Month: November 2024

Title: Incidents Around the House

Author: Josh Malerman

Genre: horror

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I’m a Josh Malerman superfan. I’ve read just about everything of his. See my reviews for Spin a Black Yarn, Daphne, Pearl, Goblin, Malorie, Inspection, A House at the Bottom of the Lake, Unbury Carol, Black Mad Wheel, and Bird Box. And I’m pleased to say this one is his finest work since Bird Box. I absolutely loved this one.

Bela lives at home with her Mommy, Daddo, and Other Mommy, who lives in her closet and wants Bela to let her into her heart. When Mommy and Daddo finally believe Bela that Other Mommy is real, they attempt to get OM to leave Bela alone. They try leaving the house, trying to get an exorcism, and driving far away, but nothing works. OM seems to be able to follow Bela everywhere.

This book is terrifying. There’s nothing gross or gory about it. But it’s so suspenseful from beginning to end. OM is so scary in how Bela describes her. The parents trying to protect Bela but continually failing is heartbreaking. But this book will stay with me for a long time.

Title: Most Ardently

Author: Gabe Cole Novoa

Genre: historical romance

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

This book was a delight. One book in the “Remixed classics” series, this story takes Pride and Prejudice and makes Elizabeth Bennett, the traditional heroine, into a transgender man, Oliver. Sadly, not many people know who Oliver truly is and still refer to him as a woman, who he most certainly isn’t.

Thankfully, a few great people in Oliver’s life know who he really is, but when he meets Mr. Darcy as both Elizabeth one day and Oliver the next, Oliver worries that Mr. Darcy will only know who he is required to be, not who he truly is. The back-and-forth between Oliver and Mr. Darcy is a lot of fun and Oliver is just as wonderful is Elizabeth in the original book.

After hearing about this series, I’ll be reading more of them. A lot of fun and important for young adult readers!