with fully fleshed out thoughts and feelings - I just felt like many of the characters lacked the kind of emotional depth that I really adore.

I was also excited by the Cherokee/Native element of these stories - I had hoped for some Native folklore and/or mythology, but most of the horror in this collection is more along the lines of classic. With that said, however, I really liked the twists that Andrea L. Rogers' put on the stories we know so well. Also, politically speaking, Man Made Monsters hit the nail on the head and did an astounding job showcasing how normalized things like cultural destruction, child abuse, and sexual abuse has become in our world.

I also loved how many strong females are in this collection, as well as how connected the beginning story and the final story is. Overall, I liked Man Made Monsters and would recommend it to anyone who likes horror but who might also like delving into topics such as generational trauma and racial politics. I wanted a bit more from these stories, but I still really enjoyed reading them!

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Nightbitch, we meet an unnamed woman whose life is thrown upside down when she awakens to discover that she is seemingly morphing into a dog. As the transformation takes place, we witness her struggle to maintain her motherhood, marriage, and beast-hood all at once.

Nightbitch is a book about dissatisfaction with life, sacrificing oneself for love, the trials of motherhood, the complexities of marriage, and the freedom that comes with transforming into a wild-ass dog. This book was brilliant. Though the subject matter is very literal, the overall metaphor of becoming a dog is an astoundingly accurate and profound metaphor for the changes that take place throughout a woman's life.

The messages in Nightbitch are powerful, feminist, comforting, and funny as hell. This book focuses on the changes, expectations, and responsibilities forced onto a woman's shoulders as she becomes a mother, but it's also about finding yourself, following your heart, and finding your purpose in life. My only criticism for this book is the animal cruelty. While I was reading, I understood why the author felt it was necessary to include it, but I read an interview where she said herself that it's an aspect of the story that she somewhat regrets. I am very sensitive to animal cruelty, so those parts of the book were not my favorite. 

Honestly, I would love to recommend this to any woman who is already a mother, or who is hoping/planning to become one in the future, but I know this book wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. So instead, I will recommend this one to any horror lovers because Nightbitch is extremely unique and though it's about turning into a dog, the story itself is a very human story and I really, really loved it. 

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

-Trigger Warnings- sexual assault, incest, infanticide 

Mexican Gothic by 
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
⭐⭐⭐

In Mexican Gothic, we first meet our socialite main character Noemi when her father receives letters in the mail from her cousin, claiming that her new husband is poisoning her, and she needs help. Noemi is sent to the estate of which her cousin's new family owns, determined to get to the truth of the situation. Noemi's journey leads her to unveil something much more sinister than she ever could have imagined upon her arrival at the estate.

My opinion might be on the more unpopular side because so many people just absolutely loved this book! It just didn't do it for me, honestly. I loved Noemi and how strong of a female lead she is, as well as her determination throughout the story, but all the characters seemed so one dimensional. They all felt more like a means to an end than real characters who have roles in the narrative.  The pacing of the book was a little off to me as well. It starts rather slowly and then by the middle of the story, everything is revealed to you. And the ending - it was rushed and fell very flat for me. 

The actual story that is at the heart of this book is super unique and creepy, but it just wasn't enough to carry the rest of the book, in my opinion. I gave Mexican Gothic three stars because I genuinely like how twisted Silvia Moreno-Garcia's mind is, and I'm very interested in reading her other works. Overall, Mexican Gothic was neither terrible nor amazing, it was honestly just decent. I wish it had left more of a mark but sometimes books just don't work for me! I definitely don't regret reading it though, so that's a good thing! 

 

Babel by R.F. Kuang

Babel by R.F. Kuang
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Robin Swift, born in Canton and orphaned by the Cholera pandemic, is brought to London by Professor Lovell, a professor at Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation (Babel). Robin is ruthlessly trained day and night in the subject of languages and translation to fulfil Professor Lovell's orders of his enrollment at Babel. Years later, Robin is ready for Babel and learns just how the magic of language can change the world - but soon, Robin realizes that there is a cost to the knowledge and power that Babel holds. 

This is one of the most extraordinary books I have ever read. The amount of work, knowledge, research, imagination, organization, and CONFIDENCE that R.F. Kuang had to have had in order to put this together far surpasses my understanding of what humans are capable of. Babel is genuinely incredible. There is so much genre-meshing here - Babel is fantasy, dark academia, historical fiction, and political! This is, by far, one of my favorite coming of age stories I have ever read. 

