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Hummingbird Universe #1
Hummingbird
There’s a storm brewing in Gallow: angry parents, protests at the school, a new priest up at the church with some very clear ideas on sin… and an unfamiliar face in the cottage on the edges of the village, carving sculptures out of skin and bone.
It’s a powder keg. Even before the protestors start disappearing…
Jodie doesn’t want trouble - just to be left alone to raise her son in peace.
Tanya wants more God and less wickedness in her own son’s studies.
Tara wants to leave her complicated past behind her, if only it would let her go.
And all Jonas wants is to get some work done - and if he can make peace with his father while he’s at it, then so much the better.
But the woman in the cottage and the priest up at the church - they have very different goals in mind. And Jodie and Tanya, Tara and Jonas… they’re about to get caught in the crossfire.
With a Foreword by Stephanie Ellis, author of Paused and The Five Turns of the Wheel
"Hummingbird is the kind of novel labyrinth where the unexpected lurks around every corner. Parker's mosaic holds layer upon layer of gripping characters and supernatural tricks in a Pulp Fiction-esque horror show, where a monster's only weakness is another kind of monster. Immediately engrossing." -- Hailey Piper, author of The Worm & His Kings
It’s a powder keg. Even before the protestors start disappearing…
Jodie doesn’t want trouble - just to be left alone to raise her son in peace.
Tanya wants more God and less wickedness in her own son’s studies.
Tara wants to leave her complicated past behind her, if only it would let her go.
And all Jonas wants is to get some work done - and if he can make peace with his father while he’s at it, then so much the better.
But the woman in the cottage and the priest up at the church - they have very different goals in mind. And Jodie and Tanya, Tara and Jonas… they’re about to get caught in the crossfire.
With a Foreword by Stephanie Ellis, author of Paused and The Five Turns of the Wheel
"Hummingbird is the kind of novel labyrinth where the unexpected lurks around every corner. Parker's mosaic holds layer upon layer of gripping characters and supernatural tricks in a Pulp Fiction-esque horror show, where a monster's only weakness is another kind of monster. Immediately engrossing." -- Hailey Piper, author of The Worm & His Kings
318 pages, Paperback
First published May 16, 2022
60 people are currently reading
941 people want to read
About the author
T.C. Parker
16 books139 followersI'm a writer and researcher based in the fox-ravaged wilds of Leicestershire.
I've been a copywriter, a lecturer and, very briefly, an academic; now I run a semiotics and cultural insight agency by day and dream up horror and crime fiction at night, when the kids are asleep.
I write mostly horror and crime, skeet enthusiastically as @tcparker.bsky.social, and post the occasional poorly-composed photo on Instagram (as @writestc).
For stories, serialised novels and other thoughts about the universe, visit/subscribe to my Substack - tcparker.substack.com
I've been a copywriter, a lecturer and, very briefly, an academic; now I run a semiotics and cultural insight agency by day and dream up horror and crime fiction at night, when the kids are asleep.
I write mostly horror and crime, skeet enthusiastically as @tcparker.bsky.social, and post the occasional poorly-composed photo on Instagram (as @writestc).
For stories, serialised novels and other thoughts about the universe, visit/subscribe to my Substack - tcparker.substack.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 29, 2025
I’m giving this 3.5 stars. I will be the first person to put out mad props to TC Parker for the effort here. The writing is great and the depth that the author takes the characters is superb. However, I struggled a great deal to stay focused on the story. The book is more or less a series of novellas, each focused on a different character as the centerpiece, and things become twisted and winded together, especially towards the latter parts of the story. I saw one review that referenced it as a literary Pulp Fiction, and that’s very accurate. The book had a good pace in the early portions, but the longer I read, the less interested I became. I’m not sure if the sections dedicated to each character needed to be broken up and revisited a few times over the course of the book, rather than all at once. Or if it all just needed to be shortened. I thought Miranda was the most intriguing of all the characters, but her story wasn’t given it’s time to shine until about 75% in. And, by then, I was feeling very, very, very fatigued. And the book clocks in at well over 300 pages, so it’s a journey that one must be positive they want to embark on. I think that this has a very specific audience, but, as a diehard horror fanatic, I don’t think it will appeal to traditional horror fans. It struck me as more of a thriller that aspired to be a horror tale. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It just didn’t much appeal to my personal preferences, but it was still well done.
May 22, 2023
4.5 stars. This review has been long overdue as I have read this book quite a while ago. I’m a bit behind on writing some reviews, but I wanted to write a review instead of just rating this book because I really enjoyed it and hope others will too.
Before I discovered wlw fiction I read a ton of horror books and this book nicely mixes horror and wlw MCs.
The structure was surprising as I soon discovered every chapter was written from a different POV, but not necessarily continuing with the topic of the previous chapter. It took some time to get used to it, because you want to know how it connects l, so it’s a bit confusing at first, but that’s also the good part, finally recognizing and connecting all the pieces of the puzzle.
The writing is superb and I always seem to learn some new words when reading one of Parker’s books. The horror parts were macabre but at the same time funny (not intended to be funny, but it was to me) and good for those who enjoy an inventive form of payback. It’s an art really (pun intended for those that have read the book).
