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Book Review: Hijacked, by M.C. Stokes

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Cover art for Hijacked, by MC Stokes

Samantha’s mind was taken over by Arya.

Arya makes her suicidal, drowns her in depression, plagues her with anxiety, and destroys her with self-harm.

At seventeen, she’s released from being institutionalized after her second attempted suicide. She’s going to try one last time to get her mind back. If she doesn’t succeed, she’ll die by her own hand.

In the beginning, I was equal parts frustrated by Sam’s inability to fight back against Arya and trapped in a state of deep empathy for her as she struggled to overtake her illness and live a good life. As someone who lives with a similar mental illness, I related very heavily to much that Sam experiences. Like Sam, I have a history of unhealthy coping mechanisms and social isolation. It was so hard to see myself mirrored in someone else, someone seemingly hijacked and paralyzed by their depression and suicidal thoughts and tendencies.

Yet, the unique thing about Hijacked is that it is truly a story of hope. While many books opt for the realism of the situation that many of us living with severe mental illness face, Hijacked instead aims to show us what our lives could be like. That is evident in everything from her supportive friendships, nonjudgmental and concerned peers, and her doting love interest. Of course, not everything is smooth sailing or it wouldn’t be a very good story, but what stands out the most is how incredibly different Sam is after receiving some understanding from the people in her life. People who educate themselves on her illness, who seek to help and love her even when she pushes them away.

At first, I struggled with the lack of realism in this story. I found myself slightly envious of all the things that I’ve never had – that, truthfully, most of us that live with serious illness have never had – and how ungrateful Sam seemed for all the things she was too mired in depression to see. Still, if you transported a teen me into Sam’s life, I don’t see myself doing any better at noticing everything good around me than she does.

That’s the beauty of fiction, though, isn’t it? It can be a mirror we hold up to society to reflect its own ugliness, or it can be used to show us a world of endless possibility. Sometimes, it can do both at once.

I hope that this story inspires those who read it to treat their loved ones with kindness, empathy, and compassion. As M.C. Stokes shows us, this can be life-altering and life-saving.

Overall, I saw so much of myself in Sam and her struggle with Arya, despite not seeing much of my life story throughout the book. I think that it tells an amazing story of love, kindness, and hope, and I would definitely recommend it.

This is definitely a 5-star must-read!

Book News: Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix

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Book news on After Midnight Book Reviews

There’s power in a book…

They call them wayward girls. Loose girls. Girls who grew up too fast. And they’re sent to Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida, where unwed mothers are hidden by their families to have their babies in secret, to give them up for adoption, and most important of all, to forget any of it ever happened.

Fifteen-year-old Fern arrives at the home in the sweltering summer of 1970, pregnant, terrified and alone. Under the watchful eye of the stern Miss Wellwood, she meets a dozen other girls in the same predicament. There’s Rose, a hippie who insists she’s going to find a way to keep her baby and escape to a commune. And Zinnia, a budding musician who plans to marry her baby’s father. And Holly, a wisp of a girl, barely fourteen, mute and pregnant by no-one-knows-who.

Everything the girls eat, every moment of their waking day, and everything they’re allowed to talk about is strictly controlled by adults who claim they know what’s best for them. Then Fern meets a librarian who gives her an occult book about witchcraft, and power is in the hands of the girls for the first time in their lives. But power can destroy as easily as it creates, and it’s never given freely. There’s always a price to be paid…and it’s usually paid in blood.

In Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, the author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).

Cover art for Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

My first introduction to Grady Hendrix was through the Creature Feature collection on Amazon. I liked his writing style. Of course, I’ve heard of many of his books before. I’ve just never heard of any that piqued my interest in this way.

Hendrix accredits some of the inspiration for this story to a dark chapter in his family history, where two of his relatives were sent to homes for wayward girls to give birth and then give up their babies. He further states that he put extensive research into the novel to make it as realistic as possible, talking to everyone from an OB/GYN to police and social workers from the time period.

Here are some snippets of what his fellow authors are saying:

“Grady Hendrix again brings to life a fully realized ensemble of characters who you’ll cry with and root for while deftly molding the historical novel, the supernatural, and gritty, all-too real life horrors into a morally complex and genuinely haunting and moving tale. I couldn’t put it down once I started.”
– Paul Tremblay

“A magical look into the lives of teenage girls, of making the jump from powerlessness to power, of facing your fears and finding your coven. Enchanting and entertaining, but ultimately the novel’s greatest strength is its fearless truth-telling. Press this book into the hands of the young women you know.”
– Alma Katsu

“Captivating from the start, Witchcraft for Wayward Girls takes readers on an incredible journey exploring female victimization and empowerment…that may or may not entail tapping into the dark magic within. A phenomenal read for witches everywhere!”
– Carissa Orlando

This novel was released January 14, 2025 and is already becoming a big hit among readers with 4.4 stars on Amazon and 4.2 stars on Goodreads. I encourage you to give Hendrix a try if you’ve never read his writing.