I really grew to love these characters and the setting absolutely envelops you - I swear I could see everything Kuang described. Some of the criticisms that Babel has received are valid, although I don't agree with all of them. Some have said that this book reads like a textbook. That's true, but it's something I adored about the story. I loved learning about the history of translation as well as the political repercussions that go along with the gathering (and hoarding) of information and resources. 

I rated Babel 5 stars for all of these reasons, although I do have a few personal criticisms. Firstly, I feel like the supporting characters needed/deserved more. Poppy War is a great example of secondary characters having fully fleshed out histories/origins. Secondly, I hated the ending. I just really wasn't happy with it, though, admittedly, it was a good way to end the book.

Babel is a masterpiece. I need a sequel ASAP! I highly recommend this for fantasy lovers and/or history buffs. The political content is beautifully done, which is always expected from R.F Kuang at this point. Wow. Just wow - I adored this book!

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

 *TRIGGER WARNINGS* alcoholism, addiction, domestic violence, themes of death

The House Across the Lake
by Riley Sager
⭐⭐⭐

Casey is a recently widowed actress with a heavy reliance on alcohol. When her alcoholism becomes front page news, Casey's mother sends her to the family lake house to break her habit, which also happens to be the very lake her husband drowned in. One day, Casey rescues her new neighbor - gorgeous supermodel Katherine - from drowning. Casey and Katherine become fast friends, and as Casey's alcoholism and loneliness worsens, she takes to watching the house across the lake, in which Katherine lives with her husband, Tom. One night, Casey witnesses the couple have a fight and the next day, Katherine is missing. Thus begins Casey's twisted journey to finding her missing friend.

The House Across the Lake was a really fun thriller! I enjoyed it for what it was, and Casey's sense of humor was killer! I loved the idea of women protecting one another and Casey's devotion to finding out the truth behind Katherine's disappearance. The setting of the lake was really fun and eerie, and I was a big fan of the twist and the ending!

I rated this book 3 stars because, despite really enjoying it, the portrayal of Casey's alcoholism was kind of lighthearted and unserious. Riley Sager isn't the most character driven of authors, which is fine, but I would've appreciated a darker, more realistic approach to addiction. I also am never a fan of male authors having their female leads give a feminist monologue - it just doesn't sit very well with me. 

Overall, The House Across the Lake was a fun thriller perfect for this time of year! The twist and ending really worked for me as well. If you're looking for a twisted thriller, I definitely recommend this one!

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

The Death of Jane Lawrence
by Caitlin Starling
⭐⭐⭐

Jane Shoringfield is a strong, intelligent, business-minded woman who decides that the most reliable path forward in her life would be to choose a likeminded man to marry out of convenience. Enter Augustine Lawrence - a dashing, yet reclusive doctor who just so happens to meet every one of Jane's requirements. Very quickly, both Jane and Augustine discover a true romance igniting between them. They get married under one condition - Jane must never set foot in Augustine's family estate, Lindridge Hall. As fate would have it, Jane befalls a carriage accident and has no choice but to go to Lindridge Hall for help. Upon arriving, Jane finds her husband a paranoid shell of the man she knows. Jane makes it her mission to unveil what exactly is haunting Augustine in Lindridge Hall. 

The Death of Jane Lawrence is an amazing example of Gothic Horror. From the very beginning, I was sucked into this story and found myself falling in love with the love shared between Jane and Augustine. There were a few parts of the story that were repetitive and/or slow, but the suspense more than made up for it. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but it was an unpredictable twist and I really appreciated that!

I thought the Gothic setting and mixture of magic, spirits, and mystery made this a fun horror story perfect for this time of year! I also thought that Jane was an awesome main character! Determined, strong willed, intelligent, and stubborn, Jane is a force to be reckoned with! Overall, I gave this book 3 stars! I definitely enjoyed it, and it's a very interesting ghost story! 

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

 *Trigger Warnings* rape, abortion, molestation, sexual assault, themes of death, gore

My Heart Is a Chainsaw
by Stephen Graham Jones
⭐⭐⭐

In this story, we meet Jade - a slasher-obsessed 17 year old who is almost positive that a real-life slasher has come to her small hometown. She's an outcast though, the black sheep of the town, and everyone is pretty sure she's just delusional (or a little crazy). The moral of the story? Always listen to teenage girls. My Heart Is a Chainsaw is one of the most unique books I've read this year!

