Book Review - Strange Houses by Uketsu

Title: Strange Houses (Strange Houses #1)
Author: Uketsu
Genre: Horror/ Mystery
Published: 2021
 
Description: When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious “dead space” hidden between its walls. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout.
 
What is the true purpose behind the house’s disturbing design? And what happened to the former owner who disappeared without a trace? When a body suddenly appears and a young woman reaches out about a second house, it soon becomes clear that the writer and his friend may be in over their heads.
 
Review: With “Strange Houses”, Japanese author Uketsu has created a true internet sensation. The book promises a unique blend of mystery, psychological horror, presented in a highly unconventional format.  
When an unnamed writer asks an architect friend to inspect a Tokyo home’s floor plan, they discover windowless, sealed-off dead space. They soon realize the bizarre layout is custom-designed for murder, dragging them into a terrifying investigation involving missing persons, twisted family secrets, and a second mysterious house.
 
“Strange Houses” is without a doubt one of the most unique books I’ve read in a long time. Uketsu breaks with the traditional thriller structure by telling the story largely through dialogue, interviews, illustrations and floor plans. As a reader, you’re immediately thrust into the role of a detective; you study the drawings and try, together with the characters, to figure out what’s wrong. This interactive element ensures that the first part of the book moves along at a brisk pace. The suspense is masterfully built up, and the atmosphere is delightfully gloomy.
 
Unfortunately, the book was unable to maintain this high standard until the end. While the first part excels in its simplicity and tight focus on the first house, the second completely lost me. The plot shifted to a more complex backstory. So many new characters, intricate family trees, and historical motifs are introduced that the whole thing became quite confusing. The logic that was so strong at the beginning gave way for to far-fetched explanations that dampened the suspense rather than heightening it.
 
“Strange Houses” is a fascinating experiment that, thanks to its unique style and strong opening, is definitely worth reading. It’s just sad that the second half wasn’t as good.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5 

Book Review - The Unknown by Riley Sager

Title: The Unknown
Author: Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Published: 2026
 
Description: In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again.
 
Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery on New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.
 
Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums. Until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.
 
Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island’s previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.
 
Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon. And how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.
 
Review: Riley Sager is back with his latest thriller “The Unknown”, and it makes for a very entertaining read. In my opinion, this is a big improvement over his last two books, which unfortunately fell short. His 2025 release “With a Vengeance” I didn’t even finish. Although it’s not a new favorite, Sager does prove with this book that he still has a knack for the suspenseful thriller genre.
 
We meet Marin, a struggling actress who unexpectedly lands a major role in a movie directed by a popular director. The movie centers around a century-old mystery. In 1926 five women mysteriously vanished from New Avalon, a remote commune in Lake Faraday. To prepare for the film, the director gathers the cast on this island for an immersive rehearsal week. However, as the cast dives into the history and begins reading the diary of one of the missing women, the line between fiction and reality start to blur. And history seems to repeat itself.
 
The atmosphere here is the best part: Gothic and deeply unsettling. The dual-timeline between the commune of 1926 and the modern-day indie film set is highly compelling. The isolated island setting immediately ramps up the tension and the concept of actor being trapped there gives it a psychological touch. The book has supernatural elements, that you will question the entire time.
 
Riley Sager is known for his plot twists and he succeeds for the most part in “The Unknown”. It’s surprising and it takes some dark and twisty turns, but the conclusion eventually feels a bit far-fetched. It requires a heavy suspension of disbelief. If you don’t think it through too much it’s pretty good, but there are a few plot holes that don’t make sense. I do love how Sager made you guessing whether certain things really happened or not, right until the very end.
 
Sager is back, I liked “The Unknown “ so much better than the two book that came before this. But it does not match “The Only One Left” or “Lock Every Door”.
 
Rating: 3, 5/ 5

Book Review - In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

Title: In a Dark, Dark Wood
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Mystery/ Thriller
Published: 2015
 
Description: When reclusive writer Leonora is invited to the English countryside for a weekend away, she reluctantly agrees to make the trip. But as the first night falls, revelations unfold among friends old and new, an unnerving memory shatters Leonora’s reserve, and a aunting realization is not alone in the woods.
 
