Sarah
The Austrian Alps are the setting for this wonderful little story. Charlie is a teenager and is on a ski trip with his school friends to Kaldgellan, he snowboards while they ski, he has an unhappy home life and is glad to be away doing what he loves. After he wipes out because of an avalanche he is rescued by Hanna a ski guide with a bad attitude and secrets.
While Charlie has been getting covered in snow his class mates have been in the town wondering why everyone is leaving, the towns folk know something bad's a comin' and want to be well away from there for a bit, with no way of leaving they all trek back to the hotel and settle in to wait out the coming storm.
Things go to shit pretty quickly when noises are heard and teachers are missing, blood is found and then they're all suddenly attacked, people ripped apart and thrown around, chaos ensues. When the blood settles they realize that from 30, they're down to 9, pretty good going for about 5 minutes!
The survivors have to band together to work out what the actual fuck just happened and how they're going to survive until the storm passes, Hanna and her mysterious past have some answers, can they make it through and come out the other side unscathed!?
I know that's a pretty vague review but I think it's best to go into this not knowing too much and letting the story take you away. I will say that it's violent, bloody and gore filled but it's not as graphic as the usual adult horror that I read, this isn't adult horror though, it's YA, which is probably why. This is a good start for easing YA readers into horror as a genre as there's just enough gruesomeness to not distract from the story but give you an insight into what sort of stuff happens.
The setting and characters are well written, the story paced nicely and the ending is spot on. Couldn't ask for more really, was a quick and enjoyable read.
Huge thanks to Gabriel Dylan, Little Tiger Group, Stripes Publishing and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Not formatted correctly for my kindle but I know graphic novels are much better in physical form rather than digital.
This is the prefect book for teenagers/young adults to give them the tools needed to understand about consent and move on to more in-depth books on this very important subject.
Huge thanks to Pete Wallis, Thalia Wallis, Joseph Wilkins, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Singing Dragon and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Loved this just as much as I loved her previous graphic novel!
Just as relatable and wonderful for a book lover, the illustrations are perfect, I read through this a few times as it made me giggle and feel all warm and cosy inside.
Beautiful.
Huge thanks to Debbie Tung, Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
This is a wonderful little short story collection by an author I haven't heard of before (for shame!), it's a really quick read because, short stories, and it gave me a taster of the writing and of the characters in the Campion series.
As these are all set at Christmas it's given me a little bit of push to get into the spirit of the season.
Have a couple more stories to read by this author now so will be getting to them soon.
Huge thanks to Margery Allingham, Agora Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Love the black and white illustrations, they're so well done and detailed, I really want to colour them in.
Each cartoon is funny although some are funnier than others which is to be expected really, I really enjoyed this graphic novel and will be looking for more by this author.
Huge thanks to John Moran, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Paranormal/Supernatural books have been a favourite of mine for a year or so now, anytime I see one on NetGalley I have to request it and hope I get approved. I've never seen a ghost or knowingly experienced anything supernatural or paranormal and it's something that interests me.
After the authors own experiences at Haverfordwest, when he felt mentally and emotionally prepared, he released a book about the house, A Most Haunted House, and was surprised when it was a hit, while he was doing publicity for said book he received an email from someone who described the house in detail and exactly where it was and then said some of what happened to her while she lived there.
They eventually met up, interviews were agreed upon as long as the names of the people involved were changed, this is their story.
Dai and Anne had moved into the house in 1989 and left in 1991, small things happened at first and then things built up enough over time that it detrimentally affected their emotional and mental state so much that they had to leave. It's terrifying to image living through what they did and for staying in that environment for 3 years!
I read the authors first book when I was part way through this so I could get the complete picture of both couples and their experiences were very similar, Dai and Annes was much worse though as they stayed there longer. The woman in the first book ‘Sarah' is a horrid person, cold, emotionless and a heartless bitch, when you read it, you'll know why I think that and it's because it's true, the only reason I bring it up in this review is because in the copy I received the first book is included in the back.
At the very end of the book the author gives various explanations as to what could cause the experiences both couples had, environmental and paranormal/supernatural, which I found refreshing in a book such as this.
Huge thanks to G.L. Davis, John Hunt Publishing Ltd, 6th Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
There's not too much for me to say about this, I didn't like it, the first few chapters were ok and then it just went ‘meh' and never picked up again.
