Yes, it’s been a while since my last mash-up. No excuses, really, just a case of the late winter blahs. But with spring now in sight, and having my daffodil bulbs starting to break through the ground, I’ve been getting a bit of an energy lift!
The Week in Books
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident by Donnie Eichar — 4 out of 5 stars
Look for my full review here and at MrPinkInk coming out the weekend of February 25-27.
Song of Kali by Dan Simmons — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars
Robert Luczak travels to Calcutta in the attempt to find out what happened to a famous poet. What he will discover is unimaginable horror. Originally published in 1985, this was Simmons’ first novel, a pretty powerful debut. I could feel the setting and the oppressive heat and humidity, and I could smell the foul streets. I would probably describe this as a slow-burn horror that will sucker punch you and leave you wondering what the hell just happened.
The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow — 3 out of 5 stars
David Crow recalls growing up with an extremely violent, abusive, and manipulative father and a psychologically fragile mother, telling not only of his own abuse but the abuse and misdeeds he did as a youngster at the behest of his father. While definitely tragic and brutal, there was a certain sort of pride that came through Crow’s descriptions of the terrible stunts he did against others (mainly Navajos and Mexicans) that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Death of a Knit Wit by Peggy Ehrhart — 3 out of 5 stars.
While the mystery itself was good (an unpopular professor is poisoned at a luncheon, leaving a list of suspects that weren’t too upset he was gone), sadly this book fell a bit flat for me. I just couldn’t connect with any of the main characters (I wanted more of the members of the Knit and Nibbles club and less of Bettina’s wardrobe), and the extremely detailed (and sometimes repetitive) descriptions became annoying by the 50% mark (Pamela’s car is serviceable. We get it.). I may try another book from the series to see if this was just a case of wrong book at the wrong time.
Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies
The Backbone of the World by Stephen Graham Jones — 4.5 out of 5 stars
Rounded up to 5 for NetGalley and Goodreads. Millie Two Bears has a husband in prison, is facing eviction, and is fighting a losing battle against prairie dogs invading her property. Enter a young woman named Frog and things really start to get strange! I would categorize this as a blend of contemporary fantasy and horror, and is easily one of my favorite short stories by SGJ to date.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms by Tim McLoughlin — 4.5 out of 5 stars
Tim McLoughlin offers up six street-wise short stories and seven nonfiction essays in this fast-paced collection. His life experiences from living in New York and being a peace officer for thirty years lend a grittiness to the entries (however, I did find Maharaja for a Year to be pretty darn funny). Great writing and a good variety of topics. Highly recommend.
Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw — No rating
I can now say I’ve read this book…and that’s all I’m going to say.
Stay safe and Happy Reading!