Summer of Reading: CourtCourt’s Recommendations
Novels, short stories, comics and more.
Well folks, it’s July: we’re now halfway through this year. These past few days I’ve been reminiscing through some old travel photos (peep my old friends from the Sedlec Ossuary above). Since traveling is a bit out of the question right now – at least for us living here in the United States – I decided reading is the second closest thing to it. I now present you with a list of summer recommendations to read the hot days away. These ten books are just a few of my scary favorites.
The Between by Tananarive Due
“Hilton was seven when his grandmother died, and it was a bad time. But it was worse when she died again.”
The Between pg. 1
If you’re not reading Tananarive Due, you need to get on it. The Between is her debut novel, and an astounding one at that. She has been and continues to be a pivotal voice in horror, using it to scrutinize and condemn racism and oppression that often dwell in the genre. In the Between, we follow Hilton, a thirty year old man haunted by death, nightmares and unnatural realities. When his wife, Dede, receives racist threatening letters from a man she once prosecuted, Hilton makes it his mission to find the man terrorizing his family. But what if the truth is not even from this world?
Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
There is a lot of South American horror we need to keep our eyes on, and Things We Lost in the Fire is one of them. Translated in English by Megan McDowell, Mariana Enriquez takes us to Argentina with eerie stories of black magic, ghosts, history, violence and political deceit. This short story collection, infused with different aspects of horror from cosmic and gory to gothic and psychological, is a force to be reckoned with.
The Farm by Joanne Ramos
The Farm is dystopian thriller about race, families and capitalistic control. The story takes place in a fictional facility called Golden Oaks, aka “the Farm,” where women live as surrogates for wealthy clients. Once the women enter the facility, they belong to the Farm and all their autonomy is gone. The novel follows four women in the facility, and Ramos details their experiences in suspenseful and jarring prose.
Poso Wells by Gabriela Alemán
This is a fast-paced feminist eco-thriller. Women in Poso Wells continue to disappear. But the political leaders of the settlement couldn’t care less; their only concern is the upcoming election. When the leading presidential candidate and his posse are electrocuted, dark mysteries and secrets unveil an even more horrifying reality. Translated from Spanish to English in 2018, this book uses elements of horror, sci-fi and humor to tell a tale just as relevant now as it was when Alemán wrote it in 2007.
Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s edited by Kier-La Janisse and Paul Corupe
The Satanic Panic, one of the world’s many moral panics, was a tumultuous time that impacted much of the English speaking world. While parents feared D&D and heavy metal, lies and misinformation ruined the lives of countless people, including young adults (e.g. the West Memphis Three) and teachers. Satanic Panic: Pop-Cultural Paranoia in the 1980s is a collection of visual and written accounts from various people who experienced this unforgettable era. Photographs and essays of horror movies, Christian comics, board games and religion are just the cusp of this extensive anthology.
Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sara Takeda
Monstress is a beautifully illustrated steam punk horror-fantasy comic series. There are currently five volumes, but here’s a simplified plot: Set in 1900’s Asia, Maika struggles with the trauma of war while fighting to control her psychic link to a powerful monster. The story is filled with an array of magical creatures, demons, humanoid wolves and talking cats with big personalties. There is so much to love about this dark and inventive comic. I couldn’t put it down.
Preacher (Complete Collection) by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
The entire Preacher series is difficult to describe in only one paragraph, so I’m going to do it in two. In short, the story is about preacher Jesse Custer, Tulip O’Hare and Irish vampire Cassidy, all on a mission to literally find God and ask him, “Hey God! What’s the big idea? Why’d you dip out when a demon and angel procreated a creature named Genesis? The world is kind of a crapshoot right now, man. Thanks for nothing, you piece of shit.” (Okay not verbatim but you get the idea.) But that’s only the big, vague picture. Preacher is encapsulated with fantastical story arcs and virtually everything you could ever want in a comic book series: sibling cannibals, Arseface, serial killers, political Vatican cults, Jesus on a bicycle.
