Writers of Color 50 Books Challenge

Every time Molly bleeds, a murder follows. That was the hook that got me to read this book, and I'm so glad I did. I loved Molly, her pragmatic way of dealing with her predicament and her longing for a different life. I loved her father and especially her strange and secretive mother. I loved Molly's take-no-prisoners attitude to university, which reminded me irresistibly of Helen Oyeyemi's White is for Witching, another modern Gothic novel I adored. I came for the uncanny and stayed for the unexpectedly wrenching.

She spends weeks just sitting in the front room reading a pile of books she has wanted to read forever. She does not mind that she cannot feel anything—she is not ready to deal with her heart yet.

To my delight, this is the first of a series, and has already been optioned for a film. I'm seriously impressed with the quality of what Tor.com has been publishing this year. Novella-length works were obviously way overdue for a revival. (In other news, I have another 24 hours of Dhalgren to get through on Audible, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.)