Review: As a fan of psychological thrillers, I was looking forward to “In a Dark, Dark Wood”. It’s Ruth Ware’s debut novel. I have read three other books by her, mostly solid, disliked one of them. The ominous title and the promise of a claustrophobic setting led me to believe this would be a blood-curdling story. Unfortunately the reality turned out to be a lot less thrilling.
 
The story follows Leonora (Nora), a crime author who largely isolates herself from her past. To her great surprise, she is invited to the bachelorette party of Clare, an old high school friend she hasn’t spoken to in ten years. Together with a select group of friends, she travels to a remote, ultra-modern glass house deep in the forest of Northumberland. What begins as an awkward weekend full of old tension and secrets quickly escalates into a full-blown nightmare when someone is killed and Nora wakes up injured in the hospital, with no memory of exactly what happened that night.  
 
The dynamic between the characters was pretty much the best thing about the book. Constant passive-aggressive comments, clearly underlying emotions from the past that haven't been worked through yet, and jealousy. I eat this up.
 
Although the atmosphere in the glass house feels quite oppressive at first, the book quickly loses steam afterwards. My biggest frustration lies in the plot development. A good thriller relies on unexpected twists, but unfortunately, I saw the so-called twists in this book coming a mile away. Nothing about the dénouement was surprising to me. The motives and the culprit were pretty obvious that the book really left me unsatisfied. Add to that the fact that the main character makes choices that are downright illogical, and the suspense is completely gone.
 
For first time mystery/ thriller readers this would be a solid choice, but if you are well-read in this genre you can skip it. It’s pretty average, and due to the unsurprising developments it never manages to rise above that.
 
Rating: 2,5/ 5

Book Review - The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer

Title: The Caretaker
Author: Marcus Kliewer
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: Macy Mullins can’t say why the job posting grabbed her attention. It had the pull of a fisherman’s lure, barbed hook and all. Vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she’s not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.
 
Besides it’s only a three days’ work…
 
Three days, cooped up in a stranger’s house, surrounded by Oregan Coast wilderness.
 
What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property. And Macy might jus be the only thing standing between it and the rest of humanity.
 
Review: After enjoying Marcus Kliewer’s previous book, “We Used to Live Here’, I was really looking forward to his latest release, “The Caretaker”. Although, in hindsight, I thought his debut was just a tiny bit better, Kliewer has once again proven with this new book that he is a master at creating an ominous atmosphere and gives us yet another original horror/ thriller.
 
The story follows Macy, who takes a job as a caretaker at a remote, mysterious estate. What begins as a quiet, well-paid routine job quickly turns into a full-blown nightmare. The enormous house harbors dark secrets, and before long, terrifying, inexplicable events begin to occur, blurring the line between reality and paranoia.
 
Just like “We Used to Live here”, this book was once again incredibly creepy and nerve-wrecking. Kliewer is so good at building up the underlying tension that I simply couldn’t put the book down; I just had to keep reading. Still, in the end, I couldn’t give this book 5 stars either, for exactly the same reason as with “We Used to Live Here”: there are simply too many unanswered questions. Although a bit of mystery is inherent to this genre, in this specific case I also found the ending not entirely satisfying. It left me with a feeling that was just a little too vague.
 
In short, a must-read for fans of psychological horror and nonstop suspense. And if you don’t mind that not all pieces of the puzzle will fall into place, this is the book for you.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington

Title: The Blonde Dies First
Author: Joelle Wellington
Genre: Horror/ Young Adult
Published: 2024
 
Description: Devon is always being left behind by her genius twin sister, Drew. At this point, it’s a fact of life. But Devon has one last plan before Drew leaves for college a whole year early: The best summer ever. After committing to the bit a little too much, the twins and their chaotic circle of friends learn why you don’t mess with a Ouija board if you want to actually survive the best summer ever, and soon find themselves being hunted down by… a demon?
 
But while there’s no mistaking the creeping, venomous figure is not from around here, their method doesn’t feel very demonic at all. In fact, it’s downright human. Going after them in typical slasher movie kill order. And that means Devon, the blonde, is up first and her decade-long crush Yaya, is the Final Girl who must kill or be killed to end the cycle.
 
