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Graphic Novel Review: Brooklyn Blood by Paul Levitz, art by Tim Hamilton

Brooklyn Blood by Paul Levitz, art by Tim Hamilton

Dark Horse, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781506706306

Available:  Paperback, Kindle edition, and comiXology edition

 

Afghanistan vet Billy O’Connor returns to his hometown of Brooklyn to work as a detective. He tries returning to his routine, but his PTSD  haunts him. His hallucinations worsen over time and concern his partner, Hasan. When they begin investigating a strange homicide case, O’Connor experiences what he chalks up to as PTSD, but it turns out to be something more. The case turns into the hunt for a serial killer, one who is making human sacrifices to raise a demon from the depths.

Readers who enjoy a good Lovecraftian noir should pick this up. Brooklyn is gritty, and the cops and detectives fit perfectly in this environment. O’Connor tries to come to grips with his inner demons and disturbing hallucinations throughout the investigation, when he discovers there may be more to his experiences than he or his partner think. O’Connor also must confront his own racism. Seeing the horrors of war in Afghanistan, he has a skewed view of anyone “other”. Hasan thankfully doesn’t pull her punches when she confronts him about his words or actions. While there is nothing overtly gross or terrifying, young readers might find this disturbing. Teen readers may find this a great read.

This volume collects all sixteen chapters which were originally serialized in Dark Horse Presents Volume 3 #17-#22 and #24-#33!”

Contains: racism, some blood

Recommended

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on January 19, 2019 by , Reply

Book Review: Nightingale by Amy Lukavics

Nightingale by Amy Lukavics

Harlequin Teen, 2018

ISBN-13: 978-1335012340

1951 isn’t the best time to be a teenage girl, especially one who doesn’t want to conform to society’s expectations. Talk about horror! Amy Lukavics, author of frightening and gruesome YA titles Daughters Unto Devils, The Women in the Walls, and The Ravenous, has another terrifying tale in Nightingale, which this reader feels is on par with Sarah Pinborough’s work, with a plot that twists and turns, constricting like a snake in the shadows.

It’s 1951, not the greatest time to be a teenage girl, especially one who doesn’t conform to society’s expectations of becoming another June Cleaver. Despite the same first name, though, June Hardie is an unconventional girl. She doesn’t fit in: in fact, even her family doesn’t seem to like her very much. The only time anyone pays attention to her is when stripping her of any self-confidence, or training her to fill a stereotypical role. Her happiness exists in the form of her science fiction stories, an escape that she prays will become a reality. One morning, her mother calls her “Nightingale” and suddenly displays a sweet side that doesn’t quite fit… and June snaps.

She wakes up at Burrow Place Asylum, a place that resembles a mix between the mental institution in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and the psychiatric institution in Shutter Island. The nurses and doctors shatter any remaining hold on reality June held onto, feeding her medication and eliciting visions that she knows can’t be real. Her fellow patients, or captives, warn her to keep a low profile and avoid severe “treatment” that has caused others to disappear. Her roommate, Eleanor, believes herself to be dead but might be the closest thing to a friend in the world.

What starts off as a teen book about a girl seeking to develop her unique identity morphs into a story for any age or gender as the plot drives the reader through unpredictable pathways. When the ride comes to a sudden end, “shocking” is an understatement as a descriptor.

This is definitely a breath of fresh air for YA thrillers. Lukavics knows how to snare readers, pin them down, and scare the living crap out of them– not a simple task these days. Adult readers, especially those who are fans of Sarah Pinborough, shouldn’t let the YA label stop them from picking up this outstanding novel. Highly recommended for mature teen readers ages 15+ and adults.

Contains: gore, violence, mature language.

 

Reviewed by Dave Simms

 

Posted on September 10, 2018 by , Reply

Book Review: We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

We Sold Our Souls by Grady Hendrix

Quirk Books, 2018

ISBN-13: 9781683690122

Available:  hardcover, Kindle ebook, audio CDs

Grady Hendrix’s newest novel presents a modern-day Dr. Faust, framed in the 1990s metal scene, with plenty of band references throughout. Dürt Würk was ready for success until lead singer Terry Hunt decided to set out on a solo career, much to the frustration and anger of his other bandmates. Terry and his new band, Koffin, experienced quick stardom, while his former bandmates and alleged friends lived very different lives in the rural Pennsylvania they all wanted so desperately to escape. Dürt Würk was supposed to offer that deliverance. Terry screwed them all.

Two decades later, former guitarist Kris Pulaski is stuck behind the counter at a Best Western working as a night manager, trapped in a job she despises, but not earning enough money to walk out, let alone get out of town. On top of that, the family home she has occupied since her mother’s death is being sold. She will soon have no place to go. Life is quickly becoming more unbearable after she learns that Koffin will be holding the metal show of metal shows, via billboards and ads constantly being piped through radio stations. All is not well in Metalville, however. When she discovers that Koffin’s fame may have involved the ultimate betrayal, Kris is driven to reunite the rest of the band and confront the man who ruined her life, and career. Her path leads her to murdered friends; a Satanic rehab center; her Viking metal former drummer, JD, whose grasp on reality is tenuous at best; and, finally, to the larger-than-life metal music festival in Las Vegas.

There are parts of this story where you wonder if Kris is insane, or if the things that are happening to and around her are real. She questions her own sanity regularly, which makes me think she is a reliable character. She sees what madness and insanity can do to a person as she is traveling with JD,  after he ventures out of his mother’s house, swears a binding Viking oath to Kris, tosses his medications along the way, and scares the hell out of her in the process. But he is a Viking of his word. He is also probably my favourite character in We Sold Our Souls. Despite, or because of, his mental state, JD is a force to be reckoned with, and he provides her the tools and strength to continue her quest to stop the Blind King and topple Black Iron Mountain. He’s also the only one who believes her, who is not directly involved with the betrayal.

If you’re a metal fan, do yourself a favour and pick up We Sold Our Souls. You’ll love the references and chapter titles. There is plenty for collectors of conspiracy theories (MKUltra anyone?). There is also a strong female lead. Kris kicks a lot of ass along the way. Get this book immediately if you like Hendrix’s other novels. Highly recommended.

Contains: blood, body horror, gore, mental illness

 

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker

Posted on May 30, 2018 by , Reply
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