A horror book needs some unexpected turns and this book had several. The responses of the characters to a situation were not what I expected at all. Horror has so many subgenres, probably more than I know, but there were some paranormal aspects here that I enjoyed and didn’t see coming.
I’ll be reading more from Parker’s back catalogue for sure and I easily recommend reading this book if you’re looking for a clever and intriguing horror book.
Before I discovered wlw fiction I read a ton of horror books and this book nicely mixes horror and wlw MCs.
The structure was surprising as I soon discovered every chapter was written from a different POV, but not necessarily continuing with the topic of the previous chapter. It took some time to get used to it, because you want to know how it connects l, so it’s a bit confusing at first, but that’s also the good part, finally recognizing and connecting all the pieces of the puzzle.
The writing is superb and I always seem to learn some new words when reading one of Parker’s books. The horror parts were macabre but at the same time funny (not intended to be funny, but it was to me) and good for those who enjoy an inventive form of payback. It’s an art really (pun intended for those that have read the book).
A horror book needs some unexpected turns and this book had several. The responses of the characters to a situation were not what I expected at all. Horror has so many subgenres, probably more than I know, but there were some paranormal aspects here that I enjoyed and didn’t see coming.
I’ll be reading more from Parker’s back catalogue for sure and I easily recommend reading this book if you’re looking for a clever and intriguing horror book.
April 27, 2022
Trouble is on the rise in the small town of Gallow, where evangelical protestors are disrupting the day-to-day activities for students at the Hummingbird Academy. The school's curriculum is very dangerous, you see, and young children are being taught about the ungodly horrors of equality and gay marriage - surely Gallow will soon be wiped off the map by tornadoes if the souls of these children are not saved posthaste! Or worse, the true nature of the rabble-rousing, born-again Vicar of St. Stephen's will be revealed, and a simple tornado will look like child's play.
T.C. Parker's Hummingbird arrives at an interesting time, and although it's firmly England-based it parallels current events Stateside a bit too closely for escapist comfort. Those who decry horror fiction for being "too political" - code, more often than not, for dealing with non-white, non-straight, non-conservative issues - are sure to work themselves into a bit of conniption fit with this one. Parker's latest hits right smack-dab in the middle of Florida's Don't Say Gay legislation, the GOP's ongoing fear-mongering over Critical Race Theory, Texas book bans targeting public library titles focusing on sex education and race, and parent's protesting mask-wearing in the middle of a pandemic (school shootings are still A-OK, though! We don't want to protect/coddle these kids too much, now do we?)
At the middle of it all is Christian authoritarianism and the demands that everybody else in society conform to their peculiar, outdated, ridiculous beliefs lest they start clutching their pearls over being persecuted. And that's where Hummingbird hits hardest, with its focus on the ways in which the religious seek to persecute, condemn, and terrorize anybody and anything that doesn't fit squarely into their narrow viewpoints.
Under the leadership of Vicar Tim Howard, St. Stephen's parishioners are more than happy to let their freak flag fly, given an opportunity to let their worst, basest instincts reign supreme, spewing their boiling-hot bile under the guise of their god's demands, not unlike the ways in which racists and white supremacists flocked to Trump and his MAGA nonsense, revealing evangelical Christianity for the cesspool it is.
Hummingbird is uniquely it's own story, one told across a handful of characters in mosaic-style before drawing all the various knotty story threads and entanglements together for a rousing climax, but its strongest inspiration comes from Dracula. Howard is painted as a sort-of vampire supreme (he's not really a vampire, more vampire-adjacent), one who has revealed his congregation for the rotting, infested, mindless zombies they really are.
Hummingbird is also uniquely, welcomingly queer - our protagonists are primarily lesbians and one trans man (cue, once again, all the groans of this book being "too political"), who weave their own particular magics. Each central character is developed through their own vignette, each of which work together to form a larger narrative of good versus evil. The most compelling, in my opinion, kicks off the book and introduces us to Jodie and Miranda. The former is a mother whose son attends the Hummingbird Academy, while the latter is a new parent in the school drop off line and artist with some pretty secrets. Between them, Parker develops a wonderfully intriguing relationship, which ends on a whopper of a cliffhanger as Part II introduces us to Tanya. Parker deftly characterizes each of her protagonists, slowly revealing their importance to the overarching struggles against the Vicar and his protestors and they fit into Miranda's agenda. One by one, each is drawn into battle against the Church (Vicar Howard is, essentially, a one-man stand-in for the Church writ large), which has spent centuries committing countless transgressions against them based solely on their gender and sexuality (pedophilia is still A-OK in the church, though! God or Jaaaaaaay-suuus said so, apparently).
No doubt Hummingbird will hit a little too close to home for some. Readers will either recognize and respond to the various levels of horror on display here, or they may see themselves painted all too clearly.
