7-20-25 — Christina Critiques (A Special Review and SPA Nominations Part 4)
- Christina Pfeiffer
- Jul 20
- 3 min read
Disclaimer: WRECKS AND VIOLETS WILL BE REVIEWED NEXT WEEK WITH THE NOVELS
There’s too much to get to.
Let’s just start with…
SPECIAL EARLY REVIEW
MY EYES ARE JUST HOLOGRAMS
By: John Boden
Release: 7/22/25
Page count: 75
KU: TBD Hoopla: TBD
Synopsis: Sixty poems ranging from heart-aching need and animalistic lust to soul-crushing rejection and inescapable fear.
First line: “Seven cold fingers/…”
Favorite lines: “He gets his fingers around her neck/a duet of/evil…”
“… speaking in fire drill…”
“… the weight of words/the whip of wisdom…”
“… I will eat myself before/sharing you with the world.”
Thoughts: Oh, these words of Boden’s. The way he is able to cause me to stop and actually act out the imagery (especially anything to do with the hands) makes the imagery so much more vivid. This is a visceral barrage of unflinching examinations apropos of love, heartache, and lust. With the lyrical rhythm of Lord Byron and the cruel honesty of Bukowski, Boden proves yet again that he is in a poetic class of his own.
Rating: 6/5
Other recommendations: SNARL, THRIFT STORE PUZZLES
Preorder here: https://a.co/d/562tVNf
SPA BEST COLLECTION NOMINEES
THIS SKIN WAS MINE AND OTHER DISTURBANCES
By: Eric LaRocca
Release: 4/2/24
Page count: 213
KU: No Hoopla: Yes - audiobook only
Synopsis: Four stories about the vulnerability of the around and often within us.
First line: “The worst thing a person can do to you after they’ve hurt you is let you live.”
Favorite line: “I’ve learned that if you want someone to truly suffer, let them live.”
Thoughts: Can LaRocca write just one bad story for once? Christ on a cracker, lol. The twists alone in these stories are superior to 99.99% of the short story writers right now. My favorite story was “Prickle”. The gasp I gasped had to be heard from Alaska.
Rating: 5/5
Other Recommendations: WRETCHED, THERE WERE HERE BEFORE US
Order here: https://a.co/d/bfQW206
GOLD & GORE
By: Candace Nola
Release: 11/30/24
Page count: 214
KU: No Hoopla: No
Synopsis: Ten stories that will satisfy any horror craving you may have.
First line: “‘How long has she been here?’ Father Brantley inquired as the nun ushered him along the basement.”
Favorite line: “Where was his wife?”
Thoughts: This collection showcases Nola’s range perfectly. A vengeful demon and revenge against a husband and his mother, to a story you will be begging for silence after. My new favorite story is “Murder in the Dell”. It’s completely different from anything else Candace has done before.
Rating: 6/5
Other Recommendations: DESPERATE WISHES, THE UNICORN KILLER
Order here: https://a.co/d/7qcIz88
EVERY NIGHT IN THE BONE ORCHARD: DARK STORIES
By: Judith Sonnet
Release: 11/11/24
Page count: 137
KU: Yes Hoopla: No
Synopsis: Eight stories ranging from heartbreaking to the grotesque.
First line: “She inherited this hyper-specific rage from her father.”
Favorite line: “You’re going to het us in a wreck someday!”
Thoughts: The second best short story Sonnet has ever written is in this collection - “A Taste of It.” It will stay with you long after you have finished it. The other stories just fall a bit below the bar set with the above mentioned story.
Rating: 3.5/5
Other recommendations: THE HOME, SUMMER NEVER ENDS
Order here: https://a.co/d/4NYklXB
SUCKING CHEST WOUND
By: Daniel J. Volpe
Release: 2024
Page count: 325
KU: No Hoopla: No
Synopsis: Eleven stories that include: a serial killer on the run, individuals with very particular tastes, and cabins in the woods.
First line: “The cops had dogs with them, Andy fucking hated dogs.”
Favorite line: “Okay, you’re in charge, big man.”
Thoughts: I was super impressed with the collection. A very diverse (and let’s be honest perverse) set of short stories. Standouts were: “Sucking Chest Wound”, “Strawberry Shortcake”, and “Lost Girl, Found Dog”.
Rating: 4.5/5
Other recommendations: TALIA, TALIA 2
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