Stephanie
I'll admit that Sci-Fi is not my go to genre, but the horror/sci-fi collaboration worked. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and there were suspenseful moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. Dead Silence is written well, bringing the reader a story that throws you into an action packed adventure full of space, ghosts and surprises.
I must say I didn't particularly like the anxious, worry-wart main character, but characters are strong. If romance is your thing, there's a cute little love story between two of the main characters.
The ending is my favorite part of the book. I like how the author added a twist showcasing the greed of major corporations. It's much like the world we live in today. There's a nice lesson in there if you read between the lines.
Overall I did enjoy the story and there were a few moments that caught me off-guard. I would totally read more from this author.
Thank you TorNightfire and NetGalley for the ARC
Okay, so when I decided to pick up American Psycho, EVERYONE expressed their love for this book so I was excited to dive in. That's the last time I listen to people. This book is a hot mess. I could even go as far as saying I hated it. Let's start with the elephant in the room. I'm convinced the author is sexist. I know, I know the whole point of Patrick Bateman is to showcase that he's a sexist pig, but when you have zero strong female characters, basically no female characters with even a smidgen of personality outside being dumb, shallow eye candy for a serial killer and his obnoxious friends, that says something. His constant use of “hardbody” is annoying, as well as his basic descriptions of women in the novel. He could have put in a little more effort considering he doesn't shy away from excessive detail in other areas of the story. Also, I looked into interviews with the author and he openly says sexist comments, including comparing his younger self to Patrick Bateman. He also openly expressed his discontent for a woman directing the movie American Psycho. Considering a few of his books revolve around the themes of hurting, raping, and degrading women, that further enforces my opinion. If it quacks like a duck...
That aside, the book is a drag for the first 75%. Ellis overloaded American Psycho with an obnoxious amount of designer labels and details. The novel becomes tedious to get through. Once again, I understand it was done for character development but we get the point after the first 50 pages of detail overload. The excessive detail along with the absolute boring dinner conversations that brought minimal to the plot bored me. Let's be honest here, his writing isn't anything special. I'm not a fan of an author basically “telling” the entire story.
The gore was alright, however some of it was unrealistic and random. Often times it feels like Ellis wrote the actions of Bateman just for shock value and I wasn't impressed. The graphic scenes didn't bother me, but it came off sloppy and disorganized.
I'm going to have to pass on reading anything else from Ellis. I can only imagine how much worse it gets.
Initially I thought this was a Christmas collection because of the title so it was a bummer to find out that it was a single story. However, I did enjoy the story. There's something about R.L. Stine's writing that hooks you in. I love the cliffhangers at the end of each chapter because they add to the suspense and anxiety. There was a part in the book that totally grossed me out even as an adult so I could imagine this being frightening for young readers. I wish it was a little more “Christmas themed,” but I dug the originality of the story. Cute, chilling Christmas tale, perfect for children.
I'm going to start by saying it baffles me to see people label this “ The Scariest book I ever read!” It wasn't scary at all. There is barely any build up, tension, dread, anxiety or anything really to these scares. The scares are popped into certain parts of the story and over in literal seconds. Almost the equivalent to a tacky jump-scare in an Indie horror film. I guess I can see this book scaring my child or someone who is easily frightened.
It's extremely repetitive and I contemplated not finishing it. I read a review on here that mentioned how disappointed they were with the ending so I continued to see if I felt the same way and I have to agree. I don't understand how “the hollow one” completely backed off the second she said “Enough” We're talking a creature that literally stalked and haunted this girl to the point of obsession and demented love and it ends that abruptly?? It is definitely rushed. As an author, you should leave readers with answers. Thorough explanations or at least some type of foreshadowing or hint at what could be the reason for things. It's lazy writing at best.
Character development is almost non-existent. Even the setting isn't fleshed out or descriptive enough to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
The word “suddenly” was used so often that it's burned into my mind. Adverbs are not your friend when writing a novel.
Also, I don't understand how the prologue reeled people in for being absolutely “terrifying.” It's odd to me how the prologue was focused on the parrot but the parrot is only mentioned one or two other times in the story.
The meaning behind the number “5” is predictable and honestly a let down. I wanted something mind blowing but instead I was left with confusion. Why is it important to “the hollow one?” I feel like a lot of elements of the story are never explained. Why was the wedding ring so significant? What about the dream catchers?” Side note: dream catchers are meant to protect against nightmares, so I'm unsure how the spin on them in this story even makes sense. What about the basement and whatever broke out of there?
