Victorian Psychoby Virginia Feito
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The word selection in Victorian Psycho is a lesson in being descriptive, concise, and whilst still creating major creepiness. The fewer words read might actually make it more gory and disturbing; as your imagination fills in this blanks during this Victorian gothic horror story.
We follow the POV of our leading lady who is, clearly from the beginning, a psychopath. She starts beheading dolls as a child and escalates (quickly) from there. This is a case of knowing less is better going in. It will make the twists and turns more impactful. Just know you are in for a gruesome unravelling between the stories of her past, and the current narrative where she is newly hired Governess to two wealthy children. This line from the thoughts of our MC says it all for me: ”It fascinates me, the fact that humans have the capacity to mortally wound one another at will, but for the most part, choose not to.”
Victorian Psycho is an engrossing, quiet yet horrific, quick yet stays with you read perfect for the spooky season; and any day you need a cold chill down your back. I’m hoping to convince my horror obsessed hubby to read it; and add a copy to my print library as it’s certain one I could reread just to remind myself that at least I’m a better person than our leading lady (which wouldn’t take much).
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Last Chance to Save the World by Beth Revis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a decent little series. Although I’m not sure I’d call it a series; it’s really just one book split into three novella sized chunks. I would recommend reading all 3 three instalments in a row (something I rarely do). Unlike Murderbot it really is all a continuation in sequence of heavily related events.
If you are hoping for a lot of romance here you will get almost none. There is some light flirting, hoping, but otherwise do not expect any fireworks. As for actual fireworks, there are a couple of those in the end. This book focuses on a release of nanotechnology that is going to save original Earth from its polluted trashy existence. The actual heist/break-in part of the story is pretty good; which is also true through the first two books. The science fiction element is fine; the core of Chaotic Orbital series is really the heists that happen in order to get to our final event.
I really enjoyed our leading lady. She is both snarky and just sentimental/emotional enough. Reminded me a bit of myself (lol); although she’s much smarter than I am! The final reveals are very well done and worth the investment into the series. Beth Revis delivers on her endings; as I find she usually does.
My biggest reason for dropping this to four stars is because it should have been one continuous book. I’m not a fan of breaking up books into novella chunks just because (although it does help the reading challenge numbers) and find it too ‘cash grabby’ for my liking. That said, if I saw nice editions of this one out there I’d likely add them to my print collection. It’s certainly a fun enough read I could see revisiting them (and next time I’d read them continuously). If you want some fun heist stories with a sci-fi setting these are definitely a cozy choice.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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Exquisite Corpses, Volume 1 by James Tynion IV
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Gory, grotesque, and very Tynion. Welcome to Exquisite Corpses, where an elite group of rich (awful) people hire crazed (and I mean crazy!!) serial killers to take over a town (at Halloween of course) and fight one another for highest kill count, and to be the last one standing. This has all the high stakes you could ever want, along with betrayals, petty feuds, and some amazing ‘regular folks’ characters that I’m desperate to see survive. But let’s face it this is Tynion writing (also writes Something is Killing the Children) and it’s clear the body count will be high so no one should be holding their breathe for anyone to survive.
I was enthralled by this, while also totally disgusted at the ick factor of our serial killers. *shudder*
Perfect for any horror buff, a top choice for spooky season, and a must read for any serial killer obsessed reader. If this were to be a movie or limited series I’m not sure I could watch it… the ick factor is seriously that high. I cannot wait to pass this over to by huge horror obsessed husband who will lap it up with glee (just like some of our serial killers do their victims!).
Just remember it’s all fictional… the characters are not real… but you still may never be the same after diving into the perverted heads of those whom hired these maniacs, and the maniacal killers themselves. Happy hunting.
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Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame by Neon Yang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s too bad this world, its characters, dragons, and story are not more fleshed out. There is a whole epic fantasy that could be unpacked here. Usually I love short stories for their snappiness but today I wanted this to be longer. I wanted so much more of every scene. An opportunity to really languish in this realm of dragons and war mongering emperors and young, girl kings.
That’s not to say that Neon Yang has done anything wrong with this sweet little story. They haven’t. It’s just that I think it could have been so much more in every way. Sometimes reducing a story to its bare minimum is the wrong choice and I think that it was here. At least a 300 page story could have been composed here; if not a full 600 page epic.
As the reader, we are asked to question motivations, love, loyalty, and routine in this short story. Brighter Than Scale, Swifter Than Flame brings us into a structured world in which hunting dragons is a job; and seen as a calling of the highest order. Our MC is a girl who, despite a disability, with a tad of OCD, and social anxiety; manages to do very well for herself. She had a mysterious air about her due to her ‘quirks’ and so is surprised to be sent on a solo mission. One with a conflicting agenda; and one that will change her life forever.
The flow of the story is good and Yang brings it all together nicely. I just wish there was more to it.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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