Review: “The Sun Down Motel”

“The Sun Down Motel” by Simone St. James was all over my Instagram feed last year, so I finally gave in and read it. It was … OK.

The premise is interesting. Carly travels to upstate New York to find out what happened to her aunt, Vivian, 35 years ago. Vivian, the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel, went missing during the middle of her shift. After Carly’s mother dies, the young woman uproots herself to move to Fell, NY, to solve this family cold case. Oh. And the motel is SUPER haunted.

This book was a struggle for me. It’s written in an unconventional format. The perspective shifts between first-person (when told from Carly’s point of view) and third-person (when told from Viv’s point of view). The perspective flipping is complicated even more as we hop from past to present and back again. I found it to be a little disorienting and hard to follow at times.

I did really like the mystery that spanned decades. Did Viv run away? Was she murdered? Is her disappearance connected to a string of other murders in the area? The murder-mystery thread that connects our protagonists definitely kept me on my toes.

Which is why I don’t understand the ghosts? The primary plot is enough on its own, so the addition of the supernatural element seemed … too much. The potential serial killer and the nearly abandoned motel are creepy and unnerving enough. Throwing in ghosts was unnecessary. The only reason for the haunting, in my opinion, is to propel readers through the ending in a haphazard attempt to fill in plot holes.

That being said, however, I didn’t hate this book. If you’re looking for a creepy, female-driven mystery, “The Sun Down Motel” checks that box.

3 out of 5 stars

Review: “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires”

Y’all know I love a good horror story. Typically, stories focus on one central terror with maybe a social issue or two highlighted if the author is any level of “woke.” Grady Hendrix is not a typical author, and “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is not a typical horror story.

I don’t know how Hendrix managed to stuff some of my worst fears in a single story, but he did. The novel centers on Patricia Campbell – a wife and mother doing her best to be a “good Southern woman” in Mount Pleasant, S.C. … in the early 90s. That scenario alone is enough to give me anxiety and palpitations.

The societal judgment and expectations placed on women during the 90s was incredibly unrealistic, and it was downright horrific for Southern women. Throw in a hefty dose of classism and racism, you this book is already a horror show. But did I mention the vampire-like creature preying on children in a poor, black neighborhood. Y’all … Y’ALL!

I enjoyed this book. I really did. It was a great suburban horror. But I definitely had more than one moment where I had to put it down and step away from it.

CONTENT WARNING: There are instances of sexual assault, involuntary institutionalization and child harm in this book. Hendrix handles them carefully and does not include these scenes in a way that feels frivolous or gratuitous. They are integral to the plot and are part of what make this a horror story. That being said, if that isn’t your jam, you might want to skip this read.

This is one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in a long time – and I narrate horror fiction! If you’re a horror fan, definitely pick up “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” … and read at your own risk.

4 out of 5 stars

Review: “The Cheerleaders”

Yo! Teenagers today are living live I couldn’t even FATHOM when I was a lowercase B. Seriously, how do they find time to infuse that much drama into their day-to-day? Are y’all OK?

Let’s go ahead and start with a CONTENT WARNING. Kara Thomas’ “The Cheerleaders” might be a young adult novel, but it deals with some seriously mature topics, including murder, suicide and abortion. The kids in this story most definitely are not alright.

At the center of Thomas’ novel is high schooler Monica, who is struggling with current emotional trauma that rips open the wound made by her sister’s apparent suicide five years earlier as well as the deaths of her sister’s four closest friends – all cheerleaders. Things only get more confusing and emotionally raw when Monica discovers the man who was blamed for the murder of two of the cheerleaders might have been innocent and that she might be in danger if the real killer finds out she knows the truth.

Confused? Yeah, I know. It’s a lot to grasp for a teen thriller, but it’s not as convoluted as I’m likely making it sound.

The story is told mostly from Monica’s perspective, with occasional flashbacks to her sister, Jenn’s, point of view. Surprisingly, I dig this approach because it helps piece the mysterious puzzle together and shows how similar yet vastly different Monica and Jean are.

One thing I wasn’t so keen on was the predictability of the progression of the story. I know, I know. I’m one of those people who’s always trying to figure out the plot twist before the big reveal. But I know I’m not the only one who saw the ending coming fore I hit the halfway point of the novel.

All in all, “The Cheerleaders” is a decent, fun read … especially if you’re looking for a distraction everyday life.

3 out of 5 stars

Review: “The Guest List”

Clearly, I need to get invited to more English/Irish weddings because that shit is WILD!

In fact, the wildness was one of the things that stuck out to me about Lucy Foley’s writing. I loved the primal language she used to describe the dudes in this book, especially when they get together and talk about their boarding school days. It’s raw and animalistic and definitely adds to the danger and suspense.

Foley’s story takes us to a remote Irish island for the exclusive wedding of an influential blogger and a reality show star. This would not be the kind of story that typically draws me in. Add a layer of homicide, however, and I’m sold.

Also, y’all know I love a story told from multiple perspectives … if it’s done well. Foley nailed it. Her story is told from several of the characters’ perspectives. Each character narrative has a distinct voice and personality, which made it easy to track whose perspective I was following while keeping on my toes.

There were a few things I wasn’t super hyped about, though. Things felt a little too neatly connected, in a way that made the reveals toward the end a bit predictable. Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I even had a few “Oooooh, GIRL!” moments. But the way certain plot points tied together just seemed a little too convenient.

Overall, I recommend “The Guest List.” The writing is clean and clever. The story is wicked compelling. You can easily devour this in a single sitting.

4 stars