The afterword blew my mind. Blackwell goes on to talk about the exploitation of Native American culture, stories, characters etc, only to do the very thing he spoke against. Two major Native American characters are killed off when they should be the ones with knowledge to defeat this “spirit”/“creature” considering its native to their land. Yikes.
I may get jumped here by all the “fans” for this negative review but if I purchase something, I have the right to review it so I don't really care about the hate I'll get for my review. If it should be titled anything it should be “Stolen Time”
For Goodreads purposes I'll round up to a 4. I enjoyed three out of the four stories. The third story is boring in my opinion and took away from the collection considering there are only 4 in the first volume. Since it's the first in the series I'll cut the author some slack and write it off as world building/story building.
The illustrations are dope and give it that edge that bumps up the rating for me. Hopefully it becomes scarier as I read each volume.
I almost feel bad rating this book 2/5 because the writing is phenomenal and the beginning of the story had me hopeful. The setting, characters and details gave me an eerie feeling and I thought I was going to be completely mind blown but the ending was a huge disappointment. I wish the author went a different route with this one because it could have easily been one of my favorite books of the year. If you're religious, specifically Christian, you'll enjoy this novella a lot more than I did. I could not get over the cheesy, ridiculous ending shrouded in support for the patriarchy
What do you do when you catch your girlfriend in bed with your best friend? You seek revenge. Brutal, viscous revenge.
I absolutely loved this novella by Thomas Gloom. Thomas Gloom is an excellent story teller.
His characters are always above par and realistic. You can feel the despair and anger that the narrator goes through. I love Fiona, the mysterious, sultry witch, and ancient crone. She is my favorite in this short novella and as usual Thomas Gloom portrayed her perfectly. He has a talent for writing witches spot on and interesting. I also adore the Venus Fly Trap and would totally love having this plant to seek out my own revenge
For a collection titled “This is Halloween” I was confused because a lot of the short stories were not Halloween themed at all. I actually had high hopes for this collection and it started off decent but after reading consecutive short stories actively describing women for their physical traits only, I lost interest and skimmed the remainder of the stories. It seems like rape and any type of harm towards women is the main theme of this collection and it's honestly ridiculous. The author is a good writer but for me there seems to be a lot of underlying sexism. There's honestly no excuse for it. I wish someone would explain to these sexist, male authors that women aren't going to think someone who's actively trying to attack her is “sort of cute.” Like dude, get a grip. A bit outdated. I could care less about nominations and awards he has won for other material, it's a hard pass on the rest of his work.
I don't understand why this book is considered horror/dark fantasy/ cosmic horror. There wasn't much cosmic about it except for maybe the description of Iraxi's child. There's not much back story. Why is she carrying this creature child? How is her child a creature when the father is human? There are a lot of plot holes and gaps in the story.
Something that really bothered me was the depiction of pregnancy in this story. I'm not entirely sure if the author has children, or has experienced pregnancy, but a lot of the information surrounding it was inaccurate or lazily researched. Also as a mother of 3, I know for a fact no woman wants to have passionate sex while experiencing active labor, and that's with a human child, nevermind some cosmic creature shredding your insides. I also find it weird how often the author mentions the main character's vagina scent. It's odd.
Characters are flat and not interesting. I was confused the entire time about this messy love triangle that didn't make sense. There are barely any horror elements in this novella and honestly I feel like the plot was thrown together just
To set up for the final scene.
There's not a lot of information on who Iraxi is, or why she's having a hybrid baby/creature that can speak full sentences at its birth.
Overall a very messy story. The cover is beautiful and the writing is good so I'll leave it at a 2 star.
Thank you to TorNightfire and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
A Heian era mansion sits alone and haunted. Buried beneath its creepy floorboards is a blushing bride's bones and her human sacrifices.
Talia's getting married. She always adored exploring haunted houses, so the mansion is the perfect wedding venue. Talia and her friends head to the mansion for a night of celebration, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ghost bride that inhabits it's walls.
The cover of this novella is gorgeous
Petrified Women by Jeremy Ray
Harley is used to dating toxic men, but her current boyfriend Aiden isn't too bad. He has one special request; scaring Harley. Aiden absolutely loves pranks. The scarier the better. Harley sucks at pulling pranks but she's certain her most recent idea will give her the “jump” on Aiden. However, it's not always fun and games, and sometimes a prank becomes reality.
A warning that this book contains content that may be uncomfortable for some, so reader beware.
