unfortunately, despite being very intrigued by the premise of this book, i ended up DNFing @ 45%. i wanted to fall in love with a horror/fantasy genre hop surrounding a magical and dangerous world of art, but the execution of it really fell flat for me. it didn’t feel ike the magic system was explained organically — so much information was dumped on the main character (and, consequently, the reader) in a clunky fashion that really didn’t work for me. it was a lot of telling, not showing.

i also could see the romantic arc coming from a mile away, and not in a good way. obviously i can’t speak to how it plays out, but i have a hard time believing even the beginning of a connection like this when the characters have had all of three conversations. overall, the book felt more YA than adult, which i’m sure some people won’t mind, but it was not what i wanted to see out of an adult debut.

A beautiful, sprawling story with vivid imagery! I devoured this title and fell in love with the characters. A queer novel not to be missed.

unfortunately, i had very high hopes for this one and it just fell flat.

i can see where the author was trying to go in terms of plot, characterization, writing style, etc. - but it did not seem fully fleshed out to me. there were a lot of instances of “telling” instead of “showing,” which led to me not really caring about a lot of the plot. i wish the characters had been more fleshed out - because i did really like them on a surface level, but would have loved if the connection with the reader went deeper.

i think this was a really really interesting and unique concept - the idea of a set of paintings holding abilities and curses is one that i was very excited to read.

also: i went into this expecting horror and it was definitely more fantasy. maybe that’s on me for expecting one thing, but i was still slightly disappointed.

i did really enjoy the middle! i thought it was fast paced and fun - seeing each of the different paintings & the magic they held was very satisfying. additionally, if the romance between the two characters (not saying names - no spoilers) had been developed more, it would have been amazing!

I love this. The tension between the characters and the story all came together to create an impactful and well-rounded novel. I think this book was so much fun to read and because of that I couldn't put it down. The twists and turns take you on such an amazing rollercoaster

What do you get when you combine art history, epic heists, magic, and incisive commentary on British imperialism? My favorite book of the year so far. Kosoko Jackson's first foray into the adult world of literature is an excellent, expansive, exhilarating entry into multiple genres and I loved every second of it.

With a dash of art heist a la Grace Li's Portrait of a Thief, dark and dangerous magic like in Naomi Novik's Golden Enclave series, and the expert critique of the Crown and hint of time travel that you get in Kaliane Bradley's The Ministry of Time, Jackson's The Macabre casts a spell early and refuses to let you out of its grip.

Meet Lewis Dixon. He's an American painter with the chops to get him into the British Museum's newest exhibit showcasing the contemporary artistic talents of the commonwealth. Lewis has been selected to represent the United States. The only catch? He's actually there as an asset of the Crown, and its secretive magic division headquartered at the British Museum, which he finds out after nearly losing his life to an enchanted painting he's been summoned to neutralize. Lewis has been invited, we learn, not for his artistic talents but rather for his lineage -- his bloodline is connected to the mysterious painter of the series known as the Macabre and he is the only one who can help the British Museum handle the magical threat.

From there, we're off to the races, quite literally, as Lewis is conscripted to help agent Noah and director of the museum Evangeline track down and destroy the collected works of Edgar Dumont. Without spoiling much more, not everything and everyone is what or who they seem and Lewis will has to use his wit, experience within the art world, and burgeoning magic talent to keep himself and the ones he loves alive.

This book was so much fun and I found myself begging for a sequel and inevitable adaptation to the small screen as I plowed my way through the last of its pages, which is the highest compliment I as a reader can give. Read it!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced digital copy to review!

A novel blending of art history, time- and globe-hopping adventure, and dark horror and fantasy about ten cursed paintings and the lengths people will go to collect them, destroy them…or be destroyed.

^from the publisher!

I went into this one thinking it was going to be more of a horror book but it actually felt more like a lit fic with fantasy and horror elements which I quite enjoyed.

From the first few chapters I was completely bought into Lewis’s talent, the paintings, and the lore. I wanted to know what the heck was going on and why!! I really enjoyed how these characters interacted and worked through the paintings. I’ll be honest - a lot of magical stuff in books flies right over my head and I’m glad that the author explained the magic in this book along with the reveals.

I also really appreciated the side plot with Lewis and Noah and their growing trust. Noah’s mom also made me laugh out loud during a tense moment, which was a nice respite.