The main character we follow, Nada, is not a strong enough person to keep it together, she was weak, unsure of herself, subservient to the others and kind of a doormat, I was hoping she'd get stronger as we got further in but despite a couple of moments that gave me that hope she just fell flat again.
The premise is interesting and the and I absolutely loved the setting but the characters didn't pull me in and have me gripped. I skim read most of it and only kept going to see how it ended and then got frustrated because the characters hadn't changed at all, there didn't seem to be any growth.
If you liked this book then brilliant, if you didn't I understand. I will pick up the authors next book because I know that not all books are going to gel with everyone.
Huge thanks to J.G. Murray, Atlantic Books, Corvus and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Thanks to Hunter Shea I've been reading more cryptid books this year and have been scouring both Kindle Unlimited and NetGalley for anything I could find. This is a NetGalley find and I've enjoyed it hugely!
Each chapter is one of the states in the good old U, S of A and has some ‘monsters of note' who reside in said state like the Chupacabra, The Jersey Devil (in Jersey if you can believe it!) and a surprising amount of Bigfoots, Bigfeet? whatever the plural of Bigfoot is anyway, there's a load of ‘em walking around all hairy and massive just doin' their thing.
There's also werewolves and a few creepy gnome things seemingly having the time of their lives attacking people.
I really enjoyed this, took my time with it over about a month as I wanted it to last and it's given me more ideas on cryptid and creature books for 2019. Cheers for that Jason!!
Will definitely be picking up mire books by this author in the near future.
Huge thanks to Jason Offutt, Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
When I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it, I was extremely happy to find it available to request on NetGalley as was so excited when I was approved a copy.
Haunted house books are one of my favourites to read as I love the slow build up, the increasing level of spookiness and threat and how the characters respond to it.
Here we have 4 horror authors invited to the Finch House for a group interview by Wainwright, the founder of a horror website and a huge fan of all 4 authors, he thinks that having it set in the Finch House would be an amazing coup and pull in millions of views over the few days that they're all there.
Small things start happening at first, nothing too spooky or out there just little things they brush off as paranoia or their over-active imaginations, as time goes on though things start getting more serious and the story ramps up to more spooky and violent ends.
I enjoyed the characters and how they were fleshed out, the interplay between them all was well done and the story moved on at a steady pace, however, I was disappointed with the fact that there wasn't more set in the house, there is a good chunk in there but I prefer the majority of a haunted house book to be set in said house, that's just my preference though and that is why I changed my original 5 star to a 4.
Huge thanks to Scott Thomas, Inkshares and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
This was my first Brandon Sanderson book and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Spensa has always wanted to be a part of the Detritus Defence Force (DDF) just like her father was before her but after he was labelled a traitor by everyone she is tarred with the same brush and no-one believes that she can become the pilot she so desperately wants to be.
The story takes place on Detritus, a planet humans landed on during a war many years before and the fight against The Krell, an alien race who are trying to destroy them. Things are getting worse as the Krell attacks are getting more and more destructive and frequent.
As Spensa finishes school and tries to get into the DDF she stumbles upon a cavern as she explores further and further away from home, finding, to her surprise, a ship, an AI ship with the best personality you could ask for! His name is M-Bot and he is my absolute favourite character in this book!! Spensa trains and fixes M-Bot with the help of her best friend and we build towards an action packed ending.
Wonderfully written, the characters are well fleshed out, the world building is perfect, M-Bot is amazing, the humour, the empathy you feel, the heatbreak, the excitement, everything in this story is brilliantly done and I very much look forward to the next book in this series.
Very well done Mr Sanderson, very well done.
Huge thanks to Brandan Sanderson, Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Huge fucking Thresher shark chomping the shit out of everything in sight and the people who have to stop it. I bloody love this book too!
I read this straight after I finished reading Creature from the Crevasse and loved it even more! The characters are so good, they're flawed but fun, the story was well done, the blood, gore, interactions between shark and people was interesting and the ending was perfect, it all worked so well together.
Huge thanks to Michael Cole, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
On July 12th, 1988, 19-year-old Anna Kithcart was found brutally murdered in Kingston, New York. What follows is the investigation, arrest and trial of the suspect. Sounds simple enough but it really isn't.
