The Children, by Melissa Albert — An ARC Review

Cover Image courtesy of
Harper Collins/William Morrow

First, thank you to the publishers for providing this ARC via NetGalley. This is my first read from author Albert, and I didn’t know what to expect.

Here’s what to expect: A dark fairytale about the repercussions of childhood fame. It’s more than that, because it’s dark and edgy with elements of magical realism and characters full of seemingly irreconcilable flaws until (maybe?) the bitter end, and if you like flawed and struggling characters, this book holds promise. I personally tend to favor stories with characters who have their own demons to face, and this delivers on that point. There’s something to hate about almost every character in this book, even the MC, but those unlikable qualities deepen character and lead to sincere moments of empathy.

Guinevere is the lead protagonist here. She, and her older brother Ennis, are the estranged children of a famed children’s book author named Edith Sharpe, who built her characters—even named them—after her own kids. The wild popularity of the book series thrust Guin and Ennis into an unforgiving public spotlight at a young age, and as adults, they have grown into their own famous artistic endeavors while having drifted far apart from their childhood days of protecting each other from their parents’ borderline abuse and neglect. 

Mostly neglect. Mother Edith is too focused on her writing; she has responsibilities to meet the demands of the public after all. And father Llewellyn watches his artistic prowess get increasingly shoved to a back burner due to his wife’s eclipsing fame. And the kids…well, they’re the titled characters of the book series, and rabid fans often choose not to tell the difference between fiction and their reality. Their childhood is robbed in many ways, not only because of public scrutiny, but also because mom and dad are so wrapped up in their artistic and Bohemian lifestyle that they tend to overlook what’s happening to their kids daily.

The story cuts back and forth between that childhood, that leads to a major tragedy, and to the present, where Guin is back in the spotlight with a memoir, and Ennis is embroiled in his own controversies involving his famed antics as a Banksy-like artist. Guin struggles to come to terms with imposter syndrome, with her past, the weird pieces that never fit together from it, and the desire to reconnect with her estranged brother to find answers.

It’s a compelling and well written piece, most definitely, with tough and heartbreaking character moments. That having been said, I personally found some usage of metaphor to be overly ambitious. Enough to pull me out of the story. I’m not wholly satisfied by the ending either, as I don’t feel like Guin truly came to terms with her traumatic childhood—or her imposter syndrome—in a useful way. I’d say more, but fear it will be a spoiler.

All in all, though, it’s an intriguing story with traumatic undertones and a creatively thought out, supernatural tinged, mystery at its core.

Due out June, 2026, find it here, or wherever books are sold.

Little White Flowers by Amber Hathaway—A Promising Start to a Gothic Horror Series

Cover art courtesy of
Deadly Seeds Press

What I wasn’t expecting from Little White Flowers by Amber Hathaway, was a story that thematically falls into the realm of religious themed/cult themed horror, which is kind of my wheelhouse when it comes to the horror I tend to write  

Alice and Andy are brother and sister, young adults, who are tasked with spending their summer in a rural Maine town to clean up an inherited piece of property previously owned by their deceased grandmother. Before she died though, grandma hinted to Alice about a secret and sordid past in her hometown, and Alice is eager to uncover the family history.

What Alice and Andy find when they reach the town of Evanston is a cut off community with deep religious roots that border on the puritanical. Things begin to go awry as the members of the community openly judge the siblings for their sinful lifestyles—that are barely sinful at all in the outside world—and then for a budding relationship between Alice and one of the boys of the town, Riley. 

Hathaway states at the end of the book that she drew inspiration from the likes of Stephen King, and Children of the Corn, but I was getting a Shirley Jackson vibe, in terms of ambiance and style. There is a gothic patina to the work as opposed to outright horror, imo, and I find it appropriate for a young adult or new adult audience. I honestly can’t keep up with all the audience configurations nowadays, but this wasn’t overly gory or overly explicit. Also, the love interest angle never crossed a perceived line. Adult topics are addressed though, including bullying, teen pregnancy, domestic and child abuse. 

The main characters, Alice, Riley and Andy are kind and caring and noble to a fault. You want to root for them, although at times I wished they had more fight when they were challenged with the horrible fate the town has in store for them. Their moments of worry, indecision and downright acceptance of the circumstances sometimes made the story drag for me. But there are a few pleasantly surprising twists in the last third of the book. It’s also important to note that it’s an open ended story, clearly designed to draw us in to the next book. 

The villains of the story are of the cloth of the ultra conservative Christian kind, which can come across as a bit two dimensional and on the nose at times. But there are a few surprises among those Christians who prove to be questioning the strict rules of the faith, and who may prove to develop quite nicely in a continuation of the series. 

