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Showing posts from August, 2025

An Evil Premise by T. Marie Vandelly

From the author of Theme Music , An Evil Premise offers an intriguing blend of possession, madness, and meta-fiction. The premise hooked me immediately: when Jewel’s famous sister falls into a coma after a bizarre accident, she discovers her sister’s unfinished, deeply unsettling manuscript—and decides to finish it herself. But as she writes, reality and fiction blur, her body betrays her with a strange rash, and the manuscript itself seems to be… writing back. The plot had all the elements I love—creeping dread, psychological tension, and a story-within-a-story that promised to twist in unexpected ways. I even really enjoyed the characters. However, I ultimately had to set this one aside before finishing. The writing style was heavy with metaphors—so much so that it often felt like each paragraph was competing to see how many could be crammed in. For me, this overshadowed the tension and pacing, making it difficult to stay immersed in the story. That said, taste in prose is subjectiv...

Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston

 A moon rock missing for thirty years… five buckets of blood-soaked sand discovered in a remote New Mexico canyon… a scientist whose ambition knows no bounds… a monk on a mission to redeem the world… and a shadowy agency with deadly intentions. Tyrannosaur Canyon weaves these elements together into a thrilling narrative centered around one of the greatest scientific mysteries of all time: what cosmic firebolt shattered the Earth eons ago, now hiding in that desolate southwestern cleft? I was first introduced to Douglas Preston’s writing with Relic (co-written with Lincoln Child), and I was hooked immediately. It had been too many years since I last read one of their works, so returning to Preston with this novel was a real treat. This book is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy suspense with a touch of mystery. The storytelling is sharp, the pace engaging, and the premise—combining science, history, and danger—is utterly compelling. Tyrannosaur Canyon reminds readers why...

Ring by Koji Suzuki

Having finally picked up Ring , the first novel in Koji Suzuki’s iconic trilogy, I found myself pleasantly surprised. First published in 1991, the story is a Japanese mystery-horror set in modern-day Japan and introduces a chilling tale that is much more intricate than the film adaptations might suggest. I had previously seen both the Japanese movie and the American remake years ago, and found both versions to be fairly formulaic. Reading the novel was a completely different experience—more nuanced, suspenseful, and unsettling. The way the plot unfolds, with its investigative tension and psychological horror, drew me in and kept me hooked until the very last page. Although I’ve tabled the sequels, Spiral and Loop , for now, finishing Ring has definitely sparked my interest to continue the series. It has also made me curious to revisit the movies and compare how they diverge from the original story. Overall, Ring is a compelling and memorable read, and I’d recommend it to anyone i...

Jenny Cooper Has A Secret by Joy Fielding

  Joy Fielding, known for her skillful blend of suspense and emotional depth, returns with Jenny Cooper Has A Secret —a slow-burning psychological thriller that explores aging, memory, and the unsettling possibility that a dementia patient might be telling the truth about a lifetime of murders. The story follows 76-year-old Linda Davidson, a recent widow struggling to navigate life after loss. With her daughter and son-in-law living under the same roof and creating more stress than comfort, Linda seeks solace in visiting her friend at Legacy Place, a memory care facility. There, she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a woman with dementia who matter-of-factly claims she has killed people. Initially, Linda chalks it up to confusion or delusion—until another resident dies under suspicious circumstances. The premise is both chilling and unique, inviting readers to question what truth might lie beneath the haze of a failing mind. Fielding weaves themes of loneliness, trust, and justic...

Book Review: Requiem by John Palisano

John Palisano’s Requiem is a fast-paced, atmospheric blend of science fiction and cosmic horror that wastes no time plunging the reader into its chilling, otherworldly setting. Set aboard the Eden—a massive, moon-sized cemetery adrift in space—the novel explores grief, memory, and the thin veil between the living and the dead. From the first page, Requiem hits the ground running, making it a great pick for readers who prefer action over exposition. There’s very little hand-holding here, and the story unfolds with an eerie momentum that mirrors the unraveling sanity of the characters aboard the Eden. One of the most striking elements is the ship itself: a floating mausoleum that not only houses the bodies of the dead, but eventually their restless souls as well. At the heart of the story is Ava, a strong and emotionally complex protagonist wrestling with personal grief while confronting a rising, reality-warping entity. Her emotional arc becomes even more layered with the reappear...