Petrified Women is a short suspenseful read. Jeremy Ray is a great storyteller and his pacing in the story is excellent. I definitely felt unsettled the entire time reading this book. The writing is detailed and I could imagine certain scenes perfectly. I literally flew through this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking of it. Characters were unique and interesting, although I found myself wanting to scream at Harley a few times to use her brain.
The Last House on Needless Street will disturb you, and surprise you. If you think you have it figured out, you most likely have no clue.
Ted lives with his cat Olivia in a ramshackle home. Sometimes Ted's young daughter Lauren visits. Something isn't right in the home, and something isn't quite right with Ted.
Dee is haunted by her sister Lulu's disappearance. She went missing years ago on a family trip to the beach. Dee is desperate to find out what happened to Lauren, hoping she's still alive. Dee moves to Needless Street and soon discovers that not everything is as it seems.
It's difficult to say too much without major spoilers but I will say that Catriona Ward is an amazing storyteller. I was absolutely immersed into the book. It's truly disturbing and if I'm going to be honest, sad. You will think you have it figured out hundreds of times, only to discover the haunting, shocking truth. It's definitely different and any fan of horror should read this book. Also, The Afterword is a must read. It shows exactly why Catriona decided to write this story.
I really want to say more but it's difficult without spoiling the entire plot.
After a Volcanic eruption of Mount Sengoku, mysterious golden, hair-like fibers flow through the air and stick to the locals giving them special gifts. One woman in particular has a full head of golden hair. There's something about her that has everyone mesmerized. A reporter becomes obsessed with finding her purpose, stumbling into a cult with more nefarious ideas in mind.
I absolutely adore Junji Ito. His artwork is phenomenal and disturbing. He is a master of body horror. With that being said, i was disappointed with Sensor. I guess he was looking to write a manga focused on Cosmic horror but it was boring and not scary aside from a select few scenes towards the end. The plot was weird and jumped around a bit. Characters weren't too interesting. If you're looking to read Junji Ito, do not chose Sensor as your first read
Book Review ✨ My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
Jade knows everything about Slashers. She can tell you every body count for every slasher. Okay maybe the better word for it is obsessed. After a body is found in the town lake, it's Jades time to shine. She knows this is how all slasher films begin, and she knows who the final girl is going to be and it's not her. It's Letha Mondragon, she's beautiful, smart, kind and a perfect final girl. Jade must prepare her for the inevitable, the Lake Witch killings.
I'm not sure if you're aware but I'm not a fan of SGJ's writing but this book has given me a little hope. At first I wasn't feeling it but around 30 percent I was hooked. I needed to know what was going to happen. SGJ tends to rant and go off topic and characters often speak in circles and the story becomes hard to follow. However, after around 30 percent, his writing becomes more fluid only going off track a few times. If he could cut out about 100-150 pages of extra details, rants and boring information about boring subjects, this book could easily be a 5 star read.
The plot is what won me over. It's fun to guess who the slasher is, only to be completely surprised at the end. I enjoyed his characters, especially the main character. She's absolutely tapped, and definitely interesting.
I will say SGJ added perfect amounts of humor at the right moments. His kill scenes are also cringeworthy. Like any typical slasher, he throws in lots of blood and gore, so beware if you are squeamish like me.
Synopsis: Abitha is new to the Puritan lifestyle, an outsider. She attends church and plays her role like a good Christian. But Abitha is also from a bloodline of Cunning women, more known as a Witch. After her husband mysteriously perishes, she is left alone to fend for her land in a patriarchal, misogynistic society that is hellbent on keeping witches and devils away from their land. Enter Slewfoot (Samson). Samson is unsure who he is, he is told he is “The Devil” but that doesn't feel right to him, he needs to know more. Together Abitha and Samson form a bond, using each other's gifts in a world where Witchcraft means a death sentence, desperate to discover their true nature.
“You think me worried about my soul? “ She laughed again, loud and fierce, locking blazing eyes on Samson. “I've no soul left,” she growled. “They've crucified my fucking soul!”
Let's talk Abitha our main character. I love her so much! Imagine that, characters written so well you become emotionally invested in them. She is a true badass. She speaks up despite the Puritan law, she takes no bs from any man, and she stands her ground at all times. Abitha is everything we want to see in a female lead. Strong, resourceful, brave, cunning, creative, intelligent and kind. Abitha's growth shines throughout the story, becoming one powerful being.
Characters in the book are fully developed with their own personalities and morals. Brom writes Samson so well, introducing a new image of “The Devil” in the readers mind. A God of Mother Nature with human thoughts and conundrums. Despite characters with strong, stubborn beliefs, some do show remorse and sadness for Abitha's fate, showing that not everyone was okay with the silly happenings of the church.
