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A Chilling Halloween Read: Mexican Gothic

28 Oct

So with Halloween close upon us, it’s about the time that many of us start seeking out reads that will send a chill up our spines, something that makes us stay up at night or look over our shoulder. There are quite a few different types of horror one can explore and for many, they may want something with a gothic, creepy feel rather than something that’s filled with gore.

That’s where Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia comes in. After receiving a desperate letter from her newly wed cousin, Catalina, Naomi Taboada heads out to High Place, an ancient English Mansion in the center of the Mexican countryside to investigate and bring Catalina home. From the moment she arrives, everything about High Place unsettles her, from the manor itself to the members of the Doyle family that live within, save one, the gentle and shy Francis Doyle, brother to Catalina’s husband.

Through the book, we are woven a narrative of dark family secrets, ghosts that roam the halls, and everything one would look for in a gothic-horror novel. The fear factor slowly creeps in on you with well crafted prose and pulls you into a world that keeps you looking over your shoulder. While a good chunk of the novel is spent focused on the creepier side of things, there are parts that will bring in blood, its handled in a way that doesn’t come of as merely shock factor.

So if you’re looking for something spooky to read to put you in the mood for Halloween or the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos, Mexican Gothic is one that is highly recommended. It is available as ebooks and digital audiobooks from eLibraryNJ and eBCCLS!

Written By:
Lauren Lapinski
Circulation Assistant

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A Chilling Thriller: The Sundown Motel

19 Aug

While we all try to survive the summer staying cool, especially during this unusual time, many of us may find different ways to get that much needed chill. For some, it’ll be enjoying breeze of their air conditioner and for others, it’s the chill that comes with a good horror story. A good ghost story knows when do deliver just the right amount of chill to the reader and still deliver a tale of terror. This is where The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James comes in. 

We have two different narratives set in two different time periods, each one centering around one particular building, the book’s namesake, The Sun Down Motel. Both of these narratives have strings that tie them together. First we have Viv Delaney, in 1982, who takes a job at the Sun Down after leaving home; she begins to look into a series of murders following the discovery of the motel’s haunted secrets. Second, we have Carly Kirk, in 2017, who is investigating the disappearance of her Aunt Viv, whose last known location was the Sun Down Motel. 

The narrative story telling for both of these parts is done well, both women have their own distinct voices while also having the similarity that ties them together as family. While that aspect of the story shines, there are some parts of the tail horror fans may find disappointing. We get only some parts with the actual ghosts haunting the motel, with other plot threads that just seem to be there rather than actually go anywhere and a good chunk of the ending that happens off screen instead of the characters actually being present for. The rest of the ending feels rushed and makes you wonder if the author had missed a deadline or two. Overall, while an excellent thriller, it lacks in the spooks department and may not be the story horror fans are looking for. If you are someone who enjoys a good thriller, this one may be for you.

Written By:
Lauren Lapinski
Circulation Assistant

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