I have not done one of these for a minute, but man, these books were heavy on the monsters! All the monsters, and with varying success. Some nailed it, some lost me along the way, so stay tuned to see which are which!

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho
Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton
The Ravening by Daniel Church
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Published by Berkley on September 10, 2024
Pages: 304
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

A woman must learn to take life by the throat after a night out leads to irrevocable changes in this juicy, thrilling novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Such Sharp Teeth and Black Sheep.

Sloane Parker is dreading her birthday. She doesn’t need a reminder she’s getting older, or that she’s feeling indifferent about her own life.

Her husband surprises her with a birthday weekend getaway—not with him, but with Sloane’s longtime best friend, troublemaker extraordinaire Naomi.
Sloane anticipates a weekend of wine tastings and cozy robes and strategic avoidance of issues she’d rather not confront, like her husband’s repeated infidelity. But when they arrive at their rental cottage, it becomes clear Naomi has something else in mind. She wants Sloane to stop letting things happen to her, for Sloane to really live. So Naomi orchestrates a wild night out with a group of mysterious strangers, only for it to take a horrifying turn that changes Sloane’s and Naomi’s lives literally forever.

The friends are forced to come to terms with some pretty eternal consequences in this bloody, seductive novel about how it’s never too late to find satisfaction, even though it might taste different than expected.

I really enjoyed So Thirsty, and I found it to be more emotionally provocative than I assumed it would be, which is always a win for me. We first meet Sloane as she is celebrating her birthday, though I use the term “celebrating” loosely. In fact, she’s kind of annoyed with the whole thing, since it is a reminder that she is getting older and feels woefully unfulfilled. Instead of spending the occasion with her shitty husband, she is whisked away to a resort for the weekend with bestie Naomi. At first I was kind of annoyed with Sloane- like okay, your husband is trash, and your best friend is here, let’s just rid ourselves of this man and move along!

But the truth, dear reader, is that I have always been a Sloane. And she annoyed me in the same way I annoy me. By being too afraid to risk discomfort, she is stuck in this loveless marriage (been there, done that, have the t-shirt), and just figures that since she’s not like, being physically assaulted, she should just keep on keeping on. Incidentally, my best friends were also always Naomi. In fact, she reminded me so much of my best friends, both my high school bestie and my college bestie (shout out to Britney and Lauren!) that I became completely invested in this story for this friendship dynamic alone.

Now. My aforementioned besties never took me to a vampire lair for a sketchy night out, but I feel like they would have? And I mean that in the most loving way possible- they were, like Naomi, just up for more adventures than I was. Thing is, much like Sloane, deep down, I envied them for that. So Sloane is torn- her rational, “play it safe” part wants to go back to the resort and have a bubble bath. But the part of her yearning for more stays. And even though all hell breaks loose, I love that for Sloane! Okay, maybe it did not turn out as she expected, but it sure wasn’t boring! And now, Sloane has to actually, you know, live her life, instead of her life happening as she passively sits by.

Even if you don’t see yourself in the pages of this story like I did, it’s still an epic ride! I loved the vampire storyline, it brings such a great contemporary twist on the genre. I also loved the relationships in the story, they were hands down the best part for me. Plus, it is just a quick and immersive read in general. This was my first Rachel Harrison novel, but I assure you it shan’t be my last!

Bottom Line: While it initially drew me in because I saw myself in the character of Sloane, it kept me hooked with some vampire shenanigans, self-discovery, and great relationships!

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho
Published by HarperCollins on September 24, 2024
Pages: 272
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

It’s Black Friday—and the apocalypse is on sale!

Ever since the world filled with portals to hell and bloodthirsty demons started popping out on the reg, Jasper’s life has gotten worse and worse. A teenage nobody with no friends or family, he is plagued by the life he can’t remember and the person he’s sure he’s supposed to be.

Jasper spends his days working as a checkout clerk at the Here for You discount mart, where a hell portal in aisle nine means danger every shift. But at least at the mart he can be near his crush, Kyle Kuan, a junior member of the monster-fighting Vanguard, though Kyle really seems to hate Jasper for reasons he doesn’t remember or understand.

