The Toll by Cherie Priest takes a goofy, swamp-dwelling cryptid of Southern folklore and turns it into something genuinely terrifying. The swamplands near the Okefenokee are steeped in an eerie, foreboding atmosphere—the kind that makes you think twice about what might be watching from beyond the trees. The Bells really should have paid more attention. […]
Star Trek Lower Decks: Second Contact was a jolly good reunion with the crazy crew of the USS Cerritos. Reading the comic felt remarkably like watching the show. Nay—better than that. It felt like stepping into that world. That is a gift of all good books. Well, minus the risk of being vaporized or taken […]
The Best Day Ever by Tupta and Ward is an adorable tale about appreciating who you are and accepting others as they are. It’s also got a dash of willingness to try something new (and equal willingness to abandon what’s not working). The planner of the week, Monday begins to feel unappreciated by her fellow […]
Horror Collector #1 by Midori Sato and Norio Tsuruta Horror Collector #1 by Midori Sato and Norio Tsuruta is a series of six creepy Japanese-centric urban legend short stories. I like Fushigi Senno, despite his aloof standoffishness. I found the addition of grainy photos to preface each story an unusual choice given the rest of […]
Respect the Insect by Jules Howard and Gosia Herba Howard and Herba’s Respect the Insect looks at a wide range of insects and the beneficial roles they play, from helping to break down decomposing material, to pollinating plants and inspiring human inventions. Some of these insects will likely be familiar due to their beneficial nature, […]
Norse Mysticism by Disa Forvisin Forvisin’s Norse Mysticism explores the ancient mysteries of myth and magic. There are chapters on runes, Norse deities, and traditional magic, as well as historical contexts. I love how the author pointed out how myth informs a culture’s values. The author addresses how the culture has changed, and how today […]
Berger’s Doll Seed is a collection of short stories with psychological / speculative horror themes. They are woven through with unsettling ideas about such things as ethical concerns regarding technology, or questions surrounding identity. These aren’t stories full of splatterpunk, full of gore, pagely death, and jump scares like the cheesy B flicks of the […]
Coupled with manga art from a variety of different artists, Pirzada’s Dandelion was an interesting foray into humanity’s possible future, and how the best of intentions can go horribly awry. Hoping to present the world with a housing blessing at a time when the ice caps were melting and the seas taking back large swathes […]
Beyoncé by Maria Isabel Vegara Sanchez Beyoncé by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara explores the life of this bright and beautiful personality. Her first ‘gig’ was singing for a captive audience at her mother’s hair salon, where she occasionally earned tips. Not long after, Beyoncé became lead singer of a kid band called Girls Tyme. (Not […]
Cooper’s River of Ink is an exquisite offering whose words sing in the blood. Ink spills across the cover like the eponymous river, evoking the beautiful nature of the story within. This is a tale of conquest, change, and forbidden love. Likewise, it is a tale of ancient Sri Lanka. Above all, it is the […]