Devon has never liked playing by anyone else’s rules though, not even a demon’s, and the longer this goes on, the more she feels Drew and Yaya slipping away from her even as she tries to help them all survive. Can they use their horror movie knowledge to flip the script and become the hunters instead of the hunted? Or will their best summer ever be their last?
 
Review: With “The Blonde Dies First” author Joelle Wellington attempts to capture the essence of a nostalgic, self-assured horror movie in book form. Although the concept is full of potential and the nods to classic slasher films like “Scream’ are entertaining in theory, the execution unfortunately falls short. The results is a predictable story that fails to sustain the suspense.
 
Seventeen-year-old Devon Harris is blonde, outgoing, and terrified of losing her brilliant twin sister Drew, who is leaving college a year earlier than planned. To make their last few months unforgettable, Devon creates a list called ‘the best summer ever’ for their close-knit group of friends from Brooklyn. The plan goes completely off the rails when they play with a Ouija board at a party. They accidentally unleash a malevolent demon that begins hunting down the friends one by one. Strangely enough, the demon follows the strict rules of a cliché horror movie. Since Devon is the blonde girl of the group, she knows one thing for sure; according to the laws of the slasher genre, she’s next in line. The friends must all use their knowledge of horror movies to turn the script around and survive.
 
Devon is the protagonist and I found it hard to root for her. She is constantly jealous of her sister Drew and she was very self-centered. The group of friends is diverse, which is very positive. But due to the large number of characters, most of them remain stuck in one-dimensional archetypes. As a result, their interactions quickly become repetitive.
 
For a book that relies on parodying horror tropes, it lacks any real suspense. The murders and the character’s actions are painfully predictable. Moreover, the chapters are very long, and the plot becomes highly repetitive halfway through.
Wellington attempts to tackle serious contemporary issues, such as gentrification in Brooklyn and racial tension with the police. Great addition, giving the story a bit more depth. But they are not further explored and stay on the surface.
 
I think this is one of those books that will be enjoyed more by a younger audience, since it is a young adult book. It was not scary and although I liked the book poking fun at the slasher genre, I found the book cliché, slow and lacking tension.
 
Rating: 2/ 5

Book Review - Devolution by Max Brooks

Title: Devolution
Author: Max Brooks
Genre: Horror
Published: 2020
 
Description: As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finale settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre passed unnoticed, unexamined… until now.
 
But the journals of resident Kat Holland receovered from the town’s bloody wreckage, captures a tale too harrowing to be forgotten.
 
Kate’s is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity’s defiance in the face of a terrible predator’s gaze, and inevitably, of savagery ad death. Yet it is also far more than that. Because if what Kate Holland saw was real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.

Review: Following the iconic “World War Z” (which I have not read), Max Brooks returns with “Devolution”. This time he swaps the zombies for a legend that’s just as terrifying: Bigfoot. Brooks opts for a pseudo-documentary style, which creates a realistic and oppressive atmosphere. Although the book is definitely worth reading, it also has a few drawbacks that prevent it from being quite a masterpiece.
 
The story follows the residents of Greenloop, a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly, and completely self-sufficient residential community in the forests of Washington State. When the nearby Mount Rainier erupts, the high-tech village becomes completely cut off from the outside worlds. The residents, accustomed to luxury and technology, are completely unprepared for the approaching winter. Their situation deteriorates dramatically when a hungry, aggressive tribe of Bigfoot-like creatures is driven from their habitat by the natural disaster and chooses Greenloop as their new hunting ground. What follows is a bloody struggle for survival, told largely through the recovered diary of resident Kate Holland.
 
Brooks excels at slowly building tension. The transition from a naïve, ecological utopia to a brutal struggle for survival is fascinating and psychologically well-developed. The details about how the creatures hunt and communicate feel scientifically grounded and terrifyingly realistic. The final third of the book is a nail-biting page-turner that you won’t be able to put down.
 
The biggest problem is the pace in the first half. Brooks spends a great deal of time on interviews, background information, and character development. Although this contributes to world-building, it simply takes too long before anything interesting happens. You really have to push through and eventually will see it’s worth your time.
 
