Castle of the Cursed vs. The Immortal Dark

Remember back in the roaring tenties, aka the 2010s, when two movies would come out and it was like...I mean, these are two versions of the same movie, did one studio pass and then steal the idea while another studio picked up the original? You know what I'm talking about, right? Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman - retellings, but still, same year? No Strings Attached, featuring Natalie Portman and famed rapist-apologist Ashton Kutcher, and Friends with Benefits, featuring dumpster fires Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake? (Per the IMDB trivia, NSA actually tried to title their movie FWB when their original title was rejected and couldn't because...you know, a movie with that exact title and the same plot was coming out a handful of months later...)

Anyhow, I guess this is a thing, they're called Twin Films, movies with similar plots coming out at similar times, which usually would get flagged but every once in a while slips through the cracks. This happens with books too, obviously, and while I always really enjoy reading a book and being like heyyyy I've read something similar to this before, this time I happened to read both books at exactly the same time, and it was a really interesting experience for me so I figured hey, why not blog about it. And here we are.

For starters, personally? These book covers are different variations on the same theme. Similar vibes.

Also, there's an orphaned main character who has lost the last of their known family due to mysterious and probably nefarious circumstances. Both, mostly unwillingly, take a journey to live at a place they find distasteful with an aunt they don't know and don't trust, where both end up allied (tenuously?) with a vampire. Both have lost their native tongue and attempt to relearn it. Both discover their families have complex, mysterious, and dark legacies. Both protagonists are dealing with mental health stuff, with PTSD in the forefront of that stuff.

There's more, but to be honest I thought I had finished this review days ago and foolishly didn't make any notes, so a lot of the more nuanced stuff I'm having trouble remembering and a lot of the less nuanced stuff is spoilers. So I'll just say, interesting experience reading two books that are so similar in overarching plot yet so different in storytelling style. If a person could only read one and asked me for a recommendation, I would say go with Castle of the Cursed if you like things that are mysterious, slightly creepy, but also relatively straightforward when it comes to worldbuilding. Go with The Immortal Dark if you like much more complex, lore-heavy stuff where the book is as much about building the world as it is about advancing the plot. 

What the Woods Took - Courtney Gould

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Devin Green wakes in the middle of the night to find two men in her bedroom. No stranger to a fight, she calls to her foster parents for help, but it soon becomes clear this is a planned abduction - one everyone but Devin signed up for. She's shoved in a van and driven deep into the Idaho woods, where she's dropped off with a cohort of equally confused teens. Finally, two camp counselors inform them that they've all been enrolled in an experimental therapy program. If the campers can learn to change their self-destructive ways - and survive a fifty-day hike through the wilderness - they'll come out the other side as better versions of themselves. Or so the counselors say.

Devin is immediately determined to escape. She's also determined to ignore Sheridan, the cruel-mouthed, lavender-haired bully who mocks every group exercise. But there's something strange about these woods - inhuman faces appearing between the trees, visions of people who shouldn't be there flashing in the leaves - and when the campers wake up to find both counselors missing, therapy becomes the least of their problems. Stranded and left to fend for themselves, the teens quickly realize they'll have to trust each other if they want to survive. But what lies in the woods may not be as dangerous as what the campers are hiding from each other - and if the monsters have their way, no one will leave the woods alive."

 📚📚📚

I've commented many times on here about how I'm not a horror person, but after reading a spate of horror and horror-adjacent books recently (thanks, I guess, Owlcrate), I might have to revise that to say that I'm interested in horror, but only a very specific sliver of the genre. I don't even know what that sliver is, though. Maybe more thriller than horror? Psychological? Whatever subgenre it is, this falls into it. I could not put it down, ended up finishing it in about a day.

For starters, the whole premise of a bunch of teens sent to an ill-fated (aren't they all) wilderness "therapy" retreat hooked me immediately. I used to know someone who worked for one (🤮) and I knew someone who, uh...benefited isn't the word...from being sent to the same one. As far as I heard, neither of them experienced anything supernatural on their retreats, but even hearing about them back then I found the whole concept off-putting. This really cemented that impression.

I mean, for starters, who sends a group of "troubled" teens out into the wilderness for fifty days with adults as outnumbered as these two ill-equipped counselors were? You have five teens, at least one of which was sent there for her "violent outbursts" (are my sarcastic air quotes doing enough work here? I'm not sure), and only two early-20s counselors? Excuse me while I laugh my ass off. I truly don't think Ethan could have held his own against a group of sixth graders, let alone whole-ass teens, so that was an interesting choice. One "counselor" and one "wilderness guide" is in no universe adequate - and perhaps that's one of the many reasons why these retreats fell so out of favor (although they absolutely still fucking exist, I drive past the HQ for one every day on my way to and from work).