But when Jasper and Kyle learn they both share a frightening vision of the impending apocalypse, they’re forced to team up and uncover the uncomfortable truth about the hell portals and the demons that haunt the world. Because the true monsters are not always what they seem, the past is not always what we wish, and like it or not, on Black Friday, all hell will break loose starting in aisle nine. Perfect for fans of Grasshopper Jungle or The Last of Us comes Aisle Nine, the debut young adult novel from rising YA star Ian X. Cho.

Aisle Nine is such a quirky yet dark story about what would happen if portals to hell opened in your local WalMart. And other places, but in this particular story, we’re mostly focused on the one at Jasper’s place of employment, you see. And yes, this had the potential to be too absurd, but luckily and happily, I report that it didn’t go that route! I mean it is absurd, don’t misunderstand, but in a good way! The humor really helps balance the darker bits, too. (I mean- Jasper is a kid who has lost his parents and his memory, he lives alone and works at a discount store during the literal apocalypse, I feel like we needed some humor, right?) So while Lara the sentient stuffed cat might seem like a strange choice… she’s perfect, okay?

I don’t want to say too much because there are a ton of twists and turns and exciting bits that you should probably find out for yourself. I will say that I adored the characters, and was completely invested in the story. And yeah, parts of it were a little cheesier, but I still enjoyed it because sometimes it just works.

Bottom Line: Super readable, very clever, and both amusing and dark at the same time, Aisle Nine was definitely a unique gem.

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton
Published by Tor Nightfire on September 24, 2024
Pages: 288
Format:ARC, eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley, Won

Devils Kill Devils is perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia's Certain Dark Things and Southern gothic horror. Johnny Compton brings his trademark terror and dread that readers fell in love with in The Spite House to a new roster of monsters—angels, devils, vampires—and a heart-pounding race to save the world.

When all hell breaks loose, you need a devil on your side

Sarita has been watched over by a guardian angel her entire life. She calls him Angelo, and keeps him a secret. But secrets can’t stay buried forever… When Angelo murders someone she loves, Sarita begins to see what's really been lurking in the shadows surrounding her. And she will have to embrace the evil within if she hopes to make it out alive.

Johnny Compton, critically acclaimed author of The Spite House and master of dread, takes you on a terrifying race of one woman against the hordes of hell. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

After absolutely loving the author’s debut, I was so excited for this sophomore offering. In fact, I found the premise for this one to be even more appealing! And look, I don’t know if it was me, the book, both… but this just wasn’t it for me. It starts off really promising- and quite brutal, with the murder of Sarita’s husband on their wedding night. But then… I don’t know guys, it went downhill after that for me, frankly.

The first entity we hear about is one that has saved Sarita’s life in the past… but also inexplicably murdered the heck out of Frank. So okay, I was game! But then we get into some other… entities. The one was a “woman in a red dress” which of course gave me ALIE vibes, until it didn’t. I liked Sarita, and I will say that I was invested in her portion of the story, but when we started getting more POVs and more entities, well… I won’t lie, I started skimming a bit.

Part of it was that the descriptors felt a bit unnecessarily long, and I got bored. I also hated Frank’s mom and kind of did not care what happened to her. And full disclosure, I really didn’t understand the world- the gods, demons, vampires, religious lore, etc. It all just became way too much, and I struggled to finish. I think had the beginning not gotten me invested in Sarita’s outcome, I may have thrown in the towel, but alas.

Regardless, I still really liked the author’s debut, and while this one did not work for me, someone with more patience (and perhaps more appreciation for this type of fantasy-horror) may enjoy it. And I’ll absolutely still check out the author’s next book!

Bottom Line: A strong start that fell off the rails, this one just didn’t turn out to be for me.

The Ravening by Daniel Church
Published by Angry Robot on September 24, 2024
Pages: 400
Format:ARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review

From the subversive mind behind The Hollows comes a new, page turning horror thriller, perfect for fans of The Only Good Indian by Stephen Graham Jones.