“Devolution” is a strong, clever horror story with a fantastic climax. It is very violent, trigger warnings for violence and gore. But importunely the story takes a little too long to get going.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer

Title: Serial Killer Support Group
Author: Saratoga Schaefer
Genre: Thriller/ Horror
Published: 2025
 
Description: When Cyra Griffin’s younger sister is murdered by a serial killer, Cyra knows better than to expect justice from the hands of the police department. With the investigation already dying its own slow death, Cyra follows the blood trail and finds her own way forward.
 
Using insider information Cyra infiltrates a support group for serial killers by pretending to be one herself in the hopes of finding the person who ended her sister’s life. Proving herself to them comes at a cost, but it’s one Cyra is willing to pay in the name of revenge.
Unfortunately, the dangerous men in the group aren’t the only obstacles in Cyra’s path for vengeance, and the further Cyra descends into the deadly world of serial killers, the harder it becomes to hold on to her own humanity.

Review: For fans of pitch-black humor and unconventional thrillers, Saratoga Schaefer’s debut is an absolute must-read. “Serial Killer Support Group” thoroughly shakes up the classic thriller genre with a daring, feminist, and slightly bizarre premise. The result is and addictive game of cat and mouse that constantly keeps the reader guessing.
 
When Cyra Griffin’s younger sister is brutally murdered by a serial killer and the police quickly let the investigation fizzle out. Cyra refuses to accept this and decides to take matters into her own hands. Through an insider in the police force, she discovers the existence of a top-secret support group in the city: a support group for serial killers. Driven by revenge, Cyra manages to infiltrate the group and pretends to be a cold-blooded killer herself. Her goal is simple: to unmask her sister’s killer.
 
This book is a delightfully crazy ride that entertains from the very first page. Schaefer has a sharp, witty writing style that allows her to effortlessly combine the gruesome subject matter with a healthy dose of irony and dark humor. Cyra is a fantastic, unconventional protagonist; she is determined, physically strong, and morally flexible enough to fully draw you into her mission.
 
The build-up tension is very well-executed. The constant threat that Cyra will be exposed among the group of trained psychopaths creates a continuous, underlying sense of unease. As the story approaches its climax, the author also treats you to a number of sharp, unexpected plot twists.
 
The various killers in the groups all have fascinating, twisted backstories. I would have liked a bit more depth and interaction among them during the group sessions.
 
“Serial Killer Support Group” is a refreshing, thrilling and delightfully macabre debut that’s perfect for fans of “Dexter”. This is the second book I read by Saratoga Schaefer and I really love her work so far. An author to keep a close eye on.
 
Rating: 4/ 5

Book Review - Look What you Made Me Do by John Lanchester

Title: Look What You Made Me Do
Author: John Lanchester
Genre: Fiction/ Thriller
Published: 2026
 
Description: What if the year’s most talked about TV show was all about your marriage?
 
Kate, thirty years into her marriage, has a seemingly idyllc metropolitan, North London life. Phoebe, a young screenwriter, is the creator of the year’s hit TV show, Cheating.
 
When Kate’s world takes a darker turn, she thinks she sees details and intimacies in the the show that only she and her husband Jack could possibly have known. But who has betrayed who? Who gets to tell whose story?
 
Review: With “Look What You Made Me Do”, author John Lanchester attempts to craft a razor-sharp, contemporary psychological thriller. In this book he exposes the tension between generations and the dark side of the media world. Although the premise sounds promising and intriguing, the execution falls painfully short.
 
The story follows Kate, who shared a seemingly perfect marriage with her husband Jack for thirty years. And there’s Phoebe, a young screenwriter whose new series “Cheating” becomes a massive hit. The two woman’s world’s collide head-on when Kate watches the series. To her utter horror, she recognizes intimate details, secrets, and even the specific private language of her own marriage in the dialogue on screen. A dark and vicious battle ensues, filled with resentment, accusations, and acts of revenge, centered on the question: who stole whose story, and what is the ultimate price of this betrayal?
 
Although the premise of a stolen married life in a TV series has the potential to be a successful thriller, “Look What You Made Me Do” disappoints on nearly every front. Lanchester chooses to tell the story from the perspective of the two women, but barely manages to give them an authentic or believable voice. The characters remain stuck in shallow stereotypes: the bitter, privileged Kate versus the cynical, harried Phoebe. As a result, the intergenerational friction feels more like a rehash of clichés than a sharp social critique.
 