T.C. Parker's Hummingbird arrives at an interesting time, and although it's firmly England-based it parallels current events Stateside a bit too closely for escapist comfort. Those who decry horror fiction for being "too political" - code, more often than not, for dealing with non-white, non-straight, non-conservative issues - are sure to work themselves into a bit of conniption fit with this one. Parker's latest hits right smack-dab in the middle of Florida's Don't Say Gay legislation, the GOP's ongoing fear-mongering over Critical Race Theory, Texas book bans targeting public library titles focusing on sex education and race, and parent's protesting mask-wearing in the middle of a pandemic (school shootings are still A-OK, though! We don't want to protect/coddle these kids too much, now do we?)
At the middle of it all is Christian authoritarianism and the demands that everybody else in society conform to their peculiar, outdated, ridiculous beliefs lest they start clutching their pearls over being persecuted. And that's where Hummingbird hits hardest, with its focus on the ways in which the religious seek to persecute, condemn, and terrorize anybody and anything that doesn't fit squarely into their narrow viewpoints.
Under the leadership of Vicar Tim Howard, St. Stephen's parishioners are more than happy to let their freak flag fly, given an opportunity to let their worst, basest instincts reign supreme, spewing their boiling-hot bile under the guise of their god's demands, not unlike the ways in which racists and white supremacists flocked to Trump and his MAGA nonsense, revealing evangelical Christianity for the cesspool it is.
Hummingbird is uniquely it's own story, one told across a handful of characters in mosaic-style before drawing all the various knotty story threads and entanglements together for a rousing climax, but its strongest inspiration comes from Dracula. Howard is painted as a sort-of vampire supreme (he's not really a vampire, more vampire-adjacent), one who has revealed his congregation for the rotting, infested, mindless zombies they really are.
Hummingbird is also uniquely, welcomingly queer - our protagonists are primarily lesbians and one trans man (cue, once again, all the groans of this book being "too political"), who weave their own particular magics. Each central character is developed through their own vignette, each of which work together to form a larger narrative of good versus evil. The most compelling, in my opinion, kicks off the book and introduces us to Jodie and Miranda. The former is a mother whose son attends the Hummingbird Academy, while the latter is a new parent in the school drop off line and artist with some pretty secrets. Between them, Parker develops a wonderfully intriguing relationship, which ends on a whopper of a cliffhanger as Part II introduces us to Tanya. Parker deftly characterizes each of her protagonists, slowly revealing their importance to the overarching struggles against the Vicar and his protestors and they fit into Miranda's agenda. One by one, each is drawn into battle against the Church (Vicar Howard is, essentially, a one-man stand-in for the Church writ large), which has spent centuries committing countless transgressions against them based solely on their gender and sexuality (pedophilia is still A-OK in the church, though! God or Jaaaaaaay-suuus said so, apparently).
No doubt Hummingbird will hit a little too close to home for some. Readers will either recognize and respond to the various levels of horror on display here, or they may see themselves painted all too clearly.
April 9, 2023
Kindle Unlimited.
What a mind-f!ck! This is thrilling horror and paranormal at its best, and most warped.
TBH I'm still reeling and trying to fully understand WTF I just read, but in the best of ways.
All I can say is check it out on KU!
I also highly recommend the authors other works.
What a mind-f!ck! This is thrilling horror and paranormal at its best, and most warped.
TBH I'm still reeling and trying to fully understand WTF I just read, but in the best of ways.
All I can say is check it out on KU!
I also highly recommend the authors other works.
March 16, 2023
4,5 ⭐️
I just finished our QLLC read and was very impressed by Parker’s writing style. It was a great Horror story but watch out there’re many storylines and different POVs in the book. They come together nicely at the end but I was a little bit confused at the beginning.
I’m looking forward to other books by this author.
I just finished our QLLC read and was very impressed by Parker’s writing style. It was a great Horror story but watch out there’re many storylines and different POVs in the book. They come together nicely at the end but I was a little bit confused at the beginning.
I’m looking forward to other books by this author.
March 24, 2023
2023 Update:
I enjoyed this just as much the second time through. The vastness and intricacy of the plot, the immense detail, the meticulous and well-crafted writing; every page of this was an absolute (and gruesome) delight to read, packed with so much gore, so much heart, and so many twists. I love that Parker doesn't pander to what the reader might want, she won't hold your hand or give any guarantees, which is part (along with her ridiculous imagination) of what makes her stories so satisfyingly twisty and unpredictable!
2023 Rating:
Yup, this is still a 10/5 and still my favourite horror read to date!
Original Review:
T.C. Parker did not fail to thoroughly impress me with Hummingbird. Her prose is skillful and eloquent, her imagery is visceral and gruesome, and the plot is intriguing - even more so because of its delivery in multiple parts, through multiple perspectives and time periods.
If you like horror and don't shy away from the grotesque, I would tout this as a must-read! It's absolutely enthralling and doesn't stop pelting you with grotesqueries, mystery, intrigue, and "WTF" moments right from the very first chapter. And that's all without discussing the wider themes of human monstrosity - which I won't because I'm just here for a great story and a book that actually manages to have me whipping out my dictionary (a rarity that I relish!)
There isn't enough good sapphic horror (actual horror!) out there. T.C. Parker...MORE, PLEASE!!
My ultimate seal of approval: I'll be buying this in hardcover!!
