Brother by Ania Ahlborn + a Giveaway

As part of my continued efforts to binge read as much horror as I can in the days leading up to Halloween, yesterday I burrowed in with a copy of Ania Ahlborn's latest, Brother. I've not yet quite recovered.

I'm going to head this up by saying that in spite of what you read below, Brother is quite good. Ahlborn's got a serious talent for horror and any genre fan should definitely check her work out. I do have a copy of Brother to give away today so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter at the end of the post if you're interested in getting your name in the running.

Michael doesn't really fit in with the Morrows, but he does know his place. Don't upset Momma and do everything Reb says and he'll be ok. Maybe. 

When Michael meets Alice, he finds himself falling for a girl for the first time. And as Alice dreams of leaving behind Dahlia, she makes Michael consider escaping the Morrows for the first time. But Reb has other plans for Michael. Plans that don't include his leaving the Morrows. Ever. 

I've been debating how much to say about this book, but considering I found out what it was really about from other reviewers I guess it's not too spoilery to go ahead and tell you this is a book about cannibals.

Yep, you heard right. Cannibals. Never my favorite horror subject matter, but since it's Ania Ahlborn I didn't let it deter me. I think one of the reasons I generally stay away from cannibal horror is that it's a bit too... human. I can see it happening more easily than a lot of the other horror fodder and I find it more disturbing as a result.

And Brother is definitely disturbing.

Ahlborn reels you in with Michael, letting you get to know him and his story. He's not really a bad guy, but he's been raised into an impossible situation. And the focus is more on him as a character and his arc than the overall eating human flesh thing.

And then there's Reb. Reb's story we get via flashbacks interspersed between the present day narrative. Reb, like Michael, turns out to be more gray than black and white. In fact, he turns this story from a clear cut horror tale into a bit of a family drama. (In actuality, the when and the exact why behind this family's weird food issues are never really laid out. It's a framework, a really twisted framework!)

We all know that there are houses that hold secrets. Kids growing up in families that hide awful stories. I'm not saying I think any of my neighbors are serial killing cannibals but I am saying that Ahlborn has taken something familiar to us all and wrapped it up in a gory little package that fits neatly into genre reading. It's quiet well done, too.

Horror should shake you up, readers, and Brother does just that. You can consider me pretty amply shaken :)

I would say as well that you shouldn't pass up Ahlborn's acknowledgements. She does specifically refer to the movie that inspired this and it's likely not the one you think it is. You know, in case you want to continue the... fun.

Rating: 4/5

And now for the giveaway. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, November 9. (US only please.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Pretty Ones by Ania Ahlborn

I'm going to go ahead and declare today Ania Ahlborn day on the blog! And I'm kicking things off with a novella review first (followed by a review of Brother).

It's 1977 and the Son of Sam is stalking the city. Nell Sullivan isn't worried, though. She has more immediate problems. 

Nell is quiet and keeps to herself, mostly out of a need for survival. The office girls aren't welcoming. In fact, Nell finds herself being bullied by the worst one of them all. But at least she has her brother. And a new friend. And as the city braces itself for more killings, Nell begins to break out of her shell. 

This was a fun little story! I mean, it's set during the Son of Sam killings so you've got a built in tense atmosphere. Then you've got poor, downtrodden Nell.

Nell lives alone in the city with her brother. Her brother is the charismatic one, the one people like. But her brother doesn't work, so it's up to Nell to pay the rent. Which is why she's stayed at Rambert & Bertram in spite of the fact that her co workers are making her miserable.

It's not just that they go out for after work drinks and don't invite her along. It's that the so-called pretty girls are outright catty and mean to Nell. Her brother Barrett says it doesn't matter, Nell has him and that's all she needs. But Nell longs for a connection beyond Barrett! Nell wants a friend.

So when one of her co workers offers a sliver of hope in that regard, Nell pounces.

Of course this is an Ania Ahlborn tale so you know things aren't going to end well. The surprise is in the turn the story takes, though, making The Pretty Ones a great little addition to Ahlborn's list of works.

If you haven't yet read Ahlborn, this is a good one to start with. You'll get a nice taste of her style, but you should know that this is in some ways a bit of a tame story for Ahlborn, at least compared to, oh I don't know, Brother.

Rating: 4/5

The Neighbors by Ania Ahlborn

Ania Ahlborn seems to be the next great thing in the horror world. Her debut, Seed, has been getting nothing but great reviews and now her latest, The Neighbors, has hit shelves as well.

Andrew Morrison has had enough. After taking care of his mom for years, it's become too much to handle. Now he's moved out and found a place rooming with his old friend, Mickey Fitch. At first, Drew is a bit disappointed to see that the house is kind of a dump. Not to be deterred, he quickly decides that a good cleaning will improve the situation vastly. He and Mickey seem to be getting along great and the neighbors are friendly and welcoming. Or maybe just a little too friendly and welcoming. Red and Harlow Ward open their arms and the door to Drew, inviting him to dinner, bringing him cookies, and even offering him a job. But they have twisted plans for their new neighbor. 

Creepy!

I think my favorite thing about this book is the fact that Ahlborn seems to know just when to pull back with the detail. This could easily have been an incredible gore fest of a book, but Ahlborn reigns it in just a bit, leaving some of the horror to the reader's imagination. Trust me, there's still plenty of detail and violence provided, but it's that little extra bit that forces your brain go into its darkest corners and makes the book that much scarier.

The Neighbors is a quick read, but one that packs a punch!