The biggest problem, however, is the plot structure. A good thriller relies on carefully built tension, but Lanchester opts for a series of implausible coincidences and far-fetched plot twists to drive the story forward. The pace if initially far too slow, after which the book suddenly derails in the second half into an over-the-top revenge comedy that completely undoes the carefully crafted psychological tension. The climax and the motives behind the betrayal feel contrived and fall apart at the seams. Lanchester occasionally writes quite entertaining and satirical passages about the London elite, but as a thriller, the books lacks any sense of logic, surprise or genuine psychological depth. The result is an unsatisfying whole.
 
Rating: 1,5/ 5

Book Review - The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

Title: The Night We Met (Say You’ll Remember Me #2)
Author: Abby Jimenez
Genre: Romance/ Contemporary
Published: 2026
 
Description: In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything…
 
For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, thigs finally feel easy.
 
But Chris isn’t the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago, Chris is her boyfriend’s best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy.

Review: When it comes to Abby Jimenez romance novels, I am a romance girlie. Because all books I have read by her were wins. “The Night We Met” got mixed reviews, so I went in with the possibility of me not liking it as much. But Jimenez did not disappoint. She proves once again that she is the queen of contemporary romance, striking a perfect balance between deep tragedy and sparkling humor.
 
The story revolves around a split-second decision that changes a whole life. After a concerts, Larissa has to choose who she’ll ride home with. She ends up in the car with Mike and eventually they start a relationship. Months later, however, it turns out that Mike’s best friend Chris, is her true soulmate. While Larissa makes ends meet with countless part-time jobs, she and Chris develop a deep friendship. They share favorite books, bake bread, and raise a quirky, rescued Yorkshire Terrier together. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but Chris refuses to betray his best friend. What follows is a heart-wrenching struggle between loyalty and true love.
 
The character development in this book is truly impeccable. The characters feel lifelike, with their traumas, financial stress, and moral dilemmas. In addition, the interactions and humor between Chris and Larissa are razor-sharp, witty, and written and written with a wonderfully authentic flow. The underlying tension and longing create a compelling slow-burn, and I prefer a slow-burn when it comes to love stories.
 
What really elevates this book is that Jimenez doesn’t shy away from heavy topics like loyalty, substance addiction, and deep friendship. This is a beautiful, painful, yet hopeful stoy about the impact of timing and fate. It lingers in your mind long after you’ve closed the last page.
 
Rating: 5/ 5

Book Review - Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Title: Carrie Soto
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Historical fiction/ fiction
Published: 2022
 
Description: Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.
 
By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best played the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.
 
But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.
 
At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even is the sports media says that they never liked the ‘Battle-axe’ anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.
 
In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season.
 
Review: With “Carrie Soto is Back”, Taylor Jenkins Reid once again demonstrate her talent for creating complex, fallible, and utterly fascinating characters. After exploring Hollywood and the world of rock ‘n roll, Reid now delves into the cutthroat world of professional tennis. The result is a nail-biting, emotional and razor-sharp drama about ambition, growing older, and the price of success.
 
The story follows Carrie Soto, the most successful female tennis player of all time. She is fiery, ruthless, and known as “The Battle Axe”. By the time she retires from tennis, she has broken every record and holds no fewer than twenty Grand Slam titles. Six years later, in 1994, Carrie is sitting in the stands at the U.S. open. She watches as the young, talented Nicki Chan ties her record. Carrie is now 37 years old, and her body is no longer what it used to be. Still, she makes a radical decision: she’ll come out of retirement to defend her record. Together with her father and lifelong coach, Javier, she embarks on a grueling year of training. She must not only battle younger opponents and a skeptical media, but also her own physical limits and demons from the past.
 
Carrie is the typical anti-hero you will love. She is not likeable in the traditional sense of the word. She’s arrogant, selfish, and obsessed with winning. That’s precisely what makes her so formidable. Reid compels the reader to respect a woman who refuses to apologize for her ambition.
 
The relationship between Carrie and Javier is the beating heart of the book. Their bond is complex, loving, and at time heartbreaking. Javier reminds Carrie there’s more to life than just winning.
 