Anyway, yeah, premise, strong. Character development? So solid. Starting off, everyone is pretty heavily stereotyping each other, but it's clear from the jump that there's so much we aren't seeing below the surface, and I loved the way those deeper parts of each character came out as things progressed. It was done so naturally, it never felt forced, and the way the characters bonded as more was revealed about them felt very real. I thought it was so well done, letting things unfold together the way they did.

And finally, the inhuman faces appearing in the woods...MY GOD. Psychological warfare, seriously. Things that make the reader question reality is such a tricky line to tow (toe? Fuck, I don't know.). I'm sure some people love being so thoroughly gaslit by the media they're consuming that they have no idea what's up and what's down anymore, but that's not my thing. I do enjoy not being sure what's real and what isn't, but it often goes way too far for me to enjoy. This book?

Truly, just the right amount of questioning reality for me without putting me off of the story. It was enough to keep me on the edge of my seat and make it impossible to put the book down because I had to get to the bottom of things, but not enough for me to give up and decide I didn't care what was happening because it was all too obfuscated. If I didn't keep my nails cut super short for climbing, I would have been biting them off through at least the last half of the book. Masterfully written.

Reboot Rereads - Alex, Approximately

I reviewed this book way back when, in 2020, and gave it five stars. I also mention in the review that reading it back then got me out of a reading slump, so what a coincidence that I chose it this time around for the same reason! I still love it - there are serious moments, but you know when things get rocky that it will all turn out okay, so it's such a comfort read. My appreciation for Grace grows every time I read this, and I really love her dad and how supportive and encouraging he is, as well as Porter's parents, who are both so wonderful. In my first review, I gave bonus points for modeling consent in a very natural way, which I still greatly appreciate, and I also give bonus points for the inclusion of roller derby, even if Jenn Bennet does refer to it as "the derby," which in all my years of roller derby participation I have never heard it referred to as.🤣

Anyway, if you're looking for a light, feel-good read, stop sleeping on Jenn Bennett. Her writing is delightful. Three rereads down, baby! And I've been making fairly steady progress on Not "A Nation of Immigrants," so it seems like the reboot is working!

Reboot Rereads - Emergency Contact

Hahaaaaaaa, I checked to see if I had reviewed this before and was like "whoa, I haven't?!" And then I read the blurb that I wrote when I included it on a book list:

"I double checked whether I had reviewed this book on the blog before, and at first I was a little surprised that I hadn't. Then I realized that of course I haven't reviewed it here, because I don't know what to say. This book is hard to describe, but perfect to read. It's Penny's first year of college, and...that's what it's about. Navigating somewhere new. Learning how to live with roommates, making new friends. Managing your anxiety. It's a book about real life. If you read this one and don't like it, I'm begging you, please don't tell me, because it is probably in my top three favorite books of all time, and I love it so much that it makes me nervous even recommending it."

It's great that after 38 years together, I continue to surprise myself. Anyway, yes, I have not written an actual review of Emergency Contact before, but I have included it on not one but two recommendation lists, so there's that. As quoted above, it's a great story about new experiences, figuring out how to handle anxiety (and depression), and navigating life. While I will note that it came out in 2018 and consequently suffers from an overuse of ableist terms that many of us have since learned are words you shouldn't use, overall the book is still solid and I still greatly enjoyed the story. Do what I do and substitute a different word in your head, and then it totally holds up.

While there's a lot that I adore about this book, one thing that jumped out at me more upon this read than it did in prior reads is the way that our perception of ourselves differs from the way others see us. Sam, for example, hates his body and has a ton of self talk about how ugly he is. Meanwhile, both Penny and Mallory are falling over themselves at how hot he is. Penny tells herself how weird and boring she is, that she's short and her thighs are too big, et cetera. But Sam finds her quick-witted, funny, and beautiful, and a classmate is also into her and asks her out, so clearly her perception of herself isn't true. Watching that all play out is a great reminder that we often are our own harshest critics. It can be easy in a world where we're being inundated with messages about not being good enough to pick ourselves apart, compare ourselves to others, and constantly look for things that are "wrong" with us...but damn, wouldn't it be more fun and a lot less burdensome to try to see the amazing things in ourselves that other people see in us?

Anyway, just something the book made me think about. For the record, if you're reading this, know that I think you're incredible.

The Canyon's Edge - Dusti Bowling

Initial Draw: ☆☆☆☆☆
Character Development: ☆☆☆☆☆
Plot/Writing Style: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Nora's birthday marks the one-year anniversary of the worst day of her life. To distract them both from the memories of the horrible shooting that killed Nora's mom, her dad surprises her with a trip to explore a slot canyon deep in the Arizona desert. But in the twisting, winding depths, the unthinkable happens. Suddenly, Nora finds herself lost,

alone,

at the bottom of a canyon,

in the middle of a desert.