The story is beautifully written. The pacing starts slow, but stays interesting and engaging throughout. It's hard to talk about certain parts without spoilers but the parts about nature are written so descriptive it's like you're there spinning in a field of flowers, drinking in the sun and witnessing mother nature's growth and beauty. I specifically loved the wildfolk and the old gods. A certain bear that serves the beam may even make an appearance.
Merged review:
Synopsis: Abitha is new to the Puritan lifestyle, an outsider. She attends church and plays her role like a good Christian. But Abitha is also from a bloodline of Cunning women, more known as a Witch. After her husband mysteriously perishes, she is left alone to fend for her land in a patriarchal, misogynistic society that is hellbent on keeping witches and devils away from their land. Enter Slewfoot (Samson). Samson is unsure who he is, he is told he is “The Devil” but that doesn't feel right to him, he needs to know more. Together Abitha and Samson form a bond, using each other's gifts in a world where Witchcraft means a death sentence, desperate to discover their true nature.
“You think me worried about my soul? “ She laughed again, loud and fierce, locking blazing eyes on Samson. “I've no soul left,” she growled. “They've crucified my fucking soul!”
Let's talk Abitha our main character. I love her so much! Imagine that, characters written so well you become emotionally invested in them. She is a true badass. She speaks up despite the Puritan law, she takes no bs from any man, and she stands her ground at all times. Abitha is everything we want to see in a female lead. Strong, resourceful, brave, cunning, creative, intelligent and kind. Abitha's growth shines throughout the story, becoming one powerful being.
Characters in the book are fully developed with their own personalities and morals. Brom writes Samson so well, introducing a new image of “The Devil” in the readers mind. A God of Mother Nature with human thoughts and conundrums. Despite characters with strong, stubborn beliefs, some do show remorse and sadness for Abitha's fate, showing that not everyone was okay with the silly happenings of the church.
The story is beautifully written. The pacing starts slow, but stays interesting and engaging throughout. It's hard to talk about certain parts without spoilers but the parts about nature are written so descriptive it's like you're there spinning in a field of flowers, drinking in the sun and witnessing mother nature's growth and beauty. I specifically loved the wildfolk and the old gods. A certain bear that serves the beam may even make an appearance.
DNF@ 40%
So I wanted to love this and I kept pushing myself to read it but every time I did I would either fall asleep or contemplate putting it away. This book is so so boring. I'm 40 percent in and not much has even happened.
It's also CLUNKY. There is too much going on at once. There are multiple vampire species and all different names and cartels. It starts to feel like a history textbook. I honestly did not like the cartel aspect. Also, I found it weird that the author included an encyclopedia at the end of the book rather than describing vampires throughout the story. It was a bit confusing to read about a vampire you never heard of or can even pronounce.
I don't like the characters. Atl is flat, despite the author trying to make her appear mysterious and dark. The romance trope is poor as well and didn't need to be included.
It wasn't what I expected, and I cannot get through this. It needs more plot development and less focus on feeding information down the readers throat.
One positive would be the Aztec references and culture put into the book.
Thank you Tor Nightfire for an advanced paperback of Certain Dark Things in exchange for an honest review.
I really dislike this book. After all the hype, I'm let down. I understand the ending is supposed to wrap it up in a neat little bow but it was PREDICTABLE! I knew that the girl was a figment of Jake's imagination. It wasn't much of a shock like everyone told me it was going to be.
I also despise the main character. She complains about every little thing and it was frustrating to listen to the narrator b***ch the entire time. I felt no connection to any character at all and could care less what happened.
Also, what's with the phone calls from “her number?” Personally I feel like that little tidbit was added to make the story seem creepier but it was more confusing than anything.
Kind of disappointed I wasted my audible credit which is the only reason I even saw this book through.
I've been seeing this book circulating around social media and Goodreads so I decided to give it a go on audible. First, I think the audio version is definitely the way to go. The narrator did a wonderful job and hearing the conversations made it all the more creepy and disturbing.
I noticed some low reviews, and I can't help but wonder if the point of the book was lost on some.
This is a well-written, disturbing psychological horror and it's frightening to come to the realization that there are actually people out there like these characters.
Zoe is a manipulative person and a perfect representation of why a person should use caution when engaging in online relationships with total strangers.
But the true messed up character is Agnes. The author shows her complete desperation by having Agnes immediately open up to a stranger that showed the smallest amount of attention to her. The whole time I was listening I was shaking my head and saying to myself “ why the heