The Third Installment of the Stephen Graham Jones Lake Witch Trilogy is HERE! (Almost…)

If you're looking for that next horror book preorder, and if reading My Heart is a Chainsaw and Don’t Fear the Reaper left a ragged hole in your heart because you needed more, well… The third and final (as of now) installment is heading to bookstores this March, and the chance to preorder is now.

Cover Photo courtesy of Saga Press

I was ever so fortunate to acquire an advanced copy, and I’m popping up this review now, so that you beautiful horror minded people can keep it on your radar. Because you are beautiful. The horror community, in general, is one of the best, right? Anyway, book review, below:

I was super excited to be granted an ARC copy of this book, the third in the Lake Witch trilogy written by Stephen Graham Jones. The first two books, My Heart is a Chainsaw, and Don’t Fear the Reaper were big, splattery tales of slashers gone wild, with metadoses of pop horror culture Easter eggs to lure in the hardcore horror movie fans. Or even the softcore ones. Angel is no different in this regard. It is often times an exploded, pulpy mess of confusion, but that’s what the truest forms of the horror genre are, I suppose. Lots of twisted trails of our blood soaked nightmares. I'm trying too hard to evoke images of guts and gore, I know. But that’s what the trilogy is; Jade Daniels, the Native American final girl who can never be that. A final girl. 

This story brings Jade back to Proofrock, the idyllic little lakeside community in Idaho that has become one of  America's top destinations for murder. Jade returns after being incarcerated for her crimes from the first two books, and after enduring some state mandated therapy. But she’s out and she’s back, and she’s snagged a teacher position at her old high school, thanks to online college courses and friends with money in high places. As Jade pops pills to help her stay sane, it happens again. Students go missing, wind up dead, and ultimately have a connection with Jade and her obsession with horror.

I feel like Jones felt the pressure of having to top the frenetic pacing of books one and two here, but as is the case with many a part three story ( especially in film), the attempt doesn’t always hit the mark. This does not mean that I wasn’t entertained. Far from it… But some of the deaths/mayhem felt gratuitous. And by gratuitous, I mean deaths that just happened without provocation. I’m talking Tucker and Dale level accidents. Some of the deaths were certainly unexpected but also random, as in Final Destination random, but they didn’t feel intrinsic here.

That having been said, I feel like the number of relevant shocks and surprises outweighed the baseless ones. Favorite characters are not safe here, and the first one to go (for me) had me shouting “you bastard," at Jones—in a good way. We see everything from Jade's POV, which can be challenging because she’s not a linear thinker, but it’s true to character so be prepared. Also, reading the first two books is essential.

I think two of my favorite things about how this story was laid out, were the asides written by an investigative firm about Jade's mental state and progress after jail (yes, Mr. Jones, sir. I’m calling it jail too), and the one story thread that had me comparing Jade to Ripley in Aliens. If there is one person to focus on saving, that’s the one.

And finally, thanks to Mr. Jones and Saga Press for providing the ARC. It was one wild ride!

Tap the link here to purchase from Amazon. OR tap here to purchase from Bookshop.org…

Two Reviews for the Price of One: Representing Diversity in Time for Black History Month, Plus Another Shoutout to the Work of Stephen Graham Jones

 Hey, it's Black History Month! And I was fortunate to receive an ARC of The Black Guy Dies First from Saga Press. This nonfiction book on the history of Black people in horror cinema drops February 7th, 2023, and it's a perfect reading choice for anyone looking to fill up on a little cultural history relevant to the month.

Do you know what else drops on February 7th? Book two of the Lake Witch trilogy, Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones. I teased this review back in October, and the release date is here! So enjoy the review.

The Black Guy Dies First is a great reading choice for the Black History month of February. Don't Fear the Reaper is a great one too, because it's set during a freaking blizzard--much like the weather we've been having across the country. Either title is a great choice, really. Enjoy!

Cover Image courtesy of Saga Press

First of all, thank you Saga Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title in the nick of time before Black History month.  Timing is everything. I felt a little pressured to finish this one quickly because of it and, well... here it is; a relevant review in time for a relevant month to post it. Anyway, on to the review!

When I got the mailer asking if I was interested in this title, I was beside myself. I mean, what a title! Being a bit of a movie person AND a bit of a horror person, that title meant something. I laughed because of the sad in-joke that it represents--because it's true. I was also invested, because I have an interest in horror movies in general. I know about the significance of  Duane Jones in Night of the Living Dead, I've seen the Candyman films, I'm more than familiar with the Scary Movie memes and I know who Yaphett Kotto is. And The Shining, well that's the movie that cemented my relationship with horror.