Separated from her supplies, she faces dehydration, venomous scorpions, deadly snakes, and, worst of all, the Beast who has terrorized her dreams for the last year. To save herself and her father, Nora must conquer her fears - and outsmart the canyon's dangers."

Oh my god. This book. It's a bit long for a middle grade book, just over three hundred pages, but after part one (about thirty pages in) it shifts to being a novel written in verse and is a pretty quick read. (I read it in less than a day, but I also could not put it down.) It is a beautiful book - different blends of poetry styles, incorporating images, just...so evocative.

We see a bit of Nora's dad in the book, but for most of it the reader is alone with Nora. Through her reflection and flashbacks, we get to know more about her parents, her best friend, and another woman who was involved in the shooting when Nora lost her mom. I was impressed with how well-developed her friendship with Danielle and her connection with both her parents were, given that we pretty exclusively get to know each of them through Nora's memories. Solid writing.

I was also blown away by the atmosphere Dusti Bowling created in this book. Setting the scene, building up tension and fear, generating a sense of urgency...maybe it's because I spend a lot of time hiking in the desert, just started getting back into rock climbing after not doing it since I was a teenager, and, like Nora, am terrified of heights, but I was biting my nails this entire book. There was one point in particular, after Nora's encounter with a bark scorpion, where I was terrified out of my mind for her. Just incredible. If you, like me, enjoy the occasional stressful surviving-in-nature realistic fiction, I highly recommend picking this one up.

Five Little Indians - Michelle Good

Initial draw: ✰✰✰✰✰

Character development: ✰✰✰✰✰

Plot/Writing style: ✰✰✰✰
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Taken from their families when they are very small and sent to a remote, church-run residential school, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie are barely out of childhood when they are finally released after years of detention.

Alone and without any skills, support or families, the teens find their way to the seedy and foreign world of Downtown Eastside Vancouver, where they cling together, striving to find a place of safety and belonging in a world that doesn't want them. The paths of the five friends cross and crisscross over the decades as they struggle to overcome, or at least forget, the trauma they endured during their years at the Mission.

Fueled by rage and furious with God, Clara finds her way into the dangerous, highly charged world of the American Indian Movement. Maisie internalizes her pain and continually places herself in dangerous situations. Famous for his daring escapes from the school, Kenny can't stop running and moves restlessly from job to job - through fishing grounds, orchards, and logging camps - trying to outrun his memories and his addiction. Lucy finds peace in motherhood and nurtures a secret compulsive disorder as she waits for Kenny to return to the life they once hoped to share together. After almost beating one of his tormentors to death, Howie serves time in prison, then tries once again to re-enter society and begin life anew.

With compassion and insight, Five Little Indians chronicles the desperate quest of these residential school survivors to come to terms with their past and, ultimately, find a way forward."

Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie, and Maisie, although different ages, all overlapped in their time at the residential school each of them was stolen from their families and forced to attend. After helping Howie escape, Kenny manages to get away himself. Howie goes to the United States with his mom to avoid being caught and sent back, and Kenny goes back to his mom's house for a bit before heading out on his own to try to make a living. Clara and Maisie are released before Lucy, so when she finally gets out after turning sixteen, she joins them in Vancouver, where the three work off the books at a seedy hotel for less than minimum wage. Despite the differences in the paths each of them has taken, they are all united in their attempts to process the trauma they experienced while imprisoned at the Mission.

This book pulls you in from the first page. There is no easing the reader into the story - immediately, we find ourselves in the world of these kids, who are being abused in the false name of education (a.k.a. assimilating to colonizer culture) at the hands of religious figures. And while the characters are referred to as men and women after they are released back into the world, don't forget that they are kids. The youngest woman at the start of the story is only sixteen, the other four are not much older, and after being forced to attend residential school and missing out on a real education, they are on their own, trying to process a decade of trauma, and learning how to survive in an unfamiliar world. 

As I'm sure you can piece together, this is not a light or an easy read, but it is an important one. It bravely shines a light on something that white history has tried to pretend never happened and spotlights the resiliency and courage of the families and children who were torn apart by their government - resiliency and courage they should never have had to develop. I strongly recommend that you read this book, particularly if you are unfamiliar with the history of residential schools in the United States and Canada.

Alex, Approximately - Jenn Bennett

 My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"Classic movie fan Bailey "Mink" Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush. Faced with doubts (what if he's a creep in real life - or worse?), Baily doesn't tell Alex she's moved to his hometown. Or that she's landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she's being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth - a.k.a.  her new arch nemesis. 

But life is a whole lot messier than in the movies, especially when Bailey discovers those tricky fine lines dividing hate, love, and whatever it is she's starting to feel for Porter. And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex...Approximately."