This book will sweep you away. I used to watch a lot of tennis, but if you have no affinity with tennis at all, this might not interest you. But the way Reid describes the matches with such intense dynamic, even someone who is not into tennis could enjoy it.
 
The only reason why I’m not giving it a 5-star rating is that the match rhythm halfway through the story lead to a slide sense of repetition.
 
“Carrie Soto is Back” is a triumph. It’s a powerful statement about how society treats ambitious women and a beautiful story about growing up, letting go, and the meaning of greatness. An absolute must-read.   
Rating: 4,5/ 5

Book Review - Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

Title: Dungeon Crawler Carl (Dungeon Crawler Carl # 1)
Author: Matt Dinniman
Genre: Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Published: 2020
 
Description: You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.
 
Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world, or just get to the next level, in a video game-like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.
 
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.
 
Review: “Dungeon Crawler Carl” is a wildly crazy page-turner in the sci-fi/ fantasy genre. Very popular at the moment and the first in a long-running series. Author Matt Dinniman throws you right into the thick of a unique, modern subgenre that completely defies the conventions of traditional literature. The result is a rollercoaster ride that leaves the reader with a contact mix of amazement and adrenaline.
 
The story begins on a freezing cold night when Earth is abruptly overrun by an intergalactic syndicate, after which the remaining humanity is forced to participate in a live-broadcast, sadistic gladiatorial tournament. At the center of it all is Carl, an ordinary man who flees into the Apocalypse in his boxers and barefoot, along with his ex-girlfriend’s eccentric Persian cat Princess Donut. Together they must descend into a gigantic, underground dungeon with eighteen deadly levels, there, they must battle monstrous creatures, solve complex puzzles, and survive the levels to entertain the universe, all while amassing millions of alien fans.
 
The absolute highlight of this spectacle is its unparalleled humor, as the absurdist story had me laughing out loud several times at the most unexpected moments. The universe is filled with a colorful collection of the weirdest and most bizarre characters you’ll ever encounter in a book. Among all these extraordinary creatures, Princes Donut (a now talking and hyper-intelligent cat) absolutely steals the show as the most entertaining character, thanks to her regal airs and hilarious feline antics.
 
Still, the adventure also has a downside that you, as a reader, have to read through. The story is incredibly chaotic; there’s constantly so much happening all at once, and the enormous amount of information and statistics you have to process is overwhelming. That meant I had to get used to the structure and the breakneck pace. Fortunately, this doesn’t outweigh the rest of the experience; the concept is simply incredibly original and entertainingly executed. This addictive introduction leaves me wanting more, and I’ll definitely be continuing this series. I totally get the hype.
 
Rating: 3,5/ 5

Book Review - Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez

Title: Things We Lost in the Fire
Author: Mariana Enriquez
Genre: Horror/ Short stories
Published: 2016
 
Description: In these wildly imaginative, devilishly darlin tales of the macabre, internationally bestselling author Mariana Enriquez brings contemporary  Argentina to vibrant life as a place where shocking inequality, violence, and corruption are the law of the land, while military dictatorship and legions of desaparecidos loom large in the collective memory.
 
Review: “Things We Lost in the Fire” is an intriguing collections of short stories that takes the reader into the darker side of contemporary Argentina. Mariana Enriquez weaves together political trauma, extreme poverty, and social unrest with supernatural horror and macabre elements. Although the atmosphere is consistently oppressive and compelling, the collection’s quality is rather uneven. Some tales are masterful, while others, unfortunately, didn’t really work for me.
 
“The Dirty Kid” examines the harsh reality of homeless street children in Buenos Aires. A rock-solid, gripping, and deeply unsettling opening story that immediate gets under your skin.
 
“The Inn” follows two teenagers who break into a hotel with a dark political past. An entertaining story with a great atmosphere, but it remains somewhat superficial.
 
In “The Intoxicated Years” we follow three friends growing up during the economic crisis of the 1990s. the focus is too heavily on adolescent rebellion and drugs, causing the horror climax to lack momentum.
 
Three children explore an abandoned, haunted house where a girl vanishes without a trace in “Adela’s House”. This is an absolute masterpiece, my favorite story of the collection. Terrifying, perfectly crafted and unforgettable.
 