I enjoyed this just as much the second time through. The vastness and intricacy of the plot, the immense detail, the meticulous and well-crafted writing; every page of this was an absolute (and gruesome) delight to read, packed with so much gore, so much heart, and so many twists. I love that Parker doesn't pander to what the reader might want, she won't hold your hand or give any guarantees, which is part (along with her ridiculous imagination) of what makes her stories so satisfyingly twisty and unpredictable!
2023 Rating:
Yup, this is still a 10/5 and still my favourite horror read to date!
Original Review:
T.C. Parker did not fail to thoroughly impress me with Hummingbird. Her prose is skillful and eloquent, her imagery is visceral and gruesome, and the plot is intriguing - even more so because of its delivery in multiple parts, through multiple perspectives and time periods.
If you like horror and don't shy away from the grotesque, I would tout this as a must-read! It's absolutely enthralling and doesn't stop pelting you with grotesqueries, mystery, intrigue, and "WTF" moments right from the very first chapter. And that's all without discussing the wider themes of human monstrosity - which I won't because I'm just here for a great story and a book that actually manages to have me whipping out my dictionary (a rarity that I relish!)
There isn't enough good sapphic horror (actual horror!) out there. T.C. Parker...MORE, PLEASE!!
My ultimate seal of approval: I'll be buying this in hardcover!!
Read
March 30, 2022Please note, I do not rate on Goodreads.
This is not my first read by T.C. Parker, and it won't be my last. What I love most about her work is its ease, the strong characterization, its ability to hold you in a vice-like grasp and not let go. I must add, and this is something I cannot state strongly enough, rarely have I read such intelligent fiction. When you read it, you'll know what I mean. It's next level - simple as.
This 'mosaic' starts strong. I found myself engaged from the outset. As with other works by this author, the story changed direction on several occasions (so don't get too comfortable), becoming more and more twisted as the story developed. Expect the unexpected, and enjoy the ride.
This is not my first read by T.C. Parker, and it won't be my last. What I love most about her work is its ease, the strong characterization, its ability to hold you in a vice-like grasp and not let go. I must add, and this is something I cannot state strongly enough, rarely have I read such intelligent fiction. When you read it, you'll know what I mean. It's next level - simple as.
This 'mosaic' starts strong. I found myself engaged from the outset. As with other works by this author, the story changed direction on several occasions (so don't get too comfortable), becoming more and more twisted as the story developed. Expect the unexpected, and enjoy the ride.
April 26, 2022
Huge thanks to Parker for sending me a copy of ‘Hummingbird’ for review!
‘Hummingbird’ is only my second experience with Parker’s writing, the first being her 2021 release ‘Salvation Spring.’ I enjoyed that one, but the synopsis for this one really had me intrigued, so I was excited to dive in.
Interestingly, it was author Hailey Piper’s blurb that really connected the dots for me, when at first I was wondering if I had missed something.
What I liked: ‘Hummingbird’ is essentially a half dozen interconnected novellas that arrive at a fascinating and equally horrifying ending/reality. At first, when I was finished reading the initial set up with Jodie and her story, I was thrown a bit when a seemingly whole other story was introduced and I was wondering if I had to read something previously, or if I’d someone completely missed this character.
But things unravel, we see different sides of the coin or in this case, more accurately a square, as characters cross over, storylines intersect and reveal themselves and Parker does a great job of adding more while subtracting just what needs to be subtracted.
A bit of a tangent – but when the show ‘True Blood’ started, my wife and I loved it. The first few seasons were great and it was captivating. Then the show started to add more and more random elements and things got watered down. Parker takes that same approach – but doesn’t bog anything down and certainly doesn’t add at random. She crafts a story that spreads its wings wide then pulls them in tight to finish everything off.
What I didn’t like: As I mentioned, at first I was a bit thrown off and almost wished that the opening salvo that ends with a fantastic moment involving Jodie was the entire thing and was a novella just of that. So, I want to implore you to stick with it. I can see some readers having the same head scratching aspect that I did and I promise it pays off.
Why you should buy this: If you like interconnected small town dark fiction, this one will be perfect for you. Parker adds a ton of topical social commentary but also infuses it with a smattering of vengeance and a dusting of ‘stick-it-to-them’ that really will get readers excited. The characters are all great, even the ones designed specifically for us to hate them, and Parker makes sure that the main, overall story is highlighted throughout.
Really well done!
‘Hummingbird’ is only my second experience with Parker’s writing, the first being her 2021 release ‘Salvation Spring.’ I enjoyed that one, but the synopsis for this one really had me intrigued, so I was excited to dive in.
Interestingly, it was author Hailey Piper’s blurb that really connected the dots for me, when at first I was wondering if I had missed something.
What I liked: ‘Hummingbird’ is essentially a half dozen interconnected novellas that arrive at a fascinating and equally horrifying ending/reality. At first, when I was finished reading the initial set up with Jodie and her story, I was thrown a bit when a seemingly whole other story was introduced and I was wondering if I had to read something previously, or if I’d someone completely missed this character.
But things unravel, we see different sides of the coin or in this case, more accurately a square, as characters cross over, storylines intersect and reveal themselves and Parker does a great job of adding more while subtracting just what needs to be subtracted.
