Pleasant Nights

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

The book starts after 9/11 with a police officer in charge of a dump site for remains. But when an old skeleton is revealed, she knows who to go to for the truth about who that skeleton is.

Raj and his friends, the Victory Boys, are the misfits of their neighborhood, which is known for Fresh Kills, the largest landfill ever. As they run from bullies into Fresh Kills, they witness a murder by the local mob boss. They have to walk the line between knowing what happened and keeping their mouths shut so the mob doesn’t come after them.

But the mob discovers Raj is great with numbers and hires him to work their books. More secrets are uncovered, and Raj has to decide between the rock and the hard place he’s wedged into. This book was really good and a fun trip back into the late 90s. Raj and his friends were great characters with their own mysterious pasts. Really enjoyed this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

When Effie ran away from the New Zealand bush when she was 15, she cut all ties and vowed never to return. But when a girl who looks just like her appears in town, she’s drawn back to help the girl and understand what happened to her.

Effie left an abusive, neglected past, and this girl seems to have survived something similar. Because their family’s home was so remote, only Effie knows how to navigate to it to discover what happened. This book was a great thriller with excellent twists. I can’t say I’ve ever read a book set in the NZ bush, so this was a fascinating dive into the flora and fauna. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I love a book with a unique location. While many books are set in Iceland, I don’t stumble upon them much. I’ve read Jar City and The Night Guest, which are both excellent. And this one was steeped in Icelandic folklore, which was fascinating.

Unnur is a single mother with a mysterious past. When she was a kid, she lived on a farm, and her only playmate was the farmer’s daughter, Freyja, who disappeared one day under mysterious circumstances. Now, Unnur’s ex-husband has a new girlfriend whose daughter is named Freyja, which brings up old memories for Unnur. This new girlfriend also seems to know a lot about Unnur’s past.

The story is told through two timelines: Unnur’s past and present. As her present-day memories surface, she has to face what happened to the first Freyja. This book was really good and kept me guessing. Really enjoyed it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

While in the London Tube, five strangers experience an odd occurrence. They don’t exactly remember what happened, but are left with a greasy, flaky residue on their clothes. Each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective, so when the five eventually find one another, they attempt to piece together the story of what they went through.

They must uncover what really happened that day, but the monstrous truth seems determined to track them down and finish what it started. The five must work together to find out the truth and prevent it from happening to others. Great, creative story.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

I love when books are inspired by the author’s actual life. Pederson was adopted from China and raised on a Nebraskan farm, so this story is completely in her wheelhouse. The story explores Chinese mythology, which isn’t something I often find in horror books. And this one was great.

Nick and Joshua are raised by their abusive father on a farm. As adults, they both escape, Joshua getting married and Nick finding his own path, but they are called home by their dying father. Joshua brings his Asian wife, Emilia, who was shunned for being Asian. While there, some bizarre things happen not only between Nick and Emilia but around the house.

This book was really great. We learn more about Nick and Joshua’s childhood and the violent nature of their father. But as adults, they realize their childhood memories aren’t as they seem. Really enjoyed this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this book.

Pretty sure I’ve read every book Josh Malerman has written. He’s one of my auto-reads. No matter what the book is about, I’ll read it. This one wasn’t super scary, but it was still interesting because I had no idea what was really happening.

Emily and Jack are in love and maybe expecting a baby. After a fun night, Emily wakes up in an unfamiliar room and is immediately aware she has been drugged. She hears a voice telling her to stay still, and if she doesn’t, she is punished. The voice tells Emily that she is the subject of her painting.

Meanwhile, Jack is elsewhere….

As they both come to grips with their situation, Emily realizes her well-being is tied to his. She cannot escape without placing Jack in danger. But where is she? How is she in a painting?

This book was really good but not gory or gross in any way. More of a mystery than anything. I’ve yet to be disappointed by a Malerman book. He’s outstanding.