My least favorite was “An Invocation of the Big-Eared Runt”. Here a tour guide becomes obsessed with a historical Argentine child murdered. The story feels drawn-out and lacks the suspense or depth to justify the cruelty. I didn’t like this story at all.
 
“Spiderweb” is about a young woman who travels with her insufferable husband to the countryside, where he suddenly disappears. It started promising, because the tension is palpable and you could feel that something ominous was going to happen. But the story drags too much and it felt underwhelming in the end.
 
In “End of Term” a schoolgirl exhibits extreme self-harming behavior under the influence of an invisible entity. A rather clichéd teen horror story that fails to live up to its potential.
 
The most bizarre story was “No Flesh Over Our Bones”, but also one of my favorites. A tale about a woman who becomes obsessed with a human skeleton she finds on the street. Beautifully macabre, psychological sharp, and delightfully unsettling.
 
“My Neighbor’s Courtyard” was my second favorite story. A social worker suspects her neighbor is keeping a deformed child chained up. This story offers psychological horror of the highest order; dark, layered, and deeply tragic. With a fantastic climax.
 
In “Under the Black Water” a lawyer investigates police brutality near a polluted, apocalyptic river. The Lovecraftian atmosphere is interesting, but the story ends to abruptly.
 
“Green Red Orange” is one of those stories you immediately forget about. A young man completely isolates himself in his room and communicates only through the dark web. The concept of modern isolation is relatable, but the execution remains dull.
 
“Things We Lost in the Fire” is about women setting themselves on fire en masse to protest domestic violence. A powerful, shocking concept that serves as a solid finale.
 
This short story collections has some great, stand-out stories that will haunt me for a while, but also some stories I didn’t really care for. I highly recommend this book for fans of socially critical horror, because this book has some really strong stories. But unfortunately, not all stories are good and will be easily forgotten.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - Pet Sematary by Stephen King

Title: Pet Sematary
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 1983
 
Description: The House looked right, felt right to Dr. Louis Creed.
 
Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle; the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago.
 
Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive threat.
 
But behind the house and far away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully cleared path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial.
 
A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding.
 
Review: Did I just read my new favorite Stephen King book?  A terrifying epic about the limits of human grief. “Pet Sematary” is an absolute masterpiece. After closing that very last page, I can only conclude one thing: this is officially my favorite Stephen King novel. Over the years I have devoured many of King’s books, but this particular story grabbed me by the throat from the very first chapter and never lets go. It’s dark and compelling and will haunt your mind for days afterwards.
 
The story follows the young, successful doctor Louis Creed. He moves with his wife Rachel and two young children Ellie and Gage, and the family cat Church to the seemingly idyllic countryside of Maine. Their fresh start seems perfect, but appearances can be deceiving. They soon befriend their elderly neighbor, Jud Crandall, who takes them to a mysterious pet cemetery deep in the woods: the “Pet Sematary”.
 
What begins as a melancholic place where local children commemorate their deceased pets, however, turns out to be a dark façade. Deeper in the woods lies an ancient Mi’kmaq Indian burial ground that is possessed by a malevolent, supernatural force. The ground there is literally and figuratively acidic: whatever is buried there returns from the dead. But they never return exactly the same. When tragedy strikes the Creed family without mercy, Louis is driven by intense grief to defy the laws of nature. He makes a fatal decision with horrific irreversible consequences.
 
I can say with complete conviction that this is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read in my entire life. King doesn’t build tension with the cheap shock tactics of supernatural jump scares, but with a deep suffocating psychological terror that slowly creeps under your skin. From the very first page, the atmosphere is stifling, ominous, and uncomfortable. As a reader, you sense the impending catastrophe, but you’re just as powerless as the characters themselves. The climax is so intense and terrifying that I simply couldn’t put it down, despite the chills running down my spine. The last 100 pages were top tier.
 
What truly elevates this book to the level of a literary masterpiece is its emotional and philosophical depth. Pure grief is the central, most important theme of this story. King dissects the human psyche to the bone and painfully reveals just how blinding, destructive, and isolating intense grief can be. The book poses the chilling question: How far would you go to get a lost loved one back? It explores the universal fear of death and our inability to let go. The conclusion is brutally harsh: sometimes death really is better. “Pet Sematary” undoubtedly has one of the darkest and most hopeless endings Stephen King has ever written.
 
