Much like the narrator in “Her Skin Was a Grim Canvas” could not merely wear clothes, there is no such thing as merely reading a Gwendolyn Kiste work. The stories in The Haunted Houses She Calls Her Own have to be savored, lived in, passages - and even whole stories - read again to relive the language or extract more meaning or wallow in the emotion - be it fear, horror, dread, grief, humor - on the dark side, of course. 

Hollow by Karina Halle is a Gothic dark fantasy romance retelling of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with witchcraft and some elements of dark academia.

The Fourth Wife by Linda Hamilton is a feminist Gothic horror with some historical Mormon folklore that takes place in 1882 Salt Lake City, and, yes, it’s as interesting as it sounds. 

The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson is not your typical haunted house story. Hester Gardens is an entire neighborhood/housing project that is haunted not only by poverty, drugs, and gun violence, but also by at least one spirit.

When I read the title - and saw the cover art - of Mothman Is My Boyfriend by McCayla Coyle, I thought I’d be reading a cute, breezy, potentially clever light romantasy  - like a G-rated version of one of Chuck Tingle’s infamous cryptid eroticas. 

This is not that. 

The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch is a haunting Gothic tale that follows one woman who is trying to put the ghosts that have haunted her, literally and metaphorically, since she was a child, to rest.

Sarafina is the fourth book I have read by Philip Fracassi, and it is definitely my favorite so far.  Unlike many from my part of the United States (the "South"), I have never been a big Civil War buff, but the promise of supernatural witchiness encouraged me to read this, and now I encourage you to do so.

We Call Them Witches by India-Rose Bower is an interesting mix of post-apocalyptic coming-of-age story with pagan mythology and a touch of romance. 

Curse you, Clay McLeod Chapman! I really wanted to feel nothing but contempt for Winston Kemper, and while his victims remind each other that he does not deserve our compassion, in so doing, they remind us why he does.

Cruelty Free by Caroline Glenn takes a satirical look at Hollywood, fame, beauty standards, paparazzi and anyone in the sphere around fame, including bloggers and podcasters, but it’s also a tale about how grief can break someone and how far one will go just to relieve that ache, however temporarily.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen, but what I got was an immensely readable, funny look behind the scenes at a reality dating show interspersed with message board interactions and personal letters that made it feel even more real - even with the added titular character of a Lady Sasquatch.

Bitterbloom by Teagan Olivia King is a dark, atmospheric, gothic horror fantasy (with a dash of spice) with some interesting worldbuilding around death and the afterlife.

The tension in The Body by Bethany C. Morrow came more from the weight of expectation of perfection put upon Mavis by her church, which she left years ago, her parents, and herself than anything else, but that made the horror feel all the more real even while Mavis, and therefore the reader, could not always distinguish reality from delusion.

“That book you’re listening to is creepy,” my spouse mumbled, under the weather and less than half awake from the passenger seat as we were crossing the state of Virginia yesterday.

He wasn’t wrong. The Bone Queen by Will Shindler did have creepy moments, and beautifully narrated by Tamsin Kennard, was clearly effective enough to pervade a sleeping spouse’s dreams.

Part commentary on mental health and patriarchal beauty standards, part suburban horror, and all slasher novel, Dollface by Lindy Ryan is a fun read anytime but perfect for March and Women in Horror Month.

I was not aware of Joe R. Lansdale until my spouse turned me onto the show Hap & Leonard, which was just our kind of off-tilt comedy. I knew that show was based off novels, but that’s as far as it went.

With The Essential Horror of Joe R. Lansdale, I saw my chance to fill what I thought was a gap in my experience and get to know the horror side of “the guy who wrote Hap & Leonard”.

In Wolf Worm, T. Kingfisher is once again giving me everything I want from one of her horror novels: a strong, funny female hero, science doing unexpected things, and Gothic elements.

Futility is the second book I’ve read from Nuzo Onoh, and it’s the second time I’ve laughed out loud within the first paragraphs - though a sympathetic wince may have accompanied it this time.

This book is a gonzo dark comedy. It’s got revenge, sacrifice (the “to the gods - or demons” kind not the “for my family” kind), cannibalism, Freaky-Friday style body swapping, mutant powers - you have to read it to believe it.

If you ever wanted to experience a real haunted house without having to experience the real haunted house, reading Temple Fall by R. L. Boyle is possibly the closest you can get.

The first page of Carter Keane’s Morsel provides some content warnings, but what I could have used was some advice: Remember to breathe. The tension was so effective that several times, I became the cliché and had to release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.