The letters KKK were found carved into her flesh which brought Reverend Al Sharpton and his supporters to Kingston claiming it was a ‘klan den' and has a ‘racist cult' operating in it's midst, this maked things much more difficult for the investigation and add to that the prime suspect, a transient who found the body who then confessed and subsequently retracted said confession and then an anonymous caller who said the real killer had confessed to them and that his name was Jeff Dawson, a local burglar!
It's an interesting case to read about especially with all the stuff going on in it and if you like true crime, I highly recommend you give it a read.
Huge thanks to Richard T. Cahill Jr, WildBlue Press and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Dr Carlisle was part of the 90-day diagnostic team of Utah State Prison and did the diagnostic of Ted Bundy while he was there after his trial. He needed to find out if Bundy was capable of doing the things he was charged with. The answer was, obviously, a big fat yes!
He spoke to Bundy and interviewed various people in his life, old friends, ex-girlfriends and people he knew from various jobs and places he rented, Dr Carlisle then built a picture of him from these interviews.
A very informative and interesting read, Dr Carlisle had to be unbiased in his assessment (as you have to be with everyone who goes through the diagnostic), it's still a frightening look into the mind of a serial killer who looked like the ‘boy next door' and tried to hide his true nature from everyone around him.
Thoroughly enjoyed this as i do love True Crime and books by professionals who are in this field.
Huge thanks to Dr Al Carlisle, Kobo Writing Life and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
This is book 1 in the Ellery Hathaway series.
Ellery survived a serial killer and Reed is the agent who saved her, she's grown up to be a police officer in her home town of Woodbury and he's gone on to be a rogue FBI agent after blowing a major investigation. Ellery contacts Reed to help investigate the disappearance of 3 young people all taken from her home town around her birthday over the last three years. They work together to solve the case and help each other with their joint troubled pasts.
Both characters are flawed, they are trying to move on from their past but the situations they find themselves in keep them in the same mental and emotional state that they're been in for years.
I enjoyed this book even though I knew the ending quite early on, I like to see how they get there and how it's all explained. Loved the setting of the book, the way the characters were written, the interplay between them all and the overall feel of the book.
Huge thanks to Joanna Schaffhausen, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
I'm angry with myself for not knowing that this was released in 2016 because this would've been in my greedy little hands when it was first released if I'd have known!
Creature feature books and movies are some of my favourite things to read/watch! I'm always on the lookout for them but because no-one will watch the films with me or read the books I have no-one to talk to about them all so I'm constantly looking for books like this so I know there are people out there who love them as much as I do.
A lovely eclectic mix in here of some of the best (or worst depending on how you look at it) creature features you could want to watch. I now have more to add to my ‘to watch' list and for that I am very happy!
Huge thanks to Vanessa Morgan, B.L. Daniels, Moonlight Creek Publishing and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
A group of teenager boys, Gary, James, Tom, Matt and Tim, have gone on a hiking trip with Mr Stevens, the father of Tim, you think it'll be a bonding experience, get them some exercise and fresh air and give the lads a chance to get to know one another when all they have to depend on is each other.
Things get a little spooky when they're all telling ghost stories around the camp fire the first night, Mr Stevens telling them the most spooky and unsettling, as adults are wont to do when there are kids about, which freaks them all out a little and then things just go to shit as the hiking trip continues.
We have the main story which is told by the lads, so multiple perspectives, and in newspaper clippings from various years, it's all titled well so you know where you are and to help stop confusion. It helps with the back story and what is going to happen.
As I'm writing this review I've had the uncontrollable urge to watch Dog Soldiers, other than being in the woods, in the dark and being hunted by something it has nothing whatsoever to do with this book but it's helping with the atmosphere and it's a bloody good film!
I enjoyed this, it had the right mix of creepy to horror, the characters were good and fleshed out well so you understood them with knowing the rest of their story, the setting is creepy as fuck but I suppose any wooded area is creepy as fuck when you're hearing ghost stories while sat in them!
I look forward to the next book by Sam Hysom and hope it's as good as this one if not better!!
Huge thanks to Sam Haysom, Unbound, Unbound Digital and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
This is book 3 in the Bookstore Cafe mystery series and the first book in this series that I've read.