Two women fight to free themselves of a terrifying thousand year old curse.Jenna lost her mum when she was a girl – a terrifying incident on a lonely road in the woods which no one, least of all Jenna, has ever been able to explain. She’s been angry, defensive and self-reliant ever since. Until she meets Holly and begins to open up just a little.But just as life is beginning to offer some promise Jenna is ripped away from Holly; kidnapped by a bizarre cult in thrall, so they say, to an ancient demon who offers the promise of eternal life in return for a particular sacrifice. A sacrifice that links Jenna, her mum, and a bloodline reaching back centuries.With its antlered demon and a shadowy otherworld behind the veil of our world, The Ravening combines cinematic horrors with a compelling story of one woman’s refusal to give up and another woman’s fight for survival against terrible odds – both of them determined to overturn very different expectations.

The Ravening features Jenna, a young woman who has been traumatized since her teenage years by the loss of her mother. Now an adult, she finds herself in a (finally) healthy relationship with Holly, and just as she’s about to trust and open up, she ends up in the grips of some nasty business. That’s really all I’ll say about the plot, as the synopsis doesn’t give much away, neither shall I.

There were parts of this story that I was definitely into: the commentary about women’s choices, certainly, and the whole business with the demon-esque creature and the folks that would do his bidding. That part for me was great, and I was compelled to read more. I also really hoped that Jenna would be able to find her way back to Holly, as it seemed like a good, stable relationship for her.

I will say, the book started to feel a little longer than it needed to be at times? And a little repetitive? [View post to see spoiler] The dream bits also didn’t appeal to me, though that might be more a “me” thing than the book in general. The atmosphere is very on point, so that is a plus.

Bottom Line: I enjoyed reading about Jenna’s plight, but it did start to feel a bit repetitive at times. Still, I was invested in her story and enjoyed the twists.

Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
Published by Del Rey on September 10, 2024
Pages: 464
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

In this epic and seductive gothic fantasy, a vampire escapes the thrall of Dracula and embarks on her own search for self-discovery and true love.

Her name was written in the pages of someone else's story: Lucy Westenra was one of Dracula's first victims.

But her death was only the beginning. Lucy rose from the grave a vampire, and has spent her immortal life trying to escape from Dracula's clutches--and trying to discover who she really is and what she truly wants.

Her undead life takes an unexpected turn when, in twenty-first-century London, she meets another woman who is also yearning to break free from her past. Iris’s family has built a health empire based on a sinister secret, and they’ll do anything to stay in power.

Lucy has long believed she would never love again. But she finds herself compelled by the charming Iris, while Iris is mesmerized by the confident and glamorous Lucy. But their intense connection and blossoming love is threatened by forces from without. Iris's mother won't let go of her without a fight, and Lucy's past still has fangs: Dracula is on the prowl again.

Lucy Westenra has been a tragically murdered teen, a lonesome adventurer, and a fearsome hunter, but happiness always eluded her. Can she find the strength to destroy Dracula once and for all, or will her heart once again be her undoing?

I don’t know quite what I expected from Lucy Undying, but I feel like this book took some turns I wasn’t expecting, but in a good way! First of all, I am a huge fan of mixed media in stories, and I really liked the way it was done here. Iris is living in more contemporary times, but she stumbles upon the titular Lucy’s diary in the English house she’s just inherited. Seeing the juxtaposition of past and present was great, and I enjoyed the perspective of both characters.

I also was definitely invested in where the story was going, and waiting for the inevitable collision between past and present. The book took some turns that I kind of expected, then it took some turns that I definitely did not see coming, so that was fun! There were some points that the book felt a wee bit longer than perhaps was necessary? But that is a minor gripe, because overall it was really solid. There’s great commentary, intense twists, and tons of secrets to unearth. I also loved the therapy rep, definitely didn’t expect that in a book about old timey vampires, but I will absolutely take it!

Bottom Line: Really enjoyed the characters and the twists in this unique take on the Dracula tale!

Have you read any of these books? Plan to? Let us chat about them!  

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