Suzanne's Staff Picks
By Underground Books
By Underground Books
What Kind of Mother
Clay McLeod Chapman
$21.99 $20.45Set at a slower pace than my beloved Ghost Eaters, this story takes a missing child, a deceased mother and a very guilty looking father and turns it into a gothic, supernatural horror/thriller. His only hope is his ex-girlfriend, Madi, who also happens to be the town "psychic". I just finished this book and am still in the WTF stage because I did not see what was coming. Clay McLeod Chapman is a storytelling genius and I would read his grocery list if he published it.
The Salt Grows Heavy
Cassandra Khaw
$21.99 $20.45A lovely little horror novella about mermaids...with teeth. I have never read a story that so beautifully describes viscera and entrails. I devoured this book in one sitting...kind of like the mermaids do with an entire kingdom.
Mister Magic
Kiersten White
$28.00 $26.04Mister Magic is a popular 80's children's show that is abruptly cancelled after a tragic accident on live tv. Years later, the now adult cast members reunite with sketchy memories of what actually happened when they were children and a sinister sense of foreboding as they immerse themselves once again into the world of Mister Magic to try and find answers and stop a possible reboot that would suck their own children into this nightmare world.
A Dowry of Blood
S. T. Gibson
$17.99 $16.73Take Dracula and his brides and make it...spicy. The king of vampires is broody, possessive and loves to collect beautiful things. His brides are beautiful, intelligent and quickly becoming more enamored of each other than with their maker. I love a little dark romance with my horror and this book does not disappoint!
Bunny
Mona Awad
$18.00 $16.74This is a crazy weird read and that is just how I like it! Keep an open mind and let yourself fall down the rabbit hole!
Don't Call It Hair Metal: Art in the Excess of '80s Rock
Sean Kelly
$21.95 $20.41Finally, a non-fiction book that I can get passionate about! Crash Kelly founder, Sean Kelly breaks down the evolution of the metal and glam-metal scene that was the 1980's. This is the generation of music that I grew up with and it gave me such nostalgic feels. "Hair-Metal" has always had a stigma attached to it by the Indie Hipsters and later generations of music lovers. But, once you strip away all the Aquanet hair, the spandex, and the make up what you have is soulful music rooted in the '50's, '60's and '70's. From the guitar riffs of Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads to the glitz and glamour of front men Sebastian Bach and Joe Elliot, in all its good and bad, the '80's metal scene sparked a decade of music unlike any other and I'm still here for it!
Witch King
Martha Wells
$28.99 $26.96Immerse yourself in this stand alone dark fantasy by the fantastic Martha Wells! Told in two time-lines, it has dense complex world building and a loveable soul sucking demon! I can't wait to start her Murderbot Diaries as my next read!
The Witch and the Vampire
Francesca Flores
$20.00 $18.60A deliciously satisfying sapphic supernatural retelling of Rapunzel? Yes, please! Ava and Kaye are witches and best friends until Ava becomes a vampire. Trapped in the attic by her powerful mother, Ava wants nothing more than her freedom while Kaye is on the outside hating her old friend for becoming the very thing they've been taught to abhor. As tensions mount between the witches and the vampires, each much choose a side or join together to battle those that want to destroy them all.
The Haunting of Alejandra
V. Castro
$28.00 $26.04An ancient creature poses as La Llorona, tormenting a generation of women in Alejandra's bloodline, leading them to mental breakdowns, suicide and even harming their children. Alejandra thinks about suicide and her bleak life often, even neglecting her own children. She seeks the help of a therapist/curandera to help her get her life back. With her aid, Alejandra realizes that she must fight this monster not only to break a generational curse but to protect herself and her family. This book is about a woman finding the strength to take ownership of her life and take back the power that has been taken from her and her ancestors over the centuries.
Looking Glass Sound
Catriona Ward
$27.99 $26.03A coming of age story that takes a very dark turn. Wilder meets Harper and Nathanial when his family is vacationing on the Maine coast. They discover friendship, love and a serial killer, The Dagger Man, that is plaguing the town. Fast-forward to college, where Wilder's roommate, Sky, encourages him to write a story about his experiences from those times in Maine. Fast-forward many years ahead, and Sky has stolen Wilder's story and now Wilder is plotting his revenge. This is three books in one and in typical Catriona Ward fashion, you will not know what hit you until the very end!