A bit of a tangent – but when the show ‘True Blood’ started, my wife and I loved it. The first few seasons were great and it was captivating. Then the show started to add more and more random elements and things got watered down. Parker takes that same approach – but doesn’t bog anything down and certainly doesn’t add at random. She crafts a story that spreads its wings wide then pulls them in tight to finish everything off.
What I didn’t like: As I mentioned, at first I was a bit thrown off and almost wished that the opening salvo that ends with a fantastic moment involving Jodie was the entire thing and was a novella just of that. So, I want to implore you to stick with it. I can see some readers having the same head scratching aspect that I did and I promise it pays off.
Why you should buy this: If you like interconnected small town dark fiction, this one will be perfect for you. Parker adds a ton of topical social commentary but also infuses it with a smattering of vengeance and a dusting of ‘stick-it-to-them’ that really will get readers excited. The characters are all great, even the ones designed specifically for us to hate them, and Parker makes sure that the main, overall story is highlighted throughout.
Really well done!
October 25, 2022
My favourite horror story so far, and that's saying something, considering this is the third 5-star book I've read in a row by this author. Been absolutely binging them, lol!
A small town. Demons, devils, shapeshifters. A (badass!) trans man warlock! Werefoxes. Lots of grizzly gore (wouldn't be a horror without it, right?) But also so much more! Chilling incantations, self-mutilation and suicides, a vicar determined to rid the world of sin, which includes the LGBTQ community, trees made of bone and flayed men, parasitic worms... Take all the best bits of a horror story, write with perfect prose, and a structure that leaves twists and turns with each chapter, and this is the result! Outstanding!
A small town. Demons, devils, shapeshifters. A (badass!) trans man warlock! Werefoxes. Lots of grizzly gore (wouldn't be a horror without it, right?) But also so much more! Chilling incantations, self-mutilation and suicides, a vicar determined to rid the world of sin, which includes the LGBTQ community, trees made of bone and flayed men, parasitic worms... Take all the best bits of a horror story, write with perfect prose, and a structure that leaves twists and turns with each chapter, and this is the result! Outstanding!
March 20, 2023
Being part of Queer Lady Lit Club makes you open your eyes to books you previously might not have known about, let alone would have read.
This book certainly is outside of the genre I tend to go for, but it was enjoyable once I got a hang of the writing style.
The writing style is very different from what I’m used to and I think it sometimes overshadows the story. Like the writing, the words, are more important than what’s going on with the story.
This really is just a personal thing so don’t let that scare you off. What might scare you off is how gruesome this book is. Very graphic killings and aftermath of those. As said, once I got into it, this story was expertly spun and enjoyable, albeit a bit gruesome 😉
If you’re into dark reads this is just the book for you.
This book certainly is outside of the genre I tend to go for, but it was enjoyable once I got a hang of the writing style.
The writing style is very different from what I’m used to and I think it sometimes overshadows the story. Like the writing, the words, are more important than what’s going on with the story.
This really is just a personal thing so don’t let that scare you off. What might scare you off is how gruesome this book is. Very graphic killings and aftermath of those. As said, once I got into it, this story was expertly spun and enjoyable, albeit a bit gruesome 😉
If you’re into dark reads this is just the book for you.
May 3, 2022
One of the best novels I've read this year and the best mosaic novel I've ever read - period. Timely, articulate, nuanced, and packed with magic of all (horrifying) shapes and sizes. This one is going to make some waves.
May 16, 2022
I first read the start of Hummingbird in “Daughters of Darkness 2”, where the first two novelettes from the book were debuted – and fired off a message to T.C. that I loved them, and asked when she was going to make a novel from them. I figured – that can’t be all. There has to be more.
Well, I was on the mark.
It turns out T.C. had planned a book consisting of novelettes, each adding characters and plot twists to combine into a whole, each written in her hallmark eloquent voice. I’ll be upfront – this is getting a 5 ⭐review from me due to the narrative alone before we even begin to detail the superb plot, elegant world-building, exquisite tension, and exemplary structure of the novel. T.C.’s command of the English language is second to none, her educated magniloquent vocabulary (and I say that as a compliment) is remarkable, educational, and heart-warming – you just know you are going to be engrossed in the story. Reading and conversing with T.C. is like talking to a well-read, educated favorite professor who’s also cool, and ridiculously modest. Dammit.
Hummingbird is – for me – the capstone of T.C.’s publications to date. Parker seamlessly introduces characters that appeal to the reader, heads of reason in a tyrannical small-town mindset. There are both monsters and small-minded bigots here to contend with – it’s wonderful, the juxtaposition. Whilst classic monsters such as werewolves are revealed to be human, loving, defensive of their pack and pride, humans are shown to be bigoted, shameful, cruel in intent and deed. It’s so well done, a view of the world through a persecuted person’s eyes – each character comes from a background in which their humanity is questioned, mocked, scorned, yet they are shown to be the only sentient beings in play – adapting amongst the bigotry – coping with the hate and defending their right to exist. The parallels here are deliberate.
As the novel progresses, the tension ramps up, leaving the reader as breathless as the MCs. It’s just gold, within 4 or 5 novelettes T.C. manages to craft characters that bleed, that have been victimized, and come out stronger – misfits in the society they attempt to adapt to, their identities under threat for simply being – automatic heroes we feel for.
