By this time next month, I will be in Williamsburg VA for Authorcon, and boy do I need that in my life.
Let's get started.
BEST OF THE MONTH
Lucas by Kevin Brooks
Kevins Brooks has sneakily become one of my favorite authors. I've now read 4 of his books and every one of them are elite. I haven't even given him a 4-star rating yet; all 5's. If you have ANY interest at all in young adult fiction, do not go through this life without trying a Kevin Brooks novel.
WORST OF THE MONTH
Shock Induction by Chuck Palahniuk
It really hurts me to do this, as he is one of my favorite authors. I know his books have a jarring type of rhythm to them, but is this one even more jarring than usual? Is it just me? Shock Induction felt like a bunch of good, high concept ideas, thrown together without enough glue to hold them together.
The rest:
Motel Styx by Michelle Von Eschen and Jonathan Butcher. Solid extreme horror novel. Grade: B
The Monsters in Our Shadows by Edward J Cembal. Everything good, but slow pacing is something I rarely worry about in YA. Grade: C
Martyn Pig by Kevin Brooks. The dude is incredible, I'm telling ya. Grade: A
The Department of Truth by Tynion/Simmonds (graphic novel). Political horror thriller. Not my fave from Tynion, but is a home run worthy swing. Grade: C
Death is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury. Not bad, but not terribly exciting either. Grade: C
Modern Hysteria by Aron Beauregard. Not his worst, but not his best either. Grade: C
To the Woman in the Pink Hat by Latoya Jordan. Political science fiction. Never grabbed me. Grade: D
The Haunting of Lindy Pennyworth by S.M. Pope. Forgettable. Grade: C
The Deviant by Tynion/Hixson (graphic novel). THIS is what Terrifier should be. Grade: B
Leviathan by Robert McCammon. Sadly, the last of the Matthew Corbett books. It's been a wonderful ride. Grade: B
Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor. I LOVE Tim's stuff, but this one didn't work for me. Grade: D
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath (graphic novel). Solid Stoker nominee, with cute stuff doing dreadful things. Grade: B
Tender by Beth Hetland (graphic novel). Another solid Stoker nominee; the graphic novel category is competitive this year. Grade: B
That's it!
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
Bluesky: @jasoncavallaro.bsky.social
Let's get started.BEST OF THE MONTH
Lucas by Kevin Brooks
Kevins Brooks has sneakily become one of my favorite authors. I've now read 4 of his books and every one of them are elite. I haven't even given him a 4-star rating yet; all 5's. If you have ANY interest at all in young adult fiction, do not go through this life without trying a Kevin Brooks novel.
WORST OF THE MONTH
Shock Induction by Chuck Palahniuk
It really hurts me to do this, as he is one of my favorite authors. I know his books have a jarring type of rhythm to them, but is this one even more jarring than usual? Is it just me? Shock Induction felt like a bunch of good, high concept ideas, thrown together without enough glue to hold them together.
The rest:
Motel Styx by Michelle Von Eschen and Jonathan Butcher. Solid extreme horror novel. Grade: B
The Monsters in Our Shadows by Edward J Cembal. Everything good, but slow pacing is something I rarely worry about in YA. Grade: C
Martyn Pig by Kevin Brooks. The dude is incredible, I'm telling ya. Grade: A
The Department of Truth by Tynion/Simmonds (graphic novel). Political horror thriller. Not my fave from Tynion, but is a home run worthy swing. Grade: C
Death is a Lonely Business by Ray Bradbury. Not bad, but not terribly exciting either. Grade: C
Modern Hysteria by Aron Beauregard. Not his worst, but not his best either. Grade: C
To the Woman in the Pink Hat by Latoya Jordan. Political science fiction. Never grabbed me. Grade: D
The Haunting of Lindy Pennyworth by S.M. Pope. Forgettable. Grade: C
The Deviant by Tynion/Hixson (graphic novel). THIS is what Terrifier should be. Grade: B
Leviathan by Robert McCammon. Sadly, the last of the Matthew Corbett books. It's been a wonderful ride. Grade: B
Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor. I LOVE Tim's stuff, but this one didn't work for me. Grade: D
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath (graphic novel). Solid Stoker nominee, with cute stuff doing dreadful things. Grade: BTender by Beth Hetland (graphic novel). Another solid Stoker nominee; the graphic novel category is competitive this year. Grade: B
That's it!
Reviews by Jason Cavallaro
jcavallaro42@gmail.com
Twitter: @pinheadspawn
Bluesky: @jasoncavallaro.bsky.social
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