Needless to say, all of these iconic movies and people are discussed, along with Jordan Peele--of course. And if you know the in-joke of the title, or just a passing knowledge of why I've mentioned the short list above, then this book may be for you. Authors Coleman and Harris take a deeper dive into the history of Black creatives in the horror genre. They do it with humor, with wit and with a sometimes uncomfortable level of snark, but hey, it is what it is. Honest snark. They're allowed a little bit of room for snark.

Either way, it's a great title to add to your shelf if you're a movie history or horror buff of any kind. I highly recommend it. 4 Stars.

Cover Image courtesy of Saga Press

I’m tearing myself apart trying to decide how to rate this latest installment of the Lake Witch Trilogy by Stephen Graham Jones because, in the movies at least, the sequel rarely stands up to the first one. There are arguable exceptions, of course. Aliens over Alien tracks for me. The Empire Strikes Back, for many a Star Wars fan (although my #1 will always be A New Hope, and Rogue One comes out ahead of Empire for me…). The Godfather Two, apparently, although the one I remember best is the first. That second Lord of the Rings, I guess…

But I'm going down a rabbit hole, and siting examples that aren’t technically in the horror genre to boot. Except for the Alien franchise. I should site Jaws, because it’s relevant to this story, and there isn’t one Jaws sequel that compares to the original. And Predator, well…the recent prequel Prey is the only one to best it, imo—and it surpasses the original by far.

Anyway, back to this review. It's a fast paced, non-stop slasher fest, more so than the first one, because that's what sequels aspire to do; there's that need to top that previous installment with more explosions, more car chases—or in this case, more splashy ways to bring out the guts and gore.

And I envision Jones standing there before the challenge, much Iike his main character Jade, giving his audience a curt nod of the head that says, "Bring it on, man. Bring it."  But don’t expect to dive into this book without reading the first one. It's easy to get lost even if you have read My Heart is a Chainsaw. In fact, I’d say it's mandatory reading. Regardless.

What I like about Don’t Fear The Reaper:

1) Dark Mill South. He's big. He's an admirable addition to the list of horror slasher icons, and his back story teaches us a little bit about that Native American history our U.S. education system likes to gloss over (or ignore). And the hook for a hand, well… any basic horror fan should know what that is a nod to. You don’t have to say his name, we know it.

2) Jones' strong suit is his ability to put us inside a character’s head—inside their skin, I guess. A suitable way to say it here, especially. It's not only Jade's eyes we're seeing through this time, and that can get tricky. But Jones is great at it. He's proven time and again, for me, that he knows how to give depth to his characters.

3) The creative, slashery ways people die is right on the mark, and the "rules" involving who dies and who doesn’t keep with the slasher tradition while playing with if there even should be rules, Scream style.

4) The beginning of this sequel gives clarity to the ending of My Heart is a Chainsaw, something I really needed. Also, the relationship Jade has with her mother—or lack of one, is addressed. Thank you! And the ending to this book is more satisfying, more complete for me

There is a lot going on in this book though. There's the slasher story, the revenge story, the ghost story, a spirit animal story. They all overlap, and it can get confusing. It’s that frenzy of making the sequel something bigger to outdo the first story, so be prepared. I feel like My Heart is a Chainsaw had more heart, it focusing on Jade and Jade alone. In Reaper, she no longer has that massive chip on her shoulder. She’s grown. What makes this story its own is the way the traumatic experience from Chainsaw has settled into the rest of the survivors, changing them forever in the wake of yet another slasher gone wild. Except this time, the slasher has a clear identity…or maybe not.

Yeah, it’s still a 5 star read…Maybe a 4.6. And Yes, I’m still looking forward to the final book. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC.

I Need A Blog Post This Month But Don't Know Where To Start--A Random Rant Connected By Reviewing, Reviews and Tweet Trolls

 

  Book cover courtesy of Saga Press  

Where I want to start is with Stephen Graham Jones and his latest unreleased book Don't Fear the Reaper, a sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw, which I totally loved and respected. You see, I requested an ARC of the book via NetGalley, and I got approved, and the review is written, but there are rules, so I am refraining from posting the review here. What you CAN do, is look at all of the reviews posted at NetGalley

Needless to say, I recommend it. No spoilers here. And if, for some impossible reason Stephen Graham Jones happens to check out my blog, maybe he'll remind me to post that review here in tandem with the book's release date in February, 2023. I mean, a self published writer with a few commonalities regarding what inspired her to write horror can dream, right?