It is exceptional that we identify with them all. It is phenomenal that we do so in such a short space of time.
Hummingbird is superb. I loved every minute of it. The characters are so real – you love the small-town feel of the novel, the petty foundations of the inhabitant’s vitriol. As if they have the right to spout hate by being in the majority. It’s so well done, that sadly, it has to be based in reality. I can’t imagine this level of petty victimization to have not come from personal experience. Having it presented so devastatingly eloquently speaks volumes. Being a middle-aged white heterosexual male, the bigotry here – well – it redefines my life to be certain – makes you aware of the level of vindictiveness the LBGTQ community faces on a daily basis – a background of undeniable tension that flavors all of their interactions, the fear of simply being who you are – well, that’s something I just don’t have every single waking second of my life.
That’s horrific. Screw them all. What a bunch of dicks. Is it then wrong to say I want to read more about them to hate them all over again? I’m addicted to Hummingbird and all its warts.
I’m here for everything Parker releases.
Go buy this book, though you’ll devour it in one sitting and have a stunned, dreamy expression afterward. That alone is worth the cover price.
Well, I was on the mark.
It turns out T.C. had planned a book consisting of novelettes, each adding characters and plot twists to combine into a whole, each written in her hallmark eloquent voice. I’ll be upfront – this is getting a 5 ⭐review from me due to the narrative alone before we even begin to detail the superb plot, elegant world-building, exquisite tension, and exemplary structure of the novel. T.C.’s command of the English language is second to none, her educated magniloquent vocabulary (and I say that as a compliment) is remarkable, educational, and heart-warming – you just know you are going to be engrossed in the story. Reading and conversing with T.C. is like talking to a well-read, educated favorite professor who’s also cool, and ridiculously modest. Dammit.
Hummingbird is – for me – the capstone of T.C.’s publications to date. Parker seamlessly introduces characters that appeal to the reader, heads of reason in a tyrannical small-town mindset. There are both monsters and small-minded bigots here to contend with – it’s wonderful, the juxtaposition. Whilst classic monsters such as werewolves are revealed to be human, loving, defensive of their pack and pride, humans are shown to be bigoted, shameful, cruel in intent and deed. It’s so well done, a view of the world through a persecuted person’s eyes – each character comes from a background in which their humanity is questioned, mocked, scorned, yet they are shown to be the only sentient beings in play – adapting amongst the bigotry – coping with the hate and defending their right to exist. The parallels here are deliberate.
As the novel progresses, the tension ramps up, leaving the reader as breathless as the MCs. It’s just gold, within 4 or 5 novelettes T.C. manages to craft characters that bleed, that have been victimized, and come out stronger – misfits in the society they attempt to adapt to, their identities under threat for simply being – automatic heroes we feel for.
It is exceptional that we identify with them all. It is phenomenal that we do so in such a short space of time.
Hummingbird is superb. I loved every minute of it. The characters are so real – you love the small-town feel of the novel, the petty foundations of the inhabitant’s vitriol. As if they have the right to spout hate by being in the majority. It’s so well done, that sadly, it has to be based in reality. I can’t imagine this level of petty victimization to have not come from personal experience. Having it presented so devastatingly eloquently speaks volumes. Being a middle-aged white heterosexual male, the bigotry here – well – it redefines my life to be certain – makes you aware of the level of vindictiveness the LBGTQ community faces on a daily basis – a background of undeniable tension that flavors all of their interactions, the fear of simply being who you are – well, that’s something I just don’t have every single waking second of my life.
That’s horrific. Screw them all. What a bunch of dicks. Is it then wrong to say I want to read more about them to hate them all over again? I’m addicted to Hummingbird and all its warts.
I’m here for everything Parker releases.
Go buy this book, though you’ll devour it in one sitting and have a stunned, dreamy expression afterward. That alone is worth the cover price.
March 24, 2023
Fasten your seatbelts
If you think you know the direction TC Parker is guiding you here at Hummingbird,guess again. Evil twists and turns grabbing you by your innards leading you to eventual ruin. I love this well written horror story that deserves more than five stars.
If you think you know the direction TC Parker is guiding you here at Hummingbird,guess again. Evil twists and turns grabbing you by your innards leading you to eventual ruin. I love this well written horror story that deserves more than five stars.
May 18, 2022
Beautifully written multi-POV tale with a rewarding pay off when all the narratives collide. Highly recommend!
April 18, 2022
I’ll try to write some kind of coherent review in the near future, one that doesn’t end up spoiling anything. I loved this book! T.C Parker knocked it out of the park here. Her best work yet. Surprises and what the fuck moments at every turn, and I had a ball trying to figure out the narrative, which seemed to change every chapter. Tightly plotted and expertly paced. And the way things come so perfectly together by the end is pure magic.
