Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Gothic

  • V.C. Andrews – The Author that’s Still Publishing Forty Years After Her Passing

    V.C. Andrews was trapped in an attic

    And she created worlds of gothic horror

    The gothic horror and paranormal fiction that V.C. Andrews pioneered continues to captivate readers today—and at Chanticleer, we know exactly what makes these dark, atmospheric stories work. That’s why our Shelley Awards (named for Mary Shelley, the Mother of Horror) celebrate the best in paranormal and horror fiction each year.

    V.C. Andrews, rose, blonde, woman

    V.C. Andrews, born Cleo Virginia Andrews on June 6, 1923 in Portsmouth, VA, faced a secluded life in her parent’s home, but that didn’t stop her from creating several series with unique characters and plots that will keep you up at night.

    From Personal Struggle to Gothic Masterpiece

    Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews follows the lives of four children whose mother kept them imprisoned in an attic for years in order to collect an inheritance. Released in 1979, it became an instant sensation and led her to write four more books in the Dollanganger Family Series. Its dark themes of family strife and isolation reflected a similar scenario playing out in Andrews’ own life, and she used her experience to speak through the character Cathy Dollanganger, who narrates the story.

    V.C. Andrews, Flowers in the Attic, Books, covers, series

    The dark tale of children kept locked away in an attic somewhat mirrored Andrews’ own life. Born the youngest child and only daughter of three children, she suffered a devastating fall from a stairwell at school as a teen. The accident required several surgeries and resulted in crippling arthritis that left her wheelchair bound and in the care of her mother for much of her life. Just as with many children, that close relationship with her emotionally distant mother, even as she fully supported her daughter’s writing career, proved difficult at times and, when her father passed away in 1957, Andrews used the commissions from her art sales to support her family.

    VC Andrews, painting, art, girl

    The Fast-Paced Formula That Hooked Millions

    Later in life, Andrews turned to writing, beginning with a science fiction novel in 1972 titled Gods of Green Mountain, which was published posthumously in 2004 as an ebook. In 1975, Andrews completed the manuscript for Flowers in the Attic in two weeks, only to have the novel returned with a note to “spice up” and expand the story. Published in 1979, it was an instant success, reaching the top of the bestseller lists in just two weeks. Andrews published a new novel every year after that, earning Andrews larger advances and a growing readership.

    “I think I tell a whopping good story. And I don’t drift away from it a great deal into descriptive material,” she stated in Faces of Fear in 1985. “When I read, if a book doesn’t hold my interest in what’s going to happen next, I put it down and don’t finish it. So, I’m not going to let anybody put one of my books down and not finish it. My stuff is a very fast read.”

     

    V.C. Andrews, red, watch, finger, blonde, plant, woman

    A Literary Legacy That Defies Death

    V.C. Andrews wrote novels that combine Gothic horror and family saga, often revolving around family secrets and forbidden love. Her best-known novel, Flowers in the Attic, was the catalyst to a career that spanned decades, with stories exploring those same themes. Today, her fans have 104 books and 27 series that continue to enthrall readers and inspire Hollywood filmmakers.

    V.C. Andres, books, covers

    After Andrews’s death from breast cancer in 1986, ghostwriter Andrew Neiderman was hired, initially, to complete two unfinished works, Garden of Shadows and Fallen Hearts that were published soon after. It’s these two novels that are considered the last novels to be almost completely written by Andrews herself, but many more books inspired by her writing and written by Neiderman continued to be published. Forty years later, Andrews’ literary legacy continues to grow, inspiring not only the ghostwriter who continues her stories, but also the many readers who have escaped into her world of family drama and isolation—making Andrews one of the most beloved modern horror writers today.

    American gothic, Grant wood, Flowers in the Attic, VC. Andrews

    Gothic Art Meets Family Nightmares

    When I think of Andrews’ novels, particularly Flowers in the Attic, I’m reminded of the famous artwork, American Gothic by Grant Wood—family dynamics painted with a nod to the type of horror that penetrates and unsettles the family dynamic. Surely, Andrews must have pulled from her own conflicted emotions about her family to create a novel that resonates with the love/hate relationships we all grapple with. — Dena Weigel

     

    V.C. Andrews, book, woman, blonde

    Happy Birthday to V.C. Andrews, an author whose legacy in horror extends beyond her life to entertain and unsettle readers for years to come!

    Does Your Gothic Horror Deserve the Same Recognition?

    The Shelley Awards for Paranormal Fiction features an image of Mary Shelley at her writing desk

    The gothic horror and paranormal fiction that V.C. Andrews pioneered continues to captivate readers today—and at Chanticleer, we know exactly what makes these dark, atmospheric stories work. That’s why our Shelley Awards (named for Mary Shelley, the Mother of Horror) celebrate the best in paranormal and horror fiction each year.

    If your horror novel carries themes of family secrets, supernatural elements, psychological terror, or gothic atmosphere like Andrews’ masterworks, the Chanticleer International Book Awards (CIBA) Shelley Division wants to discover it. Our judges understand the nuances that separate good horror from unforgettable horror—the kind that keeps readers turning pages late into the night.

    You know you want it…

    The 2025 Shelley deadline is June 30th—just weeks away! Whether your work explores paranormal romance, supernatural powers, unexplained phenomena, or psychological horror, professional recognition through the Shelley Awards gives your book the credibility boost that social media alone cannot provide.