And if gothic tinged stories that put a spotlight on religious trauma are for you, then you might want to check out this book and its upcoming sequel here. 

February Book Review: Howl—A Shapeshifting Anthology by Graveside Press

Cover image courtesy of 
Graveside Press

 Howl: A Shapeshifting Anthology from Graveside Press, is a solid collection of thought provoking horror stories. I tend to like horror that tries to be more than just scares, and this series of stories achieves that end.

Some dare us to laugh in the face of tragic circumstances, like The Salt Circle by Warren Benedetto, where the shifter in question is not a werewolf but an anxiety triggered slug. Others base their stories around identity, specifically queerness and the challenge to be who we are in a society of rigid definitions. There are dystopian scenarios, old world settings and themes of retribution that should resonate with anyone who might have been a victim. It’s a wide mix of horror sub-genres, including body horror, horror fantasy, folk, scifi and more. The link between the diversity is the shapeshifter element.

Food for thought, is how I would summarize each and every story. The titles that stood out for me, including The Salt Circle listed above, are:

Moth(er) by Chase Anderson

Wolves at the Fair by Mir Rainbird

Together Bound Unto Perdition by Matt McHugh

How Afraid by Devan Barlow

Time for a Change by Mark Towse

A Horse Walks Into a Bar by A M Sutter

You can check the book out here, at the Graveside Press website.

New Year New Reviews — 1st of the year — Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

Cover photo courtesy of
Harper Books
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Pyramids is a story about a society of people who cling to their old habits and traditions to the point of endangering their own existence. It’s about resisting the change that stagnates the progress of a new generation with new ideas. I feel like I’m butchering this basic summary: it sounded much better in my head when I was in the shower. Now, I’m scrambling to paraphrase.

Of course, this conclusion makes it sound like this is a dire story with dire consequences for its characters. But it’s Pratchett, so he makes the foreboding atmosphere lighthearted and fun. I was amused by this entry into Pratchett’s Discworld series, as much as I have been with all of the ones I have read so far. Teppic is the son of a king in a kingdom called Djelibeybi, that shares a lot of similarities with our ancient Egypt and its neighbors. But Teppic is sent away to get an education in assassin school — until the king passes, and Teppic is called home to rule.

He doesn’t want to, though. He finds their traditions outdated, and as king, he finds himself with no control. The kingdom is really ruled by the high priests with their beliefs and traditions. Even his ghost father agrees, as he helplessly tries to communicate with Teppic to tell him that he doesn’t want to be buried in the biggest pyramid in the kingdom.

Enter the pyramid architects, who wind up messing with the space/time continuum in their attempt to construct the biggest pyramid in history using quantum theories they don’t quite understand. It threatens the very existence of the kingdom, and Teppic finds himself struggling to save it after his initial attempt to escape it. There’s also a handmaiden he finds is necessary to try and save, and a camel who views his entire existence through mathematic precision.

Yes, that’s the plot… You don’t need to fully understand it to enjoy it. But eventually we see that Pratchett’s theme is about the need to let go of the old ways if we don’t want to get swallowed up into the past. At this point, I decided that this 3+ star story was deserving of a solid 4.

Now go find yourself a Terry Pratchett book. I promise that it’s good for you. Much better than what you'll find in the current news cycle these days.

Final Review of the Year — Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison

Cover Image
Courtesy of
Berkley

Have you ever feared a big family gathering or reunion—for whatever reason—because you feel like you’ve changed and certain members of your family haven’t? Or won’t? We've all experienced that kind of tension, I bet, and if you can relate, then Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison just might strike a nerve or two. 

It's not hard to have daddy issues when your daddy is…famous. Or when your mom is horror queen famous and from a staunchly religious background. Those last two things may seem contradictory, but they’re not in this clever tale about a young woman named Vesper who left her friends, family and community because of their oppressive beliefs and dedication to worship of the Lord. But then Vesper gets a wedding invitation for the ceremony between her childhood bestie and her ex boyfriend, and she is compelled to return. Literally. 

This story has a familiar premise, with its return home to confront childhood demons, until it literally flips the script by giving exactly what that premise suggests. It's clever and fun to read. The dad who abandoned Vesper and the family in her childhood is key here. Will he return for the wedding? And if he does, will he explain his abandonment? You get the gist. But you still might be surprised.

I enjoyed the read, and it’s  probably a good book to start with for getting a taste of Rachel Harrison's style. You can find Harrison's books here, or wherever you prefer getting your popular reads.