March 17, 2023
5 stars. A horror novel with a lot of emotion and heart to it. This was my first book by this author and I will admit that it took a little bit to get use to the writing style but once I did I loved it. The writing is really good and the plot is fascinating and made for a very addictive read. I wish I had ore to say about it but I genuinely don’t. It was a fantastic read and I loved the way it ended. I’d highly recommend it if you want something both scary and heartfelt. I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
May 14, 2022
'T C Parker wields her razor sharp narrative scalpel so deftly you won't realise you're bleeding until it soaks into the page.'
My thoughts after I'd finished this twisting labyrinth of a novel that is so intricately plotted and perfectly paced that you can't help but read just a little bit more. The characters are so well fleshed out, so real, that you can't help but think that maybe you've met them once before in that little village you stopped at that didn't seem to be on the map...
Humans wear monstrous faces in this story - bigotry a flame held high, their intolerance an oozing wound simply waiting for something to creep in...
Buy this book. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. And watch it soar.
My thoughts after I'd finished this twisting labyrinth of a novel that is so intricately plotted and perfectly paced that you can't help but read just a little bit more. The characters are so well fleshed out, so real, that you can't help but think that maybe you've met them once before in that little village you stopped at that didn't seem to be on the map...
Humans wear monstrous faces in this story - bigotry a flame held high, their intolerance an oozing wound simply waiting for something to creep in...
Buy this book. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. And watch it soar.
March 19, 2023
Revisiting by favourite book of last year. This is something special. 5 striking stories coming together to make up an epic tale of good and evil. Great queer rep and well-rounded characters throughout.
Parker weaves from the past to the present with strong social commentary underpinning the narrative.
Gory and heartfelt and wonderful!
Just read it - there's too much going on for a review. 5⭐️ to TC Parker and Hummingbird
Parker weaves from the past to the present with strong social commentary underpinning the narrative.
Gory and heartfelt and wonderful!
Just read it - there's too much going on for a review. 5⭐️ to TC Parker and Hummingbird
August 6, 2024
4 Stars
TC Parker seems to have a knack of busting through expectations. My expectations. Whatever I expected from a horror story just didn’t come to fruition. And it’s not a bad thing after careful consideration of the many ways Hummingbirds could have gone. There were a number of unexpected characters in the mix that made the conclusion quite chaotic and emotionally confusing. And I loved that. You think you know but really you don’t. Also, some parts of the story/writing reminds me of Stephen King which is quite nice.
TC Parker seems to have a knack of busting through expectations. My expectations. Whatever I expected from a horror story just didn’t come to fruition. And it’s not a bad thing after careful consideration of the many ways Hummingbirds could have gone. There were a number of unexpected characters in the mix that made the conclusion quite chaotic and emotionally confusing. And I loved that. You think you know but really you don’t. Also, some parts of the story/writing reminds me of Stephen King which is quite nice.
February 15, 2023
Let me start by saying I loved this book with all of my big queer trans heart. ❤️
Hummingbird shows how dangerous words can be, and how hate can only lead to more hate. It’s a tale of horror on many levels. Sometimes evil wears the face of a man, and others times that of something inhuman and utterly evil.
It’s a powerful read, moving at times, heartbreaking, scary as hell, and just bloody brilliant.
It’s the best LGBTQ+ Horror I’ve read. As a tale of Folk Horror, it’s up their with the best of Adam Nevill.
Quite simply, this is Horror Fiction at its best.
I’m joining the TC Parker Fan Club. I do hope we get stickers and badges.
Hummingbird shows how dangerous words can be, and how hate can only lead to more hate. It’s a tale of horror on many levels. Sometimes evil wears the face of a man, and others times that of something inhuman and utterly evil.
It’s a powerful read, moving at times, heartbreaking, scary as hell, and just bloody brilliant.
It’s the best LGBTQ+ Horror I’ve read. As a tale of Folk Horror, it’s up their with the best of Adam Nevill.
Quite simply, this is Horror Fiction at its best.
I’m joining the TC Parker Fan Club. I do hope we get stickers and badges.
March 29, 2022
Hummingbird is the kind of novel labyrinth where the unexpected lurks around every corner. Parker's mosaic holds layer upon layer of gripping characters and supernatural tricks in a Pulp Fiction-esque horror show, where a monster's only weakness is another kind of monster. Immediately engrossing.
May 29, 2022
TC's work just shines right from the first sentence here, and it only keeps getting better as the story progresses. The writing is off the charts, seriously. This is a novel I truly want to visit again, hopefully in audiobook form as well. With all the voices going on, I think it could even take it up a notch, and that's saying something.
I'm as vague with reviews as alway, but that's a personal preference. I usually know nothing when I go in. I don't even read a synopsis. I'll pick a book because my friends have been banging on about it, or I trust the author from their previous work. With Hummingbird I knew going in that it was like multiple novellas pulled into one. and I also heard the payoff was excellent, and I would say that's all you need to know as well. It's five stars across the board for good reason. Take your time and enjoy it. Appreciate it. A lot of heart and soul has gone into this, and probably a lot of blood sweat and tears as well. This one just feels special.
I'll be buying a signed copy as soon as I can.
I have already enquired.
Five stars. Absolutely deserved.