    Thriller Suspense Fiction Award

    For suspense and thriller authors, don’t overlook our Clue Awards division, perfect for works that blend mystery with darker elements.

    Submit to the Shelley Awards before the June 30th deadline and join the ranks of professionally recognized horror and paranormal fiction.

    Check back next week as we’ll be featuring several articles about outstanding paranormal fiction and the authors who master this challenging genre!

  • Dracul by J.D. Barker, Dacre Stoker – Vampires, Gothic, Occult, #Dracul

    Dracul by J.D. Barker, Dacre Stoker – Vampires, Gothic, Occult, #Dracul

    The brilliant gothic horror story, Dracul, awaits those who crave novels that quicken hearts and cause sleepless nights. One would swear it is from the horror master himself, Bram Stoker, who penned the legendary Dracula.

    Dracul is ripped from the pages of Bram Stoker’s diary, along with those of his sister Matilda’s, and brother Thornley’s. Much like Dracula, multiple narrators push the story forward with their individual perspectives and points of view. Inch by inch the reader is pulled in until it is impossible to go back. Such is the lure of Dracul by J. D. Barker, and Dacre Stoker

    The story opens with a sickly, seven-year-old Bram, who has been chronically ill since birth and frequently near death. He is confined to an attic room under the care of his nanny, Ellen Crone. His nanny dotes on Bram, but she has a disturbing habit of disappearing frequently, sometimes for days on end without explanation or apologies upon return.

    During one of her absences, Bram’s health takes a downward turn. Near death, his desperate parents summon the family doctor who bleeds a barely conscious Bram with leeches. When Nanny Ellen returns and sees Bram pale and fading fast, she shoos everyone from the room and shuts the door. In the morning, the leeches are gone, the illness has passed, and Bram feels a vigor and strength he has never known.

    Afterward, a conversation between Bram and his sister turns to Nanny Ellen and her odd absences, how her appearance seems to change dramatically from day to day, and how neither one of them have seen her eat or drink⸺anything. Soon their curiosity overtakes them, and they begin to snoop. The next day, Nanny Ellen is gone along with all of her possessions.

    To discover what happened to their beloved nanny, and who she really is, sets the Stokers on a path to encounter the sanguinary Dracula. Their lives are forever changed.

    This harrowing pursuit of the truth is beautifully rendered horror with palpable tension and suspense, drawing the reader ever closer to the edge of terrifying darkness.

    Deftly written in a classic 19th-century gothic style, Dracul resonates with power-rich prose that adds to the atmosphere and the construct of the story. A modern masterpiece, Dracul is everything horror can and should be. It doesn’t rely on gore, but rather captivating storytelling. And yet, the terror and intrigue are unrelenting.

    This novel belongs in the lexicon of all things vampire.

    Dracul is the inception of the iconic dark love story that compels and terrifies us. Our advice? Close your windows. Lock your doors. Turn the lights on. Place a silver crucifix around your neck, and make sure to have a few sharp wooden stakes nearby. In other words, prepare yourself for a transfixing journey into the diabolically delicious world of Dracul ⸺ if you dare.

    Dracul is also available in hardcover and audiobook.

    #Dracul

     

  • The BOOK of SHADE by K.C. Finn – Paranormal/Fantasy/New Adult/Contemporary Gothic/Literature

    The BOOK of SHADE by K.C. Finn – Paranormal/Fantasy/New Adult/Contemporary Gothic/Literature

    A world of intrigue, magic, and danger awaits Lily Coltrane in K.C. Finn’s The Book of Shade.

    On her very first day at university, Lily and her roommate enlist in the IMLS (Illustrious Minds Literary Society) at the student fair and, despite warnings from her history professor, take one step further and visit the Theatre Imaginique.

    The show seems too real – the lightning, levitation, and the fact that Lemarick Novel, the theater’s top showman and proprietor, keeps locking eyes with her. She tries to put it out of her mind, but a month later, Lily and her roommate return to the show, and this is where author K.C. Finn puts her character in delicious jeopardy.

    Lily learns she’s a shade – a being with the ability to generate and control the natural elements (earth, air, fire, and water). This revelation sets her off down a rabbit hole of mystique and magic. Novel is also a shade, one who is fairly accomplished in his abilities, and he decides to train Lily in her newfound abilities. What follows is an adventure woven with trials, romance, danger, and a whole world of the unknown.

    K.C. Finn does an excellent job of weaving the paranormal and magic in with the modern-day world. She introduces concepts that we’re all familiar with, such as voodoo, vampires, werewolves, but does it in a way that doesn’t feel overly stereotypical.

    Finn takes her time with world building in The Book of Shade, and the reader’s patience is rewarded. Finn develops her characters very well, even foreshadowing here and there. The characters and the story itself are slightly more important to the author than the setting.

    Once the author reveals the world of shade, any reader will find it virtually impossible to put the book down. The book does contain some grammatical errors which could and should be corrected, but the writing, on the whole, is good, which is appreciated. From featuring “playbills” for Theatre Imaginique inserted at the beginning of each chapter to the care Finn takes in creating this imaginative world, this title remains a good read.

    Magic and intrigue throw Lily Coltrane’s world all kinds of upside-down when she discovers she isn’t who she thought she was in K.C. Finn’s The Book of Shade.