Book Review: Best of Luck, by Jason Mott

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Did you ever hear the one about the man with a string of bad luck? The worst is still to come in a chilling short story of an insatiable friendship by the New York Times bestselling author of Hell of a Book.

For best friends with vastly different fortunes, what’s left to hash out other than a forced confession at gunpoint? All that the destitute, sickly, and grieving Will demands is that monstrously successful Barry admit to draining all the luck right out of him. Like blood. As the standoff escalates, the truth is not the only thing ready to come out.

Jason Mott’s Best of Luck is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Will seems like a man on the brink of (self-) destruction at the beginning of this short story by Jason Mott, while Barry is his hostage. As the story unfolds, you learn of all the bad luck that has befallen poor Will, and all the good fortune that has come to his best friend, Barry, while he suffered. Initially, Will tried to be happy for his friend, but then an idea began to gnaw at him – what if that same friend was stealing all his luck and keeping it for himself?

Through twists and turns, you learn of the curse that has followed Will, and the blessings that have followed Barry. It ends with a real bang and a surprise that I was not anticipating.

Pros:

  • Short
  • Good storytelling
  • Surprising ending

This is definitely a 5-star read!

Book Review: It Waits in the Woods, by Josh Malerman

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Some chilling campfire tales ring too true to ignore. For one young woman, an urban legend calls her into the woods in a spine-tingling short story by the bestselling author of Bird Box.

The dense Michigan forest. Haunting wails. The clip-clop of demon hooves on a bridge to nowhere. It’s more than a tall tale to Brenda Jennings, whose sister disappeared in those woods one fateful night. Three years later, on a solo stakeout in the dark, Brenda goes in after her. She’s desperate for answers, and terrified to find what lies waiting on the other side of that bridge.

Josh Malerman’s It Waits in the Woods is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

I liked Brenda right off the bat. I empathized heavily with her situation. She lost her sister, and her parents have never recovered from the loss of their daughter. Their grief eclipses Brenda’s existence. When she went into the woods to look for her sister, I wondered if she was doing it for her sister or for herself or for her parents. In the end, I think she went for all of them.

This is a highly suspenseful tale that ends in a flash, but the echoes will haunt the characters and the readers for long after.

I also listened to the Audible version of this story and though the narration was done well.

Pros:

  • Short and sweet
  • Suspenseful, nail-biter
  • Satisfying ending

This is a 5-star read!

Book Review: Ankle Snatcher, by Grady Hendrix

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Obey the rules. It’s the only way to survive the night in a short story about what hides in the dark by the New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

Marcus grew up believing his father killed his mother—then blamed it on the boogeyman under the bed. Always leave the lights on, his father warned, or the boogeyman will get you. Marcus still heeds the superstition, especially when he invites his new girlfriend over. Is Marcus haunted by a creature or has he just inherited his father’s murderous delusions? The night will tell.

Grady Hendrix’s Ankle Snatcher is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.

Marcus is a man haunted by his past. He meets a woman who matches his wit and seems haunted by hers. Could it be love? Or is it just the opening to a horrifying and tragic tale about inherited curses?

I won’t be the one to spoil it for you, but since it is in the Creature Feature collection, I’m sure you can draw your own conclusions about which direction this story takes.

I enjoyed Hendrix’s storytelling style a lot. This was my first introduction to his writing.

I listened to the Audible version of this book and found the narration to be enjoyable. It was about 45 minutes long, and I listened in one sitting.

Pros:

  • Short (both the book and the Audible version)
  • Attention grabbing
  • Paced well
  • Open-ended

This is definitely a five-star read.

Nonfiction Review: The Witch’s Book of Self-Care, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

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Self-care and magic work together in this guide to help you become the best version of yourself. You’ll learn how to nourish your body and spirit with herbal remedies, spells, and rituals inspired by witchcraft in this unique, enchanted guide to self-care.

Self-care is a necessity for any modern woman. The goals of self-care are simple: healthy mind, healthy body, healthy spirit. This book helps you prioritize yourself with a little help from the magic of witchcraft. The Witch’s Book of Self-Care has advice for pampering your mind, body, and spirit with spells, meditations, mantras, and powerful activities to help you to keep healthy, soothe stress, relinquish sadness, channel joy, and embrace your strength. 