Now, how you feel about religion may impact how you feel about Preacher. From a religious perspective, the best way to describe the series would be “blasphemous.” If you’re like me, blasphemy might be one of the reasons you love it (where are all my lapsed Catholics at?). Preacher is by no means a perfect comic – at least by my standards – as there are some themes and moments that are… problematic. But then there are many times where the series was well ahead of its time, sometimes even a little progressive given that it was published from 1995 to 2000. But my most favorite part of all is the art. Even when the dialogue goes a bit on an endless tangent, Dillon’s illustrations always make up for it. They are detailed, colorful, exciting and wonderfully disgusting. Preacher is just so damn fun to read, and reread, and rereread… I recommend you join the fun.
Get in Trouble by Kelly Link
Get in Trouble is another fantastical short story collection by Kelly Link. In this collection, she creates magnificent worlds filled with ghost boyfriends, demon lovers, pocket universes and microchipped teenagers. While every story is a standout, my favorite is “I Can See Right Through You,” a story filled with Ouija boards, movie stars and murder. Exhilarating and spooky, Get in Trouble is unforgettable.
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Machado shows just how incredible of a writer she is in her 2017 debut. Her Body and Other Parties is the winner of both the Shirley Jackson Award and National Book Award. The collection consists of eight stories, each encapsulating elements of body horror, magical realism, apocalypses and science fiction. In haunting prose, Machado illuminates the outlandish, yet very authentic, realities that strike women’s lives and their bodies.
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
Shining Girls is the story of a time traveling serial killer named Harper Curtis. When Curtis finds a House in 1930’s Chicago, he travels through centuries to destroy the lives of shining girls. With limitless ability to escape the scenes of his crimes, he’s never been caught. But when one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, escapes, it’s now Harper’s turn to fear for his life.
Beukes has a knack for writing serial killers. Shining Girls is a genre bending exploration of fantastic histories and a condemnation of violence against women.
What are you reading this summer?
Tell us in the comments, we want to know! And while you’re at it, make sure to check out more of what we’re reading here at Haunted MTL.
*Cover photo and final photo taken by CourtCourt, May 2019.
*Book photos screenshot from Goodreads
Book Reviews
Barrowbeck: The History of a Cursed Valley
“All this would be theirs, he said. The gods wanted nothing in return. Only that the marsh-folk – or the valley-folk now – should always remember that they were custodians here.
No.
Servants.”
After the acclaimed Starve Acre and its film adaptation, Andrew Michael Hurley extends his exploration of place with Barrowbeck, a collection of short stories published in October 2024. This new folk horror work charts the unsettling history of a town nestled in a secluded Yorkshire-Lancashire valley. From the first footsteps on its soil to a disquieting glimpse into 2041, Barrowbeck’s 13 tales trace a chilling narrative of time and place, where the past and future intertwine with eerie consequences.
- For centuries, the inhabitants of Barrowbeck, a remote valley on the Yorkshire-Lancashire border, have lived uneasily with forces beyond their reckoning
- They raise their families, work the land, and do their best to welcome those who come seeking respite
- But there is a darkness that runs through the village as persistently as the river
Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Plot.
The initial, undated story, “First Footing,” sets the stage: a band of survivors, their village destroyed, seek sanctuary guided by their deity, Arfon, along a mysterious river. They eventually discover an untouched valley, destined to become Barrowbeck. Following this are twelve time-stamped tales that chronicle the valley’s unsettling evolution. From the haunting melodies of spectral choirs to the bizarre creation of seed-born babies and a girl possessed by the river’s essence, these stories reveal a place steeped in the strange and uncanny.
Highlights.
