TITLE: Carmilla
AUTHOR: J. Sheridan Le Fanu
GENRE: Horror/Classic
AGE RANGE: Adult
PAGES: 160pg
Carmilla is the original vampire story, steeped in the sexual tension between two young women and gothic romance.
In an isolated castle deep in the Austrian forest, teenaged Laura leads a solitary life with only her father, attendant and tutor for company. Until one moonlit night, a horse-drawn carriage crashes into view, carrying an unexpected guest—the beautiful Carmilla.
So begins a feverish friendship between Laura and her entrancing new companion, one defined by mysterious happenings and infused with an implicit but undeniable eroticism. As Carmilla becomes increasingly strange and volatile, prone to eerie nocturnal wanderings, Laura finds herself tormented by nightmares and growing weaker by the day…
“You will think me cruel, very selfish, but love is always selfish; the more ardent the more selfish. How jealous I am you cannot know. You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me, and still come with me, and hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature.”
First things first: when people told me this was one of the most queer classics, I expected subtext, but what I got was full-on dark sapphic romance that enraptured me more thoroughly than most of the sapphic passions I’ve read from this century. This is just as much a gothic romance as it is a horror classic, and I was in awe from cover to cover.
“Nevertheless, life and death are mysterious states, and we know little of the resources of either.”
Carmilla also amazed me in the fact that, despite having spent my entire life being more fascinated by vampires than afraid of them (in fact, I don’t believe any vampire tale has ever unsettled me until now), there were scenes in this book that had me literally peeking over my shoulder while listening to the audiobook at night. Carmilla is a force to be reckoned with and I adored the terrifying manifestation of her in those darkest moments.
“You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one for ever.”
Whether you are a horror fan, a gothic romance lover, or simply enjoy a good vampire tale, I’ll echo the many voices who have claimed Carmilla as a must-read. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jodie Harris and thought the narrative was simply perfect — 5 stars all the way around.
WARNINGS (click to expand):
blood drinking, bloodshed, illness, death, toxic romance
sapphic romance
TITLE: Mr. Goodnight
AUTHOR: Kealan Patrick Burke
GENRE: Horror
AGE RANGE: Adult
PAGES: 16pg
For Kevin and his best friend Joey, summer is a time of adventure, for playing soldiers in the tall grass, sword-fighting, and searching for long-lost treasure.
But what they uncover, buried deep in the shadow of an ancient tree, is not treasure, but something malevolent and manipulative, something that has been waiting a very long time to be set free…
I have a slew of KPB’s short stories on my kindle and I try to pace myself going through them, because I dread the day that I run out. No matter the length, I always know I’m going to end up endeared to the characters, and whatever tragedy befalls them will make my heart ache even as it creeps me out – just like this story.
WARNINGS (click to expand):
mention of a missing child, violence, blood, murder, grief
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TITLE: The Sleep Tight Motel
AUTHOR: Lisa Unger
GENRE: Horror
AGE RANGE: Adult
PAGES: 50pg
A woman on the run finds refuge in a motel at the edge of the woods, with plenty of vacancies. Check in for the night with New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger. Eve has a fake ID, a .38, and a violent lover receding in the rearview mirror. He’ll never find her at the isolated motel, and its kindly manager is happy to ease her fears. But if Eve is the only guest, whom does she keep hearing on the other side of the wall? Eve won’t get a good night’s rest until she finds out. Lisa Unger’s The Sleep Tight Motel is part of Dark Corners, a collection of seven heart-stopping short stories by bestselling authors who give you so many new reasons to be afraid. Each story can be read in a single sitting. Or, if you have the nerve, you can listen all by yourself in the dark. An Edgar Award nominee.
This was a fun, interesting little short story, and while I saw the twist coming a mile away, I really enjoyed how it unfolded. This was my first piece of Lisa Unger’s writing, but I’m definitely interested in reading more of her work!
WARNINGS (click to expand):
abusive relationship, physical abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, death threats, murder, grief
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— destiny ♥
celinelingg
July 15, 2023Oh! a vampire story! It seems like a nice read! Great review!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 24, 2023It was lovely!! Thank you 🥰
Molly's Book Nook
July 15, 2023MR. Goodnight sounds interesting!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 24, 2023It was really good! I love Kealan Patrick Burke’s writing so much 🙂
tasya @ the literary huntress
July 16, 2023All of these books sound amazing, especially the Sleep Tight Motel!
Destiny @ Howling Libraries
July 24, 2023Sleep Tight Motel was so good! Melancholy, but so good. I definitely want to read more from that author soon!