The mystery in this book is alright and so were the characters but I didn't really connect to the story and found myself tuning in and out and skim reading more than normal.
Maybe I need to give the series a go from the beginning to see if I can invest more with the main character to pull me into the series as a whole.
Huge thanks to Alex Erickson, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Book 6 in the Bookstore Cafe Mystery and the 2nd one I have read.
A 3 star review from me isn't a bad thing, it just means there are things I'm unsure about.
While I enjoyed the characters more I'm still not finding myself connecting to them or the story as much as I usually do with cosy mysteries.
I do think I need to read this series from the start to meet the main character as I'm meant to and see how the relationships and town building began, I'm hoping that will work and that I'll fall in love with the series.
Huge thanks to Alex Erickson, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
I did say before that I was going to be reviewing all books in this series one after the other, I lied, I haven't finished the other 2 I have yet as I'm a ridiculous person and have to go to work.
When I started reading this I thought the writing and Kester sounded very 19th century, I expected to see horses and carts on cobblestone streets, men in top hat and tails walking with canes escorting ladies in gowns with long gloves towards destinations unknown, we follow as Kester enters a building and walks upstairs on the search for his father and as he walks through a door he enters the 21st century with computers and mobile phones. If that was how Lucy Banks wrote this then it really bloody worked and if she didn't, it still really bloody worked!!
The characters are drawn out really well as the story progresses and nothing about them feels forced or out of place, there's a good flow to the story which kept me engaged and wanting to continue on to see how it would all work out in the end.
I am hoping to get back to this series very soon as I want to see how Kester grows as a character and be back with this wonderfully quirky cast.
Bloody loved it.
Huge thanks to Lucy Banks, Amberjack Publishing and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
Book 1 in the Dead & Buried Mysteries series and the first one I've read. A mid-range cosy so far.
I requested this because I saw a dog on the front cover, I love dogs so it called to me.
Characters and mystery were good but I found it too slow in parts, I shall be on the lookout for more books in this series to see how the characters are fleshed out and what other mysteries they have to help solve.
Huge thanks to Annie Bassett, Dead & Buried Book and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
If you're looking for a book filled with double entendres, strange characters and just plain weirdness then this is the book for you!
At points it made me laugh and I liked the bare bones of the story but some of it just didn't click for me and I usually like weirdness in my books. The eccentricities of some of the characters was a little jarring at times which took me out of the story a little as I wasn't THAT much of it.
Huge thanks to Richard Harrington and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
True crime is another genre I love to read and it's good to read a memoir from someone who's actually on the front line and in the streets chasing down the people responsible for the myriad of crimes we see in the world.
Cloyd Steiger is a former Homicide Detective who worked in Seattle and this is his story, he tells us about some of the cases he worked on from arriving at the crime scene to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect, it's fascinating to read and gives you a better insight into what their jobs entail and how each case effects them when they're not ‘on the job'.
I would've liked to hear more about him off the job and if/how he managed to keep the job separate from his home life as I think that is an important part of a memoir of this type. I did still enjoy it though, it kept me engaged and interested throughout.
Huge thanks to Cloyd Steiger, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own
I read 40 Humorous British Traditions in November last year and loved it so I knew the moment I saw this that I had to read it.
Snooker Marbles in Sheffield, Pole Vaulting at Hadrian's Wall, Beagle Chasing in Athestone (one of my particular favourites after the cancellation of the annual Staffie Toy Drive when it became clear that the toys would not survive the 30 minute walk to their final destination, it was absolute carnage with teddy bear heads flying about, stuffing covering everything and a mass game of tug of war as we tried to take the toys away, such a sad day for all involved, especially the staffies), The Dracula Race in Sighisoara, Romania (One I'm hoping to participate in very soon), Handstand Games in Moscow, Russia and Mad Paddling in Hobart, Tasmania are some of the many sports we don't hear much about at all so I'm extremely glad that Mr Worker has finally brought these to everyone's attention.
The next time you go to one of the places in this book, I highly encourage you to take part in one or more of these sports. You never know, you could be a champion at the Pogo Stick Marathon or Hobby Horse Polo.
Huge thanks to Julian Worker, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own