First and foremost, this book defies all genres. It's a mixture of horror, slasher, and thriller all while simultaneously being a revenge AND a "coming of age" story. I found my feelings about this book constantly changing! At multiple points in this story, I had to stop and reevaluate my opinions - originally, I thought Jade was a terrible main character. I thought she was immature and that there was no way I could read an entire book with her... but I did! And I'm glad I did! Jade's character development was so worth it!

Stephen Graham Jones commented on a lot of social issues in this book - racism, misogyny, sexual assault, capitalism, colonialism, small town America, gentrification - and he did so with such ease that it blew my mind! The gore aspect of this story is also really fun, although one of my criticisms is that the slicin' and dicin' takes a very long time to begin! 

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to! I liked the character development, the gore, the political awareness, and the twist at the end! I wish the story was a bit more fun though, but I can totally see why so many people love this book! I'm very eager to see what the sequel will be like! I definitely recommend My Heart Is a Chainsaw if you enjoy thrillers/slashers!

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager
⭐⭐⭐

Maggie Holt doesn't remember what caused her family to run away from their newly purchased manor when she was a little kid, but the book her father wrote about their paranormal experiences there has certainly haunted her for the last 25 years. Home Before Dark introduces us to Maggie right after her father dies and she inherits the very house that has practically ruined her life. As she enters Baneberry Hall to renovate and resell it, Maggie attempts to uncover the truth behind her family's departure all those years ago - because she's pretty sure her dad was lying about the ghosts... right?

So many people enjoyed this book, and I can totally see why! Baneberry Hall is practically a time capsule (or tomb) and the spooky/ghosty vibes are strong in this one! I loved the atmosphere of the story and the house itself was beautifully built by Riley Sager. I also really enjoyed following Maggie as she retraces her past and tries to connect the dots and dredge up memories that are better left forgotten.

There were a few things that detracted from the story, however. Firstly, the story takes a while to begin. Nothing really starts popping off until the halfway point, which isn't necessarily a negative thing, but the ending is so suspenseful, and I wish the beginning had been that way as well. The twist(s) at the end was great, though a tiny bit predictable. Riley Sager is a pro at the "double twist" endings though! Maggie's character development was very well done, though the one dimensionality of the supporting characters left a lot to be desired. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book quite a lot! Riley Sager puts together amazing thrillers and this book is perfect for Fall/Halloween season! I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a fun, creepy story to jump into!

Devil House by John Darnielle

Devil House by John Darnielle
⭐⭐⭐

Devil House follows the story of Gage Chandler, a True Crime author investigating and writing a novel about a double homicide at (what later becomes known as) the Devil House. As he begins his investigation, he uncovers deeper layers hidden beneath the local rumors surrounding this murder case, and the truth leaves him feeling untethered and unsure of himself.

This book has really divided its readers - people have either loved it or hated it! I fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. The story is interesting and generally, the book has a lot to say about true crime, not only as a genre, but also as a source of entertainment. I loved what this book stood for and the points it was trying to get across. 

Despite enjoying the discussion on sensationalism and true crime though, I definitely have criticisms - one of which is that for 70% of the book, I was so bored. A couple of times I even reconsidered my decision to read it, but clearly, as you can see from my rating, I stuck with it until the very end. It is extremely slow and there is barely any suspense in the story. This book is also so disorganized, and it took away from my overall enjoyment of the narrative. Devil House isn't terrible, because the meaning behind it is very important, but this book is not pleasurable to read. 

Our narrator is constantly trying to meld the present day with the past, which can make the story a little murky at times, especially as you get deeper into it. There is also an entire section of the book that makes little to no sense. It totally removes you from the story and the reason for including it is still unknown to me. 

With that said, however, at a certain point, the meaning of the story is revealed to us, and it was at this point that I realized the entire narrative had been leading to a deeper conversation about sensationalism within the genre of True Crime. By no stretch of the imagination could this be considered horror, though. The story is a ghost story of sorts, as it tells the story of victims being haunted by their trauma, as well as the world's need to retell it.

Overall, I gave this book 3 stars because it served as a great analysis of sensationalism and how society feeds off of blood and tragedy for entertainment. It's definitely not a must-read, though it was very thought provoking!