I'm as vague with reviews as alway, but that's a personal preference. I usually know nothing when I go in. I don't even read a synopsis. I'll pick a book because my friends have been banging on about it, or I trust the author from their previous work. With Hummingbird I knew going in that it was like multiple novellas pulled into one. and I also heard the payoff was excellent, and I would say that's all you need to know as well. It's five stars across the board for good reason. Take your time and enjoy it. Appreciate it. A lot of heart and soul has gone into this, and probably a lot of blood sweat and tears as well. This one just feels special.
I'll be buying a signed copy as soon as I can.
I have already enquired.
Five stars. Absolutely deserved.
May 5, 2024
well... goddamn.
this was a hell of a ride. i basically devoured it, and had a blast the whole way through as things slowly unfolded. i ended up caring abt all the pov characters and many of the side characters, too. i will admit slightly to be the tiiiiiinest bit disapointed by the ending, bc despite my love of horror, i also like perhaps a more bittersweet/slightly happier ending. AND YET, i also think it was perfect on some level.
all in all this one only has further solidified TC Parker/Natalie Edwards as a solid must read for me.
this was a hell of a ride. i basically devoured it, and had a blast the whole way through as things slowly unfolded. i ended up caring abt all the pov characters and many of the side characters, too. i will admit slightly to be the tiiiiiinest bit disapointed by the ending, bc despite my love of horror, i also like perhaps a more bittersweet/slightly happier ending. AND YET, i also think it was perfect on some level.
all in all this one only has further solidified TC Parker/Natalie Edwards as a solid must read for me.
May 16, 2022
A novel told in novelettes Hummingbird rewards the reader's loyalty as layer upon horrific layer is expertly laid down until they make up a wholly terrible whole that takes an unflinching look at the brutality that humans are capable of and forces you to question who the real monsters are.
October 14, 2023
I loved every minute of this ride. It was like if you crossed Trick or Treat with Midnight Mass but made both exceptionally queer. Like 100% made for me, personally.
May 23, 2022
How do you stand tall without lowering yourself to the level of those who attack you? Is it possible to constantly rise above those that throw stones? Can we forgive ourselves when the exhaustion this brings manifests itself as violent agression?
Hummingbird is a staggering and ambitious project which few would have the ability to think up let alone execute. Thankfully, Parker is a master storyteller and strides purposely through the narrative beheading any would be issues with confident strokes of her pen (keyboard). What starts as a truly engaging tour through the narrow minds of a village church community soon becomes a grisly horror tale full of social commentary which is punctuated by death and strange cultist behaviour. This would be more than enough to cement the book as a must read but the story shows remarkable depth and kicks on yet again. We're presented with the ancient origins of demons, shape-shifting characters and world shattering consequences. There is a wonderful confidence to the writing as the author speaks with conviction through a variety of strong characters. You can feel the words are written with a fire burning within them. Hummingbird has cemented TC Parker as an important voice within the writing community. It's time to listen and learn.
Hummingbird is a staggering and ambitious project which few would have the ability to think up let alone execute. Thankfully, Parker is a master storyteller and strides purposely through the narrative beheading any would be issues with confident strokes of her pen (keyboard). What starts as a truly engaging tour through the narrow minds of a village church community soon becomes a grisly horror tale full of social commentary which is punctuated by death and strange cultist behaviour. This would be more than enough to cement the book as a must read but the story shows remarkable depth and kicks on yet again. We're presented with the ancient origins of demons, shape-shifting characters and world shattering consequences. There is a wonderful confidence to the writing as the author speaks with conviction through a variety of strong characters. You can feel the words are written with a fire burning within them. Hummingbird has cemented TC Parker as an important voice within the writing community. It's time to listen and learn.
July 13, 2022
I have soooooo many thoughts about this book, sparked by this book, lived through this book. I'm trying to collect them in a coherent fashion, both because of how wonderful a read this is, and how damn much it MEANS to me, and how much I'm certain it will mean to others. Until I reach that land of coherence, however, let it be known that I bloody love it, and think everyone should read it. Hats off to you, T.C. Parker, and long may you write.
March 16, 2025
Whoa, what a trip! This book was gross, gory, dark, original and completely bonkers. Just awesome. It went time after time to places I didn't expect... at all. I just wish to have more about certain characters / story lines, but I also think it was well balanced. I am going to be sore about the last arc for a while.
I recommend not reading much about it and just go with the flow.
I recommend not reading much about it and just go with the flow.
January 20, 2023
This story is stunning. The way it’s constructed and brings it to a head. I didn’t or couldn’t put this down until I was done reading! I was and I am greedy! I want more of this story and certainly will be reading more from this author!
June 2, 2022
An extremely topical read as a village preacher with an anti-gay agenda is more than he seems on the surface. We follow a number of townspeople and points of view as a small band of resisters slowly gather to take on the ultimate evil in a final showdown. The narrative structure may be off-putting to some readers as it feels like a series of short stories focusing on different characters, but it is satisfying to see the separate threads woven together after we have gotten to know everyone's backstory. There is some jumping around in time as we experience new points of view from events we've already witnessed, but for me, that just enriched the story and made me care even more about the ultimate fate of the people we've gotten to know. There are little mysteries, shocks, and cliffhangers throughout that make this book a real page-turner. Excellent eldritch horror with heart.
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