Books like Hungerstone

Some horror books manage to create a sense of dread that builds slowly over time, dropping little clues and breadcrumbs for the reader along the way, hinting at the horror just around the bend. Other books keep their secrets. If you’re a Devil Wears Prada fan, you will enjoy the trope of “new employee is completely disgusted by the lifestyle & culture modeled by their co-workers but eventually find themselves adapting to the point of getting sucked into it and believing in it.”

I also enjoyed the sapphic longing and desire that developed between some of the main characters. This works in tandem with the complexity of the story and the growing tension. I will not spoil the direction of the storyline and what ultimately makes this book land squarely in the horror genre, but I will say, it does not disappoint.

A well-crafted debut from Ling Ling Huang. This… show more.

Perfect for horror readers who enjoy a narrative that is easy to settle into (the pages fly by), enjoy elements of dark fantasy with rich, opulent settings, and anything to do with blood, not necessarily vampires, but vampire-like activity.

The “rags-to-riches” storyline is so satisfying, I was physically dying for the MC to get to her new home, take a bath, get a makeover, and sink into a pretty & comfy bed. I loved this book so much; it delivered on everything, including my infatuation with reading about female friendships, toxicity, jealousy, and rivalry. Also, quite a bit of sapphic romance, which is a breath of fresh air in horror, filled with stale same-sex relationships or no romance at all.

This book weaves a slow-burning romance between two rough-around-the-edges characters drawn together by their investment in a crumbling, haunted mansion and the weight of all its secrets. The tension between them simmers beneath every interaction, and I found it undeniably magnetic.

Harrow balances a ghost story, survival in the face of financial insecurity, and unchecked capitalism in a small Kentucky town. I enjoyed the blending of gothic atmosphere in a modern setting and crafting a love story that grows slowly over time instead of an insta-romance. 

Isabel Cañas leans into romance and historical fiction, delivering a slow-burn, Gothic tale of passionate lovers caught between the horrors of war and supernatural terror. The romantic tension generated from the cat-and-mouse dynamic between Néstor and Nina pairs perfectly with the predatory hunt of the vampires.

The monsters are unique, scary, and absolutely worth the price of admission. Cañas knows how to balance the horror with vivid, bloody intensity and the romance at the same time. An atmospheric, scenic follow-up to the Hacienda that hits the sweet spot for readers craving tender romance wrapped in historical horror.

So far I’ve recommended books that I read over and over again because I’ve enjoyed them so much.

This time I am recommending a book which has only recently come out, but which has really impressed me with the clarity of the writing, the interesting story, and the convincing historical details.

And, of course, a hero who is just a little bit out of the ordinary, who marries his childhood friend in order to inherit enough money to save his property, and slowly learns that she is the only woman he could ever truly love. (sigh)

Steven Price creates a vision of crumbling palaces and waning tradition in this lush novel, and it’s a joy to lose oneself in its wistful poetry.

Set in post-WWII Sicily, this is the true story of an island’s last prince who is desperate to leave a legacy in a world that has already forgotten him. Every page is heavy with loss and longing—I found myself mourning a world that no longer existed, the decadent realm of Italian aristocrats that was shattered by the war, even though I didn’t identify with anything that world stood for. What I could understand, though, was the prince’s desire to create something beautiful among the waste, something that would outlive him. 

More Italy here, Sicily this time, and set in the middle of the 19th century.

Again, I love reading about other important political eras, and really enjoy the beautiful prose and light ironic sense of humor. One of my favorite books, all-time. Gorgeous writing and the lightness of the scenes betray the seriousness of the era.

This was the point when Italy was unifying, and the main character of the novel is about to lose his exalted status as one of the great princes of Sicily. You feel for the man, even with his many flaws, and I love books where I’m engaged in the story but also learning a lot about history at the same time.

I hated having to put this book down to sleep, go to work, go back to work, eat, or whatever. I love Heyer's humor. After reading the book many, many times for its warm, feel-good story, I still laugh at some of the predicaments Frederica's adventurous young siblings fall into. And Endymion Dauntry, her silly sister’s cork-brained beau! 

Her writing style is polished and the dialogue is witty. The love interest is believable as is not always the case with romance novels. Accuracy in detail and depiction of the period is important to me, too, and Heyer delivers it. The story is engaging and fun without being silly, and as it’s an older book, it’s free of tedious sex scenes. It’s a feel-good story.

This is another “aftermath of the Russian Revolution” book that I was deeply moved by.

While reading about the aristocrats who decided to leave Russia, I felt totally on the same page with them when it came to missing my family and friends left behind and the little things about the place I grew up in. But even more so, I was stirred by the chapters about those of their family members who decided to stay in Russia – and most of them did not end well, courtesy of the Bolsheviks. I kept screaming into the pages: “Leave, leave while you can!”

This book reconnected me to a chapter in history that is often obliterated – and the people who had been made “former," non-existent, both physically and in historical memory. 

Although I primarily read contemporary romance, I love historical stories. Mary Balogh is one of the queens of the genre. For anyone who has fallen into the Bridgerton Netflix mania, Mary’s writing evokes the feeling of that time period: so many rules for the nobility and so many people who dare not fall in love or risk a lifetime of pain.

In this book, the couple is certainly not a suitable match. Even in their friendship, there is risk. I loved the way the stakes built up, and I also enjoyed the slow unraveling of a childhood secret that was destined to destroy any chance of happiness for the two main characters.