BOOK OF THE WEEK
SALTBLOOD by T. C. Parker
Morning y’all! Hope all the fathers out there had a very happy Father’s Day. It was low key at my house with dinner out and ice cream. I’m really excited because we bought my dad San Francisco Giant’s tickets. I love baseball! Anyway, that’s not why you’re here.
This week I chose Saltblood by T.C. Parker. I was in the mood for some island horror, and Sadie recommended this one. Mother Horror never steers me the wrong way and, by golly, she did it again. The synopsis grabbed me right away as it reads in part, “A remote island. A group of prisoners. And an evil as old as time.” Step back, we have a winner!
The story takes place on Salt Rock, off the coast of Scotland. Our narrator, Robin, is being shipped off to this remote island, surrounded by fencing because of an incident where she is no longer considered “acceptable” in normal society. For such and such a reason, she was sent to join the other inhabitants to contemplate her life. The prisoners are not allowed any contact with the outside world - I mean, NOTHING. One of the biggest mysteries is figuring out what’s going on, with the island and the people on it. I love that Parker trusts the reader to figure these things out as she does a perfect job setting things up. The island has a stench. Who knows who the other people really are, or what’s lurking in the shadows?
And, let’s remember Saltblood is a horror story and there is plenty of it. Just a warning, there is animal cruelty, but let’s remember that no actual animals were hurt in writing this book. However, feel free to skip it if you need to.
This is a genre bender with parts dystopian, mystery, and horror. Plus, I really enjoyed the bits that reminded me of a Black Mirror episode, which I’ll leave you to figure out. It’s one of those books that had me flipping through the pages and was super fun to read.
Hi, my name is Janelle! I am a voracious reader, freelance writer, and reviewer. Currently, I write for Tor Nightfire and Cemetery Dance. I enjoy reading books from all types of genres, however, I do have my favorites. My first and forever true loves are horror, thriller, and true crime. I read my first Stephen King book at age seven and I’ve never looked back. In addition to books, I enjoy art, coffee, and all things animals. I am a firm believer that animals are better than people and deserve this planet more than we do. I am a true crime sleuth and a dilettante puzzle solver. I currently reside in Northern California with my husband, two kittens, and an oversized puppy.