I felt like there was a lot of character growth in this one too. Fun to watch, and exciting to be a part of.

Really enjoyed this one and the ending sets up for a series IMO! Could be really interesting.

Initially expecting this to be a horror novel, I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy it after reading the first couple chapters – happy to say I was delightfully surprised. I personally wouldn't classify this as a horror novel, but more as a magic/fantasy read with some horror influences and scary moments. This book reads so much like an episode of The Librarians or Warehouse 13 and I loved the episodic feeling of each part of the novel. Lewis and his team of friends, co-workers, and even enemies travel around the world to vanquish paintings created by the fabled Edgar Dumont, Lewis’s great-grandfather. This book was fast paced once I got into it; I didn’t want to put it down.
The middle section is where this novel shines – the adventures of Lewis and Noah taking down each painting were highly entertaining and easy to follow. I did get a bit lost toward the end and wish some of the characters (Cassandra, Evangeline, Akana) had more time to be developed. With so many side storylines and other characters being introduced in the second half of the novel, I think the main conflict got a bit lost. I think doing less with this book would have made it stronger, or making the novel longer and giving each storyline more time to be explored.
Overall, I enjoyed the read and while it wasn’t what I was expecting, I’m glad I stumbled upon it and would surely recommend it to someone looking to read a fast paced, magical adventure. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the early ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Really, throughly enjoyed this one. I was a big fan of the authors previous book, and this one definitely wowed me too. They have a great grip on writing the kind of slow churning gothic inspired horror/fantasy that there is not enough of right now, especially in m/m spaces.

The writing itself can be a bit tricky, but I see what they were going for with the prose and I enjoy and appreciate it. The characters are wonderful, especially our main character, and I love the way they all come together as fully formed individuals.

The world building is great, as is the way the magic system is introduced and expanded upon as you go. The entire book is a slow, drip feed of information. It might be a bit too slow for some people, but I don’t mind slowness if it’s intentional and serves a purpose.

Overall, this is a unique book that really ratchets up the tension as you get deeper into it. If you’re in the mood for something dark, moody, slow, and gay then you’re in the right place

Kosoko Jackson’s The Macabre is an engaging collection of horror stories that leans into atmosphere and emotional depth. Jackson’s knack for crafting eerie, thought-provoking narratives shines throughout. It’s an enjoyable read, particularly for fans of literary horror. The lingering chills and moments of introspection make it a worthwhile addition to any horror lover’s collection.

Unfortunately, despite a really intriguing premise, this book was both immensely frustrating and disappointing. There's not even really one reason for this; it's kind of almost everything about this book. The one word that comes to mind is: messy. The pacing, the plotting, the characters, the relationships, the antagonists, the magic system - all of these things could have hit the mark, I think, but the way it was done just fell so flat for me.

I think there's just too much trying to be done in not a lot of space. As a result, the book both speeds past moments that would have made a big emotional impact and drags in a way that it really shouldn't. The same could be said for the plotting. While I can see the threads of what the author was trying to do, I don't think it all came together in a way that was narratively satisfying.

The main character, Lewis, is a very uneven protagonist. It felt like there was a bit of a wall that he struggled to breach past to emotionally connect with the reader fully. There's one particular instance that stands out to me that never got the emotional resonance it should have because Lewis speeds right past it. But later in the book, he claims to be grieving when there weren't really that many instances of that in the text, not even really implied. Plus, the implications of this plot point felt a little... off to me. I'm being intentionally vague because I don't want to give spoilers, even though in the grand scheme of things, what happens doesn't really seem to matter all that much? The only thing it really does is take the coolest part of the premise and negate it entirely.

As for the other characters, they oscillated between being very flat or being almost cartoonish, sometimes both at the same time. One of the antagonists particularly felt strange in the context of the story because the character's motivations didn't quite ring true. Especially because there wasn't a lot of build-up of the character to make that not-quite heel-turn feel like a shock or betrayal. Honestly, the same could be said of all the characters, including Lewis: there was plenty of build-up to what could have been good character moments, but fell very flat or just out-right didn't commit. This had the side effect of making the romance also feel flat. Lewis and Noah had zero chemistry. The reason Lewis liked Noah could boil down to "he pretty" while Noah's interest in Lewis outside of his ability didn't really come across. There were also things Noah said about Lewis's character (one that comes to mind is that Lewis is a "good agent") that really didn't come across and, in fact, parts of the story seemed to outright contradict?

I'm starting to almost rant again, so I'll wrap up a bit with: I really wish the author hadn't tried to genre hop. I think maybe it could have worked in a longer, more thought out novel, but in its current iteration, it just felt like a mess. The magic system, in particular, felt largely arbitrary, despite the attempts to explain it. I almost wish it had nixed it altogether and just had the things that happened in the book be a result of ambiguous horror stuff or just possession shenanigans. The urban fantasy elements, while sometimes cool, just bogged down the narrative, especially because there wasn't a lot of cohesion to everything.

Overall, I think the idea was there, but the execution left a lot to be desired.

DNF @ 45%

Setting: USA
Rep: gay Black protagonist & author

I requested this because I love books set in the art world, especially queer ones, but despite being an adult book this feels very YA. It has a juvenile writing style and I just don't buy the fantasy elements.

The Macabre is an intriguing blend of gothic suspense and art history, immersing readers in a dark, atmospheric world where the lines between magic and reality blur like paint on a canvas.

I initially found the prose challenging, but the pacing was intentional. This builds the tension gradually, creating a lingering sense of wonder that stays with you long after you turn the last page.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kosoko Jackson, and I found his writing completely immersive. Even though this isn’t the book I usually go for, it’s a great reminder that trying something new can lead to great discoveries!

While there is a lot I liked about this book, the premise was so interesting and the writing was beyond incredible, I found it just wasn't for me.

Such an interesting premise. I loved the idea of the magic system, horror, and art, but I had a hard time being fully enveloped into the story. The pacing was very slow, and did not pick up in intensity as I thought it would. I know readers who would truly love this work, and I will be recommending it to them. If you love reading dark stories, enjoy a slower paced read, and art/art history this is the book for you.

Despite being a best-selling author already, Kosoko Jackson seems to have truly found his niche and voice with his debut fantasy novel, *The Macabre*. As a fan of Jackson's work, I was pleasantly surprised by how much more engaging, moving, and emotional this novel is compared to his previous writings.

The plot centers around ten cursed paintings and the extreme lengths to which people will go to collect, destroy, or be destroyed by them. The story blends elements of fantasy, art, adventure, history, and horror. It delves into themes like memory in a world where art, perception, magic, and reality intersect.

The protagonist, an artist named Lewis, is tasked with destroying his great-grandfather’s artworks. Alongside Noah, an agent from the British Museum, he embarks on a quest to locate the tenth and most perilous painting.

Readers who enjoyed Bridget Collins’ *The Binding*, Natasha Pulley’s *The Watchmaker of Filigree Street*, Freya Marske’s *A Marvellous Light*, and Oscar Wilde’s *The Picture of Dorian Gray* will likely find this tale captivating as it explores a destructive fusion of art and life.

I highly recommend this book and hope there is more to come. My thanks go to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this novel.

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookseller to pick up The Macabre—especially if you’re someone who doesn’t often choose to pick up Sci-Fi/Fantasy books.

I received an advanced digital copy of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, for which I am incredibly grateful. This one had me hooked from the very start in a combination of compelling world-building, lovable characters, and a journey that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Quite honestly, this genre is never my first choice—but I finished this one the same day I picked it up. This book successfully fleshes out the magical elements and builds a world that draws you in. The explanation of the magic system here was simple enough that it didn’t frustrate me, and detailed enough that it felt real and compelling.

Magic elements aside, this book was a raw glimpse at the way grief, loss, and love can impact people in different ways. Despite them outlining these themes in the beginning with the introduction of the paintings—the deeper look at grief and love interwoven through the mystery and journey the main characters travel through hits you in the gut in the best way possible.

Perhaps the biggest strength of this novel is how real the characters feel. Lewis’ insight into the history and elements of art gives this tale a breathtaking perspective. The bond between him and Noah had me hooked from the start, and there was a very realistic progression to their relationship—which I appreciate. Even the characters we meet along the way that don’t become central to the story until later on are captivating to me, and leave me wanting to know more about them.

Oh, and I’m a sucker for a good (redeemable?) villain. So if a sequel is in the works, I’ll be here eagerly waiting to read it

This was such a unique and Suspenseful read, it had me guessing at every turn. I truthfully did not know what was going to happen next.