If you’re new to the world of self-care or you are unsure what all goes into self-care, this is a great resource. It has recipes and rituals that are helpful and practical. Of course, you’ll get the most out of them if you are witchy. After all, the title is The Witch’s Book of Self-Care. It covers all major components of self-care, including physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, etc.

I am no stranger to the world of self-care for health maintenance and I still found plenty in this book that was either new or presented in an interesting way that I’d never considered before.

Overall, I think the book is more of a beginner’s resource, and I’m unsure why it’s primarily geared toward women.

Pros:

  • Beginner’s resource
  • Recipes & rituals
  • Solid information

This was a solidly 4-star read!

Book Review: When We Were Friends, by Jane Green

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Cover of When We Were Friends

By all accounts, Lucy’s handled her divorce well. She’s finally in the cozy, plant-filled house of her dreams. And although she doesn’t fit in with the other divorcées—all busy looking for their next ex—she’s excited to get down to earth and savor the small joys of life.

When Lucy meets Elle, a hip younger woman who shares her same passions, their connection is instant. Taking a chance on kismet, Lucy forges a friendship that fills her days with meaning. She and Elle are inseparable, from sunup to sundown, enjoying the immediate ease and familiarity of each other’s company.

But as Lucy introduces Elle to her circle, a new side of her friend appears. And try as she might, Lucy can’t ignore her misgivings. Who is Elle really? And can their all-consuming friendship survive closer inspection?

I loved Lucy’s character from the start. I completely relate to her deep desire for a friend who shares her interests and lives nearby. Like Lucy, all of my closest friends live in another time zone, so I completely understood why she became so enmeshed with Elle so quickly and fiercely.

There’s everything you could want in a story like this. Obsession. Heartbreak. Betrayal. Ruin. There is also a powerful message on the importance of healing and self-love that I think so many people would benefit from. This rollercoaster of a story ends in a very moving way.

I’ve been recommending this short piece to people since I read it. I loved it.

Five stars

Insomnia

J.A. Steckling Leave a comment

Why aren’t there more 24-hour bookstores and libraries? I’d love to spend my late nights surrounded by a calm, quiet environment and books galore.

I have a circadian rhythm disorder called delayed sleep phase syndrome. My natural sleep time is about 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. because my internal clock wants me to take the night watch. I used to work overnights and was rarely seen during daylight hours, leading many people to joke that I am a vampire.

These days, I maintain an acceptable sleep schedule by societal standards, but I still experience good old-fashioned insomnia often.

I love reading on nights that I can’t sleep.

Here’s my current read:

This compilation of unique vampire stories has captivated me so far. I’m greatly looking forward to bringing you a review.

The bookmark is one I had made to help promote my poetry book, I Will Rise, currently available on Amazon, Lulu, and other major retailers. Get the details on that over on my author website if you’re interested.

Happy reading, bookworms!

Book News: Ushers, by Joe Hill

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Book News on After Midnight Book Reviews
Cover art for Ushers: A Short Story, by Joe Hill
Image by Justine Steckling

Martin Lorensen is a twenty-three-year-old counselor for disturbed teenagers. He’s bright, compassionate, attractive, and outgoing. He’s also—and this is the most interesting thing—not dead. Martin has improbably survived not one but two deadly disasters that claimed dozens of lives. The kid is riding one hell of a lucky streak. Two federal agents think there is something darker at play. Now that they’ve arranged to interview Martin, they want answers. Martin is ready to share everything he knows. One thing is for certain: when it comes to escaping death, luck doesn’t figure into it at all.

This short story was released back in November, but I figured that about 2 months is still acceptable to discuss a new release.

Joe Hill is an author that I consistently enjoy. I have this one on my Kindle, but have not read it yet. I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure that I’ll finish it in one sitting. I tend to devour his short stories.

My fiancée is a huge Friends fan, and there is one scene where Phoebe’s father, Frank Buffay, suddenly panics about her knowing his true identity and asserts that his name is Joe Hill. This little tidbit made me giggle because everyone knows that Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son, but he has always written under his pseudonym. I’ve heard rumor he didn’t want to constantly be compared to his father, and I can’t say that I blame him. As far as the horror genre goes, King is legendary. It is a very difficult name to live up to or be compared to.

How do you feel about the story or Joe Hill as an author? If you do discuss the story in the comments, please avoid spoiling it for me and anyone else who has not had the opportunity to read it just yet.