Hurley’s signature strength lies in crafting folk horror deeply rooted in place, and Barrowbeck is no exception. The opening chapter’s immersive descriptions of the woods and river establish a rich foundation. This is then meticulously layered upon in each subsequent story. As Barrowbeck evolves, we are drawn into its very fabric, witnessing the gradual emergence of road names, family homesteads, and sacred spaces. The setting itself seems to breathe and expand, mirroring the town’s growth with palpable presence.
Hurley’s skill extends beyond the setting, encompassing the intricate development of Barrowbeck’s people. The collection demonstrates a striking commitment to familial continuity, inviting readers to trace the subtle genealogies woven through recurring names. This depth of world-building adds a compelling layer of realism to the fantastical tales.
- An atmospheric and unsettling story of the depths of grief found in an ancient farm in northern England—now a major motion picture starring Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark
- The worst thing possible has happened
- Richard and Juliette Willoughby’s son, Ewan, has died suddenly at the age of five
Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Drawbacks.
Though billed as folk horror, Barrowbeck leans more towards the fantastical, presenting strange occurrences rather than outright scares. Hurley’s commendable effort to adapt his writing style to each time period creates a strong sense of place. However, this approach backfires in the early chapters, notably the first, which echoes the dense prose of Tolkien’s The Silmarillion. This stylistic choice risks alienating readers seeking a horror experience, potentially leading to early abandonment.
The Final Take.
I hate to say it but I was disappointed in Barrowbeck. After Starve Acre and The Lonely, I had high expectations of Hurley as a folk horror author, but this missed the mark. That being said some of the later stories were at least interesting if only for their strangeness.
(2 / 5)
Imagine feeling powerless. Imagine feeling alone and scared. Imagine having everyone blame you for something that isn’t your fault. And then, imagine someone gave you a book that could give you your power back.
That is the story told in Witchcraft For Wayward Girls.
As a warning, this book deals with heavy issues like child SA, teenage pregnancy and forced adoptions. My review will, by necessity, touch lightly on those topics.
The story
Released in January, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is the story of a girl named Fern. At fifteen, she’s pregnant and unmarried. Her father takes her to a Home for girls in her situation. The plan is simple. She’s to have her baby, give it up for adoption, then go home and move on with her life.
But that’s not how things work out.
When visiting a mobile library, Fern is given a book of witchcraft. She and her friends try one of the spells, and it works. Soon they find themselves doing amazing things like flying in the air and seeking revenge on those who abused them. But magic has a price. And it’s a high one.
What worked
Witchcraft For Wayward Girls was infuriating in the best way possible. From the first few pages, you can feel your blood boiling at the injustice of the situation. It starts with Fern’s father, abandoning her at the Home and just gets worse from there. It’s impossible not to be angry at him, at the boy who impregnated Fern, at the doctors. Pretty much everyone who’s not one of the pregnant girls is unfair and horrible at least some of the time.
It’s astounding how much one can desire vengeance against a person who technically doesn’t exist.
- “Superb
- a perfect horror for our imperfect age
- ” – The New York TimesAN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLERThere’s power in a book…They call them wayward girls
Last update on 2025-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I also appreciated the depth of detail in the story. This is something that can be said about all Hendrix books. Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is set in Florida in the summer. And you can feel the sticky, damp heat on every page. You can feel what it must be like to be pregnant in that heat without air conditioning, swimming pools or salt. Even reading this book in chilly Western PA during January, I felt the heat and smelled the wet air.
The best thing about Witchcraft For Wayward Girls, though, is its honesty. This book deals with some hard topics. Well, one hard topic. Teenage pregnancy happens for a lot of reasons. None of them are pleasant to think about. Some are worse than others. And yes, at least one girl in this book is pregnant because she was being abused.
But even the girls who got pregnant through voluntary activities are mistreated in a very realistic way. In each situation, the girls are expected to upend their entire lives. They’re miles from home and treated like they’re the only ones responsible for their current situation. They are treated like foolish children who have truly messed up, while at the same time expecting them to shoulder the burden of women while letting the boys who impregnated them continue to be boys. It’s sick, and it’s all too real.
