1/25/26 - Christina Critiques

THE NIGHT SHIP

By: Alex Woodroe

Release: 1/20/26

Page count: 224

KU: No         Hoopla: TBD

Synopsis: A woman and her boyfriend set off in a semi-truck for a run of the mill delivery. Oh, but the end of the world gets in the way.

First line: “When darkness fell over the world, only Rosi witnessed its arrival.”

Favorite lines: “This feels like a strange sort of hell, like they came up with new circles since the last time anyone visited.”

“What‘s the sound of being alone?””’A good man’ was such a relative term, it depended entirely on the speaker. In the wrong mouth it could be the worst thing anyone could say.”

Thoughts: A modern day retelling of THE ODYSSEY but in a semi-truck and make it Lovecraftian and sapphic all the while - for food, water, etc. - playing the Floor is Lava. What’s the lava? The infinite abyss that feeds off of humans.Brilliant, relevant, and one not to be missed. This will be on many Top Ten lists of 2026 no doubt.

Rating: 6/5

Other recommendations: WHISPERWOOD

Find it here: https://a.co/d/cn0TEFR

NIGHT UNDERGROUND

By: Brian Bowyer

Release: 1/1/26

Page count: 115

KU: Yes        Hoopla: No

Synopsis: Chloe is having one hell of a life at fifteen - a slut for a mom, a boyfriend who is non-confrontational, and a married man seven years older. She just wants to leave but life has other plans.

First line: “Chloe drank whiskey in her bedroom, trying to ignore the sounds of her mother having sex with another woman in the bedroom down the hall.”

Favorite line: “If we don’t die soon, we should have sex on top of a skyscraper, and then swan dive so we can join our master in Hell.”

Thoughts: Bowyer somehow, in every story he writes, presses on the metaphorical gas peddle and doesn’t let up until the gas tank reads E. This novella is so interconnected, gritty, bleak, and downright bloody - the reader cannot keep up with the gasp worthy twists that they will never see coming.

Rating: 5/5

Other recommendations: GRINDING ROAD, PERPETUAL DREAD

Find it here: https://a.co/d/469q9KC

AMONG CORPSES OF PATRIARCHS: A Short Story Collection

By: Chuck Buda

Release: 6/28/25

Page count: 407

KU: Yes       Hoopla: No

Synopsis: Twenty-seven stories that range from Lovecraftian mythos and gold seekers to zombies and pretentious husbands.

First line: “The knocking was subtle, but it was enough to wake Craig from his slumber.”

Favorite line: “RJ, words are like bones. They can be broken.”

Thoughts: Wow. Look, I love Buda’s writing, there’s no denying it with his westerns but he can write short stories too?! Double threat! Each story is so incredibly unique - especially the mother/son story. (Shivers) Definitely a top five collection I’ve ever read. There’s just something and nostalgic about these stories (minus the mother/son). Pick this collection up as soon as you can. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 6/5

Other recommendations: TOMBSTONE TAYLOR trilogy and PERRY BLACKBURN series

Find it here: https://a.co/d/3nzLI1l