February 2021 Reads

February is Women in Horror Month. I had trouble picking which books to read, as there are so many great ones to choose from. I started with the third part in Christa Wojchechowski’s Sick series, which was an easy choices, as I’d just finished the previous 2 (see last month’s round up). I wanted to read some of the Flame Tree Press books which I picked up in their sale last year, so Catherine Cavendish and JH Moncrieff made the list. I’ve had The Hunger on my Kindle for a while, and a friend recommended it, so it seemed an apt time to finally read it. My last read, which I’m not yet done with is Tracy Fahey’s latest collection which was released in February, I Spit Myself Out. Read on to find out more about each one.

I loved the first part of this, with Susan’s struggle with her husband’s continual illnesses. The second part switched to John’s perspective and I wasn’t as enamoured with it. The final part, I enjoyed much more, though I nearly thought I’d have to launch my Kindle across the room in frustration. We have a narrative viewpoint that gives us both John and Susan as their stories rush for a conclusion. At one point, right near the end, I wasn’t sure I liked where it was going, but then it seemed to click into place. The third part is much longer than the first two, which are novellas. This is almost full length. Part of me thinks it does need to be read as one continuous piece to really appreciate the development of the characters.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about how much I loved the setting of this. There was a great deal more to admire too. The charatcers are great, as is the threat that Cavendish creates. The parts of the text that take us into the past are timely and seem authentic. There are some brave choices made with the ending, but for me, they worked. Part of it works as a whodunnit, as the book’s protagonist tries to solve the mysery of a murder from the 1800s. There’s plenty of misdirection that will keep you guessing. A very refreshing and enjoyable ghost story.

Set around the 1840s, Teh Hunger tells of a wagon party heading for California who make some unwise route choices. I loved this. There’s much more to it than is suggested. It’s not just a case that they enter the domain of a terrible evil, and it then starts to pick them off, though there’s an element of that. The novel has some great characters, and many of those are used from different POV chapters. This allows us to split from the main wagon party, so we get a much wider view of what’s going on. The conflicts between the characters are every bit as interesting as those between the hungry ones that follow them. SOme chapters also take us into those characters’ pasts, allowing us to understand them so much better. I really enjoyed this one. My favourite novel from this month’s reads.

There are some great elements to this book, particularly its opening few chapters in which one of our protagonists, Reese, wakes while on a camping trips to find all of his friends (including his girlfriend) murdered. Reese is an interesting character, well developed who we follow throuh parts of the novel. We also have Detective Greyeyes who is investigating the case. She’s also an interesting character, and her actions drive the narrative while Reese is, at times, unable to do so. The fateful campsite is on Native American land, but why do they refuse to go near it? As the novel develops we come to understand the tragic history of that site. For me, some of the chapters set in the past were less compelling. I felt they needed to come sooner in the structure so I had more of an attachment for that part of the story. As it was, I was always eager to get back to the present with Reese and Greyeyes. Still an entertaining read, just a little frustrating at times.

Tracy Fahey writes phenomenal stories. Here’s the premise: I Spit Myself Out is a collection of female-voiced stories exploring the terror that lurks beneath the surface of the skin. Within that there’s so much variety, so far. Each of the stories draws you in with an interesting scenario or a compelling character. Fahey gives you just enough to get you curious, and by the time you understand what’s going on, you’re in too deep, whether that’s wondering what came to be buried in the farmer’s fields and why, whether that sunfish was really on TV, or if the young girl really has experienced the stigmata, each is fascinating. Fahey knows when best to end a story too. She doesn’t bludgeon you to death with a message or a reveal, but steps away leaving you feeling wounded, angry, or thirsty for more. A great collection so far.