And it’s exactly this sort of powerlessness that makes witchcraft so appealing. There is a reason why witchcraft tends to be practiced by women and men who are not straight white men. We tend to be women, queer and people of color. We tend to come from poverty. We find ourselves in a world where we have little to no power over our own lives, so we make it for ourselves. Witchcraft For Wayward Girls understands this. And it is that understanding that will make this story so enduring.
Witchcraft For Wayward Girls is another in a long list of fantastic horror from Hendrix. It’s eloquent, inspiring and passionate. If it’s the first book you read by Hendrix I can almost guarantee it won’t be the last.
(5 / 5)
Book Reviews
My Best Friend’s Exorcism: Experience the 80’s, demons and all.
“By the power of Phil Collins, I rebuke you!”
Yeh, okay. I did the thing everyone tells you not to do.
I WATCHED THE MOVIE FIRST!
And I have regrets. But in my defense, when I impulse-watched My Best Friend’s Exorcism, I didn’t realize it was based on a book by the great Grady Hendrix. If you haven’t seen the film I would recommend reading Zeth’s review of it here.
But I am here to talk about the book.
- Hendrix, Grady (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Last update on 2025-02-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Plot.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism, published in 2016, is a campy 80’s nostalgia-driven take on the possession horror genre. In the opening chapters, we meet fourth-grader Abby. She loves ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, roller-skating and, it seems, any song in the top 10 charts. When the new weird kid, Gretchen, shows up to Abby’s roller-skating party, the two bond and so begins a life-long friendship.
Fast forward to high school in the year 1988. Abby and Gretchen, along with the other half of their girl group, Margaret and Glee, decide to try LSD. Not entirely sure if the stuff is working or if they’re just high on the moment, Gretchen takes off at a run, deciding to skinny dip in the inlet behind Margaret’s house. The girls run after her but when they get to the dock, Gretchen is gone. The frantic search through the woods yields nothing, and Gretchen’s reappearance marks a chilling transformation. As Gretchen’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and disturbing, Abby suspects something far more sinister than teenage rebellion. Over the course of a terrifying year, Abby must confront the possibility that her best friend is possessed, testing the limits of their friendship and forcing her to face unimaginable horrors to save Gretchen’s soul.
Highlights.
I’m an 80’s baby and this book was like a walk through my childhood. From the landline telephones to the overly zealous hair sprayed hair. A particular highlight for me was the frequent mention of bands, songs, and lyrics. This book triggered nostalgia for me in a big way. I admit that Phil Collins has been in rotation on my playlist since I finished the opening chapter.
Another aspect of My Best Friend’s Exorcism that needs to be noted is the way Hendrix has given his own spin on the ending. The typical possession horror usually ends with the exorcist making a breakthrough with his beliefs and casting out the demon, spirit, or devil (depending on what you’re reading/ watching) This story though does something different and I won’t reveal how because spoilers, but it was a really uplifting and hopeful way to end a book without getting all spiritual.
Drawbacks.
In order to maintain authenticity to the setting and time period, Hendrix has included the not-so-nice aspects of the 80’s. So, there are some racial slurs, and homophobic and non-inclusive language in My Best Friend’s Exorcism. I know this was part of the era and I get why he’s included this, but it didn’t sit well with me. But perhaps that was the point, to remind people that the 80’s was not all neon spandex and high pony tales.
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Rachel Ogechi Kanu (Actors)
- Damon Thomas (Director) – Jenna Lamia (Writer) – Lindsay Williams (Producer)
Last update on 2025-02-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Final Take.
I know you’ve heard it before, the book is better than the movie. This statement has become a bit of a cliche but in the case of My Best Friend’s Exorcism, there has never been a truer statement spoken. This book was a joy to read, it was a camp, body horror, demonic rollercoaster. But at its core, it is the story of two girls whose friendship withstands the devil.
(4.5 / 5)