The Lonely Hearts Book Club
Lucy Gilmore
$16.99 $15.80So, every year or ten, I veer out of my horror lane and read something not terrifying. Lonely Hearts Book Club is about sad, lonely, quirky people that under strange circumstances, find themselves thrown together and decide to form a book club. Recently fired librarian Sloane and grumpy old Arthur are an unlikely duo, but with the help of the book club and newfound friends, they realize that sometimes the family you choose is more important than the one you are born into. This book gave me such sweet cozy feels and plenty of laughs.
Funeral Songs for Dying Girls
Cherie Dimaline
$17.99 $16.73Winifred is a 16-year old girl who lives in a cemetery where her father works and her mother's ashes are buried. It's her "Summer of Humiliation" and everything is going wrong. On top of being rejected by her best friend/crush and losing her beloved aunt, her father's job is in jeopardy, meaning she could lose the only home she's ever known. The cemetery becomes the haunt for a ghost tour after Winifred is mistaken for a ghost and she sees this as a chance to save her dad's job. When she discovers the cemetery is TRULY haunted by a girl named Phil, her plans start going awry. This book is about loss, grief, and the discovery of an unexpected love. But fear not, there is enough satisfying creepiness to make this my kind of book!
The Carrefour Curse
Dianne K. Salerni
$18.99 $17.66Garnet Carrefour comes from a magical family that her mom has kept hidden from her. When a spell backfires, and Garnet begins vomiting frogs, her mom has no choice but to take her to Crossroad House, the old Carrefour home, to seek the aid of her estranged family. As Garnet becomes acquainted with the house and her family, she discovers there is not only a curse that allows the patriarch to steal the life energy from the rest of the family but there is another curse that Garnet is a part of and it is up to her to determine if she will succumb to it or break it. This was such a fun enjoyable read and I loved how each chapter began with a gemstone and its magical properties.
A Fig for All the Devils
C. S. Fritz
$15.99 $14.87There is nothing about this book that I did not love! Written and illustrated by C.S. Fritz, this is one of the best books that I have read this year. Sonny is a 13 year old boy dealing with the suicide of his father and an emotionally abusive and neglectful mother. Then, he meets the chain smoking, twinkie eating Grim Reaper, who not only wants Sonny to replace him as Death but also guides him through the grieving process. This book is about loss, grief and occasional laughter, but there is a reason it was an IBPA gold winner for best in horror. Don't forget to download the playlist that goes along with the book! It sets the perfect creepy mood for the total reading experience!
Recursion
Blake Crouch
$18.00 $16.74Blake Crouch has ignited my love for sci-fi! Who would not love a do-over or three in life? False Memory Syndrome is spreading and the weight of memories that have never happened are leading to an increase in suicides. Helena Smith, a neuroscientist has created a memory chair in hopes of helping her mother retain her fading memories after a diagnosis of Alzheimer. Her funding is running out and an anonymous savior is willing to invest in her research in order to gain control of the chair for his own reasons. Society is on the brink of collapse as Helena and NYC detective Barry Sutton race back and forth in time to save the world.
Ghost Eaters
Clay McLeod Chapman
$21.99 $20.45"Do you want to get Haunted?" Ghost is a drug that haunts a person instead of a place. Lost a loved one? Take Ghost and you can see them again. The problem is that you can't take just one. This is a story of addiction, revenants, and imagery so grotesque that your skin crawls. This book is INTENSE and I recommend it to all horror fans!
Sundial
Catriona Ward
$26.99 $25.10If Catriona Ward writes it, I am going to read it! She is such an amazing story teller. Sundial falls somewhere between Baby Teeth and The Fifth Child. Rob gives the appearance that her life is idyllic. Perfect marriage, perfect children, perfect career. There is so much going on in this story. A violent daughter that collects bones and talks to herself, a cruel sadistic husband and deeply buried family secrets going back to Rob's childhood at her home, Sundial in the Mohave desert. When Rob takes her eldest, Callie back to Sundial she must confront her own traumatic childhood if she wants to save her daughters and ultimately herself. This book takes its time, letting you savor each horrifying moment as Rob tries to come to terms with a forgotten past to ensure her family has a future.