No, I'm not a stalker. Geez! But there is a brief aside at the end of the book that Jones reveals about himself, and it has to do with when he was a kid and some older family members asked if they could bunk in with him after having seen Halloween that night at the movies. They were scared. And that little personal tidbit reminded me of my big brother, someone who wanted nothing to do with his little sister from another mother, until he went to the movies and saw The Exorcist. And, much like in Jones's recollection, my brother knocked on my door and asked if he could throw a sleeping bag on the floor and sleep there for the night. Because of The Exorcist. This was the same big brother who used to tease little sister with stories about The Birds, and how those birds had a specific taste for blond haired little girls munching on popcorn.

Aaah, siblings. Still, I could apparently save my brother from the things that went down in The Exorcist. What a superpower! Anyway, I can't post any more about Stephen Graham Jones--not without violating a restraining order (I'm kidding!)--But hey! I'd totally be down for a Misery inspired story from an SGJ point of view.

But if I'm not blogging about Reaper, then what should I blog about? My mind is hyper focused on several reader/writer related things these days. The third installment of my own trilogy, that begins with Perfect Prophet, is in the beta read stage, and that's an agonizing stage for a writer. Accepting a beta read request is a daunting responsibility--I understand this; I've been there on both sides of it. There's an underlying hesitation to beta read. The author wants--or should want honest feedback. That's the point, to see how the story tracks. But if your preliminary readers are friends or family, there's that worry that "not liking" elements of a story will hurt the author's feelings. And if your preliminary readers aren't fans of the genre, well...where to begin?

I also recently read a book from a newish writer that I was excited to read but that turned out to be less than a 4 star review for me. I had a feeling that the author wouldn't take this well if I posted it. But I personally don't feel comfortable leaving highly rated reviews as a favor. So I let the author review it then let them decide if I should post it. They requested I didn't. But they appreciated my opinions. No I'm not going to share the book, the review or the author. But it was a three star review. And the way many newer authors feel about a three star rating is a conundrum. It's the death of their careers! But it's...better than average, so. But I get it. I do. Who wants to be average-ish?

And while we're on the loose topic of book ratings and reviews, let's bring up Twitter Trolls. I got to experience one recently who maybe thought he was clever because he goes by the handle "Lou Bricant." Take out the 'o', squish first name and last together and-- I'm not a fan of banning books, and a politician was posted on video regarding his support of the anti-book banning movement. Mr. Bricant did not like the politician. He posted "your trying to hard."

Someone corrected his grammar. You know how it goes. Mr. Bricant continued to berate anyone who didn't agree with him regarding the politician or those liberal free speech views. "Like anyone is going to take a Tweeter who calls himself Lou Bricant seriously," I said deciding to take that wrong turn and add to the conversation. Mr. Bricant decided I was a "bootlicker."

More hilarity ensued, and after some other follower of the thread decided to buy my book (yes! I got a sale!), Mr. Bricant went on to troll the actual book as if he'd read it. A negative review of sorts... You can see them posted below, at the bitter end.

And, if you've gotten this far in this random blog edition of writers and readers and good and bad reviews, I'd like to address Mr. Bricant's criticisms of the book he "totally read." But first, if you're an author and you are compelled to respond to a legitimate but less than stellar review, don't do it. It's not good form.

Still...

Mr. Bricant,

First of all, thank you so much for taking the time to read my books and leave your thoughts. I value your opinions and am ready to discuss the points you bring to our attention. First, thank you for pointing out that my books are not exclusive. But I'm surprised. It was never my intention to deliberately write an inclusive book. Your observation that it is inclusive is a compliment.

With regard to my books being kinda racist, I'm willing to address that. In The Schoharie, yes there is an underlying current of racism going on in that story. The main character and hero Aaron is of Native American descent, and he has to deal with it at every turn. So yes, there are racist characters in the book. None of them are heroes though. In Perfect Prophet, yeah. the character of Mark in particular could easily be perceived as, at minimum, a casual racist. He calls the band's drummer Patrick his Mexicali Leprechaun, and Patrick isn't even Mexican. But Mark is hooking up with Cleo, and maybe I'm being too subtle, but she is an African American character. I don't necessarily dwell on that, so maybe you missed it. It reasonably puts the character of Mark in a gray area of racist intent though.

In a separate complaint, you noted that my books are not LGBTQ inclusive. Fair enough. My work is not LGBTQ specific. But there is an LGBTQ character in Perfect Prophet whose gender identity isn't really established. Please feel free to read Prophet Reborn, as that character's gender preferences become pretty clear--even moreso in book three that is currently in a beta read phase! I'm excited about it. Maybe you'll like that one better!

And hey, thanks for taking the time to "read the books." Kindness is everything!