I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about The Babysitter Lives by Stephen Graham Jones. Thank you to Titan Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night studying: the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms won’t help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.
Charlotte’s last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte’s mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter’s worse nightmare has come true: they’re not alone in the house.
Publication Date: 22nd July
CW: death, murder, child death, suicide, violence, blood, injury, drowning, cultural appropriation
My Thoughts:
The Babysitter Lives was fantastic with just the right level of thrills and chills. It’s a sharp shock to your senses.
Stephen Graham Jones is one of my favourite horror writers for the way he creates palpable tension, fantastic atmosphere and uses these ideas that revolutionise the genre. They are always so captivating – pulling you into the twisted version of our world where the lines get blurry. This is no exception with a phenomenal idea at its heart. The writing as always is layered and fascinating, weaving in different themes and central ideas as Charlotte tries to get through the night. The babysitter defending her charges isn’t an unusual idea in horror, but the way the story evolves is refreshing and exciting. This is the type of book where you should allow yourself to go in knowing as little as possible and instead lose yourself in the story completely.
The familiar trope is woven into a new nightmare unfolding before your eyes. You also get some other tropes flipped into new shapes, particularly with a look at privilege and trauma refracting through time. It is an arresting read with that signature lyrical flair to the prose, captivating and thought-provoking. At the same time, it feels existential and horrifying in the moment. These pages are packed with scares of all kinds and some great plot twists too – my jaw dropped at one particular moment. I love how SGJ never takes the easy route out. It is always something unexpected and carves out its own path. However, I did also enjoy the nods to other horror creations throughout, with one particular homage hitting home.
The Babysitter Lives sinks under your skin and leaves chills in its wake. Stephen Graham Jones is one of the defining horror writers working now and long may he continue.
Next up, I’d like to talk about The Library at Hellebore by Cassandra Khaw. Again, thank you to Titan Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously powerful: the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.
Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told when she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.
But there’s more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa’s class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school’s library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone.
Publication Date: 22nd July
CW: death, murder, violence, body horror, gore, blood, injury, child abuse, rape, sexual assault, confinement, cannibalism, torture, stalking, fire
My Thoughts:
The Library at Hellebore was wonderfully icky with this body horror Dark Academia nightmare brought to life.
Khaw does not hold back. This is gory, bloody and extremely messy with some scenes that seared themselves into my brain. It is up to its elbows in guts with truly disgusting and terrifying body horror scenes. Hellebore is where those with monstrous powers are sent to learn, but the underbelly of it is even darker than the regular bloodshed of the school day. It is carnage unleashed and you will not be able to pull yourself away. There is a lot of body and cosmic horror that I enjoyed with inventive world-building – Khaw gives plenty of rich detail but also hints at fascinating elements in the background.
Something I really loved here was the characterisation. The book follows these two time strands where you know the bloodshed waiting in store, but you get to learn more about these people. Their motivations and interactions biome much more weighted in this desperate fight for survival, but Khaw also has plenty of surprises in store. They are world-enders and yet one of the most skin-crawling moments relates to a very human monstrosity. I loved the insight we got into each of them, what made them tick and what secrets they may be hiding. Within this horrific dilemma, tensions rise and things escalate at random. Our central protagonist is Alessa, who is firmly not a good person, as we are shockingly introduced to in the very first scene. It is a bold opening that only gets better as the following pages give you further context. Alessa is determined to survive and willing to compromise anything for this but she also secretly cares far more than she wants to admit.
The Library at Hellebore sent shivers down my spine and made my skin crawl.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Silvercloak by L. K. Steven. Thank you to Del Rey UK for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons ruthlessly murdered Saffron’s parents, destroying her idyllic childhood. Hellbent on revenge, she lied her way into the elite Silvercloak Academy of detectives with a single goal: find a way to bring the Bloodmoons to justice.
But on the eve of her graduation, her deception is exposed, and she’s given only one option: go undercover and tear the Bloodmoons down from the inside. Descending into a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies, Saff must commit some truly heinous deeds to keep her cover – and her life. Not only are there rival gangs and sinister smuggling rings to contend with, there’s also her growing feelings for the kingpin’s tortured son, and a curious prophecy foretelling his death at Saff’s hand.
With each day testing her loyalties further, Saff’s web of lies becomes harder to spin. And when one false step could destroy everything and everyone she’s ever loved … the mage who dedicated her life to vengeance might just have to die for it.
Publication Date: 24th July
CW: death, murder, torture, PTSD, blood, violence, gore
My Thoughts:
Silvercloak was a fantastically rich and imaginative story with some brilliant twists and turns.
As a longtime fan of Steven’s YA writing, my expectations were high for her adult fantasy debut and she more than delivered. This is an inventive and wonderfully immersive story that pulls you into Saff’s headspace and the world which she inhabits. The world-building is fascinating with an interesting magic system and the starting threads of several plotlines that feel like they’ll become pivotal within this series. The tension is constantly high as Saff cannot trust anyone around her. There are different factions playing against one another in this magical, noirish world where the underbelly of society and high society feel less separated than you may expect. Corruption is rife and loyalty is a scarce commodity. All of this builds a claustrophobic and paranoid atmosphere that makes you feel on edge throughout. You never know who to trust, even Saff herself at times. It is a twisty and compelling story where you’re constantly tempted to just allow yourself one more page, one more chapter.
Saff is a great protagonist – layered and complex. She is primarily driven by her desire for vengeance against the murder of her parents, which has pushed her through rigorous training and allows her to justify taking extreme actions. Everything and anything is expendable in this quest. That single-minded focus is her greatest strength and her biggest flaw simultaneously. Her undercover role takes her down a dangerous path as she discovers more about the truths that are buried within this society. Steven’s characterisation has always been stellar but the way Saff navigates the world, masking that deep pit of love and loyalty behind a steely mask, is incredible. Also, I want to comment on how wonderful it was to read such a queer-normative book where this is casually built into the world these characters inhabit. It is celebrated but not made a sole focus, something which I also loved in Our Infinite Fates. Silvercloak will set your heart on fire in this lushly imagined world where dangers lurks in every chapter. I’m so excited to see how Steven continues to develop the story in the next book.
A Short Book Lover 
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