Motherthing
Ainslie Hogarth
$17.00 $15.81Someone once told me that laughter is the human response to what makes them uncomfortable. This story is like Shirley Jackson and Christopher Moore had a book baby and Motherthing was the result. Ralph and Abby Lamb move in with his mentally ill mother as caretakers. Abby thinks this is her chance to win over her mother in law. She's wrong. Dead wrong. The story telling in this book is brilliantly funny at times and deeply disturbing at others. Mark Abrams cover art drew me in but Ainslie Hogarth's ability to make me cringe and laugh at the same time kept me reading.
Upgrade
Blake Crouch
$28.00 $26.04Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Logan's mother, a world renowned geneticist, tries to genetically modify crops to make them locust resistant and something goes horribly wrong. The crops are decimated leading to the death of 200 million people and the "Great Starvation". Now, genetic modifying is illegal, Logan's mother is dead and he is working for the GPA to shut down illegal genetic labs. When a lab raid goes wrong and Logan is caught in an explosion, he realizes he has received a genome upgrade. His body is stronger, his mind sharper. He is becoming more than human. His family thinks he died in the explosion and he can never tell them the truth as he is now hunted by the Gene Protection Agency. Blake Crouch puts together the perfect sci-fi thriller of what happens when scientists try to play God with the human race.
Cursed
Marissa Meyer
$19.99 $18.59At last we have the conclusion to the Gilded duology. Gilded set us up with the retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, introducing us to Serilda and Gild. Cursed picks up right where Gilded left off with Serilda and Gild trying to break the curse the Erlking has placed on them that keeps them tethered to his castle. Serilda is keeping a huge secret from Gild. There is a lot of back story on the Erlking and his plans to get his love Perchta from the underworld. This DARK fairytale is packed with mythology, legend, love and heartbreak.
Tender Is the Flesh
Agustina Bazterrica
$17.99 $16.73Originally written in Spanish by Argentine author Agustina Bazterrica, this book is not for the squeamish. This dystopian novel looks at what happens to human society after a virus eradicates all animals and there is no meat. Cannibalism is the solution and it is depicted in all its violent stomach turning glory. It is brutal. Heads (humans) are bred and processed as "special meat" for human consumption. Marcos is right in the middle of this process and one day is given a gift. He knows that touching this gift is forbidden and he could find himself processed as meat if he breaks the rule, however the "gift" is carrying his child and he will stop at nothing to protect it.
The Witch's Heart
Genevieve Gornichec
$17.00 $15.81This Norse mythology-inspired fantasy is one of those magical books that stays with you long after you've put it down. The witch Angrboda has the power to see the fate of the gods but refuses to share this power with Odin. He has her burned and her heart removed. As she is resurrected and hiding in the woods, Loki appears and returns her heart. This is a reimagining of their relationship, their three unusual children and the events leading up to Ragnarok, the end of times. Angrboda proves that there is no power stronger than a mother's love and willingness to sacrifice anything for her children
The Last House on Needless Street
Catriona Ward
$28.99 $26.96The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward is my favorite horror story of the year. It is a trauma story inside of a horror story. If you like psychopaths and lesbian bible reading cats, then stop reading this blurb and buy the book! This book has so many disturbing twists and turns that I could barely keep up. Avoid reading the afterword before you finish the book, as it contains spoilers. Trust me, you want to discover each horrifying secret for yourself.
Ninth House
Leigh Bardugo
$17.99 $16.73Galaxy (Alex) Stern has had a hard life so when she is offered the chance to attend Yale free of charge, she is immediately suspicious. There is only one catch. She must join the mysterious Lethe House, which is tasked with monitoring the occult activities of the eight secret societies that are housed on campus. There is a reason that the members of these houses are rich and powerful. It's up to Alex and her mentor, Darlington to keep these societies in check, but it's a difficult task, as these Ivy League elite's use of dark magic knows no bounds.
Hell Bent
Leigh Bardugo
$29.99 $27.89The cover of this book is disturbingly amazing! The three year wait for the sequel? Not so much. Was it worth it? A resounding yes! Ninth House was more world building and a slow burn while Hell Bent is more character building and faster paced. Alex and Dawes are on a time crunch to save Darlington from Hell. I really love the friendship between these two. I have to say that Darlington and his demon glowstick was something I did not see coming. Please don't make me wait 1,000 days to get the third book in this trilogy, Leigh Bardugo!
