Happy March! I have some read some stellar stories for you and have some feelings. We are going to lose our eyes, travel through time, hang with a dragon and end with some superhero shenanigans.
Let’s get into them.
THE WOMEN WITHOUT EYES
By: Micah Castle
Release: 1/27/25
Page count: 193
KU: No. Hoopla: No
Synopsis: A family tries to bridge the gap between life and death, but a cop is on their trail. When the cop becomes personally affected, the gap becomes much closer.
First line: “The streetlamp cast a faint, white glow into the car and illuminated the old man’s eyes.”
Favorite line: “Hade’s rainbow with a heartbeat.”
Thoughts: Wow. Just Wow. Micah is consistent with the cleverness of his writing. This one has a such raw, visceral emotional attachment. Equal parts thriller, body horror, sci-fi, police procedural this is a must read for anyone who enjoys gasping so loud they startle their family*.
*Personal experience speaking
Rating: 5/5
Other recommendations: RECONSTRUCTING A RELATIONSHIP, A HOME IN THE DARKNESS
TIMELESS
By: Various
Edited by: Laura Bilodeau
Release: 3/1/25
Page count: 169
KU: TBD. Hoopla: No
Synopsis: An anthology of stories from the 1800s - 3000s showing that no matter the time period, horror can happen anytime.
First line: “The sound of Annabelle’s feet crunching on dirt outside her bedroom window startled the chirping crickets, casting the night into total silence.”
Favorite line: from CODY - Jared Grace - “I loved a lie… May you burn with the rest of them.”
Thoughts: An interesting collection of extremely diverse stories. The two standouts were Jared Grace and D.E. McClusky, with Grace’s being a top ten of the year for me. A solid read for those who enjoy time traveling.
Rating: 3.5/5
Other recommendations: N/A
KAYDEN
By: Lucas Milliron
Release: 2/14/25
Page count: 179
KU: No Hoopla: No
Synopsis: Kayden is on the war path and has found two others to help him. Can the threesome save not only the world but the children closest to them before it’s too late?
First line: “His body was tattooed like the graffiti-tagged walls.”
Favorite line: “Zander opened the jacket and inspected the coat. The soft lining interior was a man’s face with his mouth and eyes sewn shut.”
Thoughts: Absolutely stellar. The ability of Milliron to have the reader feel so much for each character astounds me. The perfect pace with plenty of murdering. I cannot wait for the next installment.
Rating: 5/5
Other recommendations: BECOMING, RAGE
BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES Vol. 1
By: James Tynion IV
Release: 8/23/16
Page count: 170
KU: No Hoopla: Yes
Synopsis: What happens when Shedder joins forces with villains from Gotham? It’s not always a mondo good time but luckily the caped Crusader will have help - the TMNT.
First line: “We could hear the guards pounding on the door, but we couldn’t move.”
Favorite line: “So he’s a nut in a Dracula costume who punches clowns?”
Thoughts: I watched the cartoon version first and I love how similar they are. The graphic novel is gritty and noir-like to keep with Batman’s theme while at times being light-hearted for the TMNT fans. It’s the perfect crossover.
Rating: 5/5
Other recommendations: will be continuing series.
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