It’s dark, emotionally draining, psychologically complex, and terrifyingly relatable. It’s Stephen King at the absolute peak of his power. An absolute must-read for anyone who loves horror of the very highest caliber. I can’t believe it took me so long to read it.
 
Rating: 5/ 5
 

Book Review - Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Fangirl (Fangirl # 1)
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Young Adult/ Romance
Published: 2013
 
Description: Cath is a Simon Snow fan. Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan… But Cath, being a fan is her life, and she’s really good at it. She and her twin, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
 
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fanfiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere. Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
 
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a grumpy roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend; a fiction-writing professor who thinks fanfiction is the end of the civilized world; a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words… and she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
 
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this? Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living on her own And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
 
Review: “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell is a tender and relatable coming-of-age story that explores the intense transition from the safety of adolescence to the overwhelming world of college.
 
The book follows Cath, an extremely introverted freshman who goes through an identity crisis when her twin sister Wren decides she doesn’t want to be her roommate on campus. While Wren throws herself wholeheartedly into college life with parties and alcohol, Cath retreats to her shared room. Her only true refuge is the online world, where, under the pseudonym Magicath, she writes an immensely popular fan fiction series based on the fiction Simon Snow wizard series. Cath balances her fear of the real world, caring for her mentally fragile father, and her looming deadline to finish her own story before the official final Simon Snow book is published. Only when she is forced to connect with her gruff roommate Reagan and Reagan’s ever-smiling friend Levi does Cath being, very slowly, to come out  of her shell.
 
Author Rainbow Rowell excels at making loneliness and social anxiety of a young adult palpable. The characters are multi-layered. The friendship between Cath and Levi feel authentic, which grows organically and slowly blossoms into a sudden romance. With his honest-to-goodness characters and unconditional support, Levi is a beacon of light in Cath’s chaotic life.
 
In addition, the story tackles heavier themes, such as the dynamics of a broken family and the impact of mental health issues, without ever becoming overly heavy.
 
Rowell portrays the love of writing and the safe haven that internet culture can offer outside with great respect. The reason this novel falls short lies primarily in its structure and uneven pacing. Rowell chooses to constantly interrupt the story with excerpts from the Simon Snow books and Cath’s own fan fiction. Although these interludes are intended to reflect Cath’s inner world, they repeatedly slow down the actual plot. I was more interested in Cath’s realistic struggles and relationships. Especially about her fear of change and the anxiety of dealing with life by herself, without her sister, and the bond between Cath and Wren. I also wanted more of the family dynamic, her dad who is struggling with his mental health and her mother who had left their family when Cath was younger. I felt like Rowell could have done more with this.
 
“Fangirl” is not a book I would have picked up if it wasn’t recommended to me. It’s a charming and tender book. I loved Cath, I could relate to her on many levels. And even though Rowell already added a lot of emotional depth to the story, I wanted more from the family dynamic.
 
Rating: 3/ 5

Book Review - We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Author: Shirley Jackson
Genre: Horror/ Classic
Published: 1962
 
Description: Living in the Blackwood family home with only her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted for murdering the rest of the family, the world isn’t leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Charles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.
 
Review: Shirley Jackson’s “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” is a masterful gothic novel. The story centers on eighteen-year-old Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, who lives in a large, secluded country house with her agoraphobic sister Constance and their ailing uncle Julian. Six years earlier, the rest of the Blackwood family was mysteriously poisoned with arsenic in the sugar bowl. Although Constance was acquitted, the nearby village still believes she is the culprit. The sisters live in total isolation, protected by Merricat’s magical rituals, until their money-hungry cousin Charles arrives and brutally shatters their fragile peace.
 
Jackson excels at creating an ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere. The psychological depth of Merricat as an unreliable narrator is fascinating; her childlike logic mixed with dark tendencies makes her both sympathetic and terrifying. The book is a sharp social critique of groupthink, exclusion, and the suffocating nature of family ties.
 
Without giving away exactly what happens, the plot twist is powerful. Jackson forces the reader to reevaluate everything that has been told up to that point. You realize how manipulative the build-up has been. It both feels like a shock yet like the only logical truth.  
 
It’s a bit of a slow burn, with a good pay-off.
 
Rating: 4/ 5