Our story starts off with an online exchange between Alex and Mink where Alex invites Mink to fly out to California over the summer and join him for his town's annual film festival. Mink brushes it off and jokes about considering, but all the while, in the wake of her mom's bitter divorce from her stepdad, she is actually moving to that very town to live with her dad, a sci-fi loving accountant who I could not possibly adore more. As noted in the summary, Mink, better known by most as Bailey, is reluctant to tell Alex that she is coming because regardless of how well they get along, she has no way of knowing whether he is who he says he is, and after a bad experience several years ago, she is cautious about who she trusts and what information she shares with strangers. (Good call, Mink! Always better to be safe than sorry.)

So...Bailey arrives in sunny Coronado Cove and promptly begins her search for Alex, relying on the few clues she has to where she might find him. Her search time, unfortunately, is limited by her summer job at The Cavern Palace, a museum better known by locals as "The Cave." Her first day comes with highs and lows - high, she meets gregarious, foul-mouthed Grace Achebe, and the two become fast friends; low, she has her second run-in with Porter Roth, grandson of local surfing legend Pennywise Roth, and as far as Bailey can tell, a complete and utter douchebag. The two butt heads immediately, and Bailey is certain working with him will make her time at The Cave unbearable. But the more time they spend together, the more Bailey realizes that there's an odd sort of compatibility to their bickering. And that she might actually look forward to their regular sparring sessions.

As Bailey and Porter start spending more time together, her search for Alex shifts to the back burner. At first she feels guilty, but he's pretty much ghosted her right back, so does it even matter that she never told him she was coming to California? After all, she and Alex got along online, sure, but an anonymous internet friendship can't compete with what she feels for Porter in real life. Can't get too comfortable, though, because of course things can't stay perfect for long...

Ultimately, this is one of those books where you know from the first page that things are going to end up all right and you're totally fine with that. It's a light read, a happy ending, and the type of feel-good story that many of us need right now. Bonus, it's super quick, so if you've been in a reading slump (like I may have been this week), it's a good one to dive into and shake the reading doldrums off. Read and be happy, my friends. (Also, bonus points for excellent modeling of what consent should look like!)

Someone I Used to Know - Patty Blount

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the cover:

"TRIGGER WARNING: Boys will be boys is never an excuse.

It’s been two years since the night that changed Ashley’s life. Two years since she was raped by her brother’s teammate. And a year since she sat in a court and watched as he was given a slap-on-the-wrist sentence. But the years have done nothing to stop the pain or lessen the crippling panic attacks that make her feel like she’s living a half-life.

It’s been two years of hell for Derek. His family is totally messed up and he and his sister are barely speaking. He knows she partially blames him for what happened, and totally blames him for how he handled the aftermath. Now at college, he has to come to terms with what happened, and the rape culture that he was inadvertently a part of that destroyed his sister’s life. 

When it all comes to a head at Thanksgiving, Derek and Ashley have to decide if their relationship is able to be saved. And if their family can ever be whole again."

Oof, this book. This is a difficult topic to write about, but it's so important when it comes to opening a dialogue to have stories like this out there, and while it feels weird to read a book about a 14-year-old being raped and say "this book is important, and everyone needs to read it," well...this book is important. And everyone needs to read it.

The use of dual narrators, telling the story from both Ashley and Derek's perspectives, was an excellent approach. As Derek and his friends learn, it can't just be women, male victims, or people with sisters/wives/daughters fighting this fight...men with no other stake in the game besides a desire to be a good person need to become allies, and what better way to help young men along that path than to give them a role model like Derek? Watching Derek grapple with his mistakes was almost as painful as reading Ashley's story, but it was also inspiring to see him learn from them, ask questions, and start to become a better, stronger person. We need more narratives like his in the world.

With Ashley's story, the court excerpts at the start of chapters were a punch to the gut, and they help the reader right away to get into Ashley's head and try to feel what she was and is still feeling. Her chapters were hard to read at times, but they should be hard to read. I don't want to meet the person who reads this book and doesn't struggle through it. 

One thing that really hit me hard was her realization that there is no justice. No matter what happens, nothing is going to fix what happened to her. She will always have to live with it, it will always be a struggle, and nothing about that is just or fair. Another heartbreaking piece of her narrative was the question of why the bright future of a high school football player was more important than her bright future. That is a narrative that is spun so often in cases like this...look at Brock Turner as a real-world example. He's so talented, he has such a bright future, something like this shouldn't define the rest of his life! But...it's fine that it will define the rest of his victim's life? He chose this, they didn't. Nothing about that is acceptable, and the fact that so many people don't even think about the victim in cases like this is disheartening.

Ultimately, I think what makes this book most important is that nothing about it felt like fiction to me. Every word, every experience was real. Ashley, Derek, and their family may be made up, Vic may not have ever existed, but the things that happened to them have happened to other people. Do happen to other people, every day. Read this book, then share it with someone you know. Build more allies. Put less pressure on women to attempt to police the behaviors of others and shift that responsibility where it belongs. Books like this can help change the world.