Fiction – Ring Reads

‘Fever’ a Layered Gothic Novel

The cover of Cape Fever by Naia Davids, on which the title and author are superimposed on what looks like peeling wallpaper, gold in color with branches and birds printed on it.

The growing closeness between Soraya and Mrs. Hattingh seems at first harmless, though this wouldn’t be a very good gothic novel if it stayed that way.

‘Before I Forget’ A Pleasantly Gentle Story of Forgetting

An illustration of a loon on a small bit of blue water is in the center of this otherwise tan-colored cover, which also features the title and author name in hot-pink sans-serif font.

Before I Forget is a sweet, swift read that focuses on the emotions surrounding memory and self, though it shies away from some of the gnarlier aspects of end-of-life caregiving.

‘Murderers’ Blends Horror of Haunted House and Family Reunion

An illustration of two young white men in early-20th century clothing looking concerned and walking away from a large, foreboding mansion. The title, All of Us Murderers, and the author, KJ Charles, are superimposed upon the image.

Murderers was just the kind of book that I didn’t want to put down and go to bed, while also being the kind of book you shouldn’t read at night when the house is dark and quiet and you’re the only one awake. In other words, perfect for spooky season.

‘Bug Hollow’ Gives Its Characters Nuance

The cover of Michelle Huneven's latest novel, Bug Hollow, featuring the title and author over a blurry, 1970s-era picture of a white girl in blue pants and a pink coat sitting in a blue station wagon and presumably her father loading suitcases while a woman walks from a house toward the car.

It’s easy to draw heroes and villains from the members of this family, but nuance is more interesting than caricatures, and Huneven gives each character plenty of shades of gray with little narrative judgement.

‘Lost Souls’ Examines Love and Grief in Many Forms

A large bubblegum-pink moon sits in the background amidst a dark blue sky. Partially covering it are golden clouds and a large cloud-like shape in black that evokes a tear between worlds. In the lower right-hand corner is a small illustration of a bicycle.

Each seeker of these meetings into the afterlife represent relatable facets of grief, and love, letting the book, and reader, consider these emotions in many ways.

‘Doll Parts’ Blends Timelines, Narrators, and Genres

A closeup black-and-white photo of a young white woman with light-colored hair and a lot of mascara looks up at a point somewhere to the right of the cover. The title and author are scrawled across the front in bubblegum pink text.

The mysteries and deaths and drama in Doll Parts are merely details to that time-worn tale of lasting, if not always active, friendship.

‘Orchard’ a Twisty Mystery in Small-Town Appalachia

The cover of The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan, with the title and author in white sans-serif text in the fore of a dark photo of indistinct apples and twigs.

Annie is a delight of a modern-day PI, with all the crustiness and baggage of any private dick in the genre, though Sullivan manages to make her feel more human than trope.

‘Ghost Fish’ a Slim Novel with a Punch

The cover of Ghost Fish, featuring the title above and the author below an image of an orange-ish fish diving into teal-and-orange waters.

Opening up this slim novel gives the feeling of unknowingly sinking into cool, deep water; closing brings you back to the surface, gasping for air.

‘Alchemy’ Is As Sweet As Its Flowers

The cover of The Alchemy of Flowers, featuring a large keyhole containing the title and author name, which is surrounded by dark florals.

Resau’s descriptions are lush, making the scent of jasmine or lavender, the feel of a refreshing stream, or the taste of a character’s cooking almost come off the page (or the phone screen).

Moreno-Garcia’s Latest a ‘Bewitching’ Tale

The cover of The Bewitching, featuring black filigree in the fore of a dark green background. A pale hand tinted green reaches up for a gold bird surrounded by sewing pins. The cover is between hand and bird, also in gold.

The Bewitching expertly weaves the supernatural and the pedestrian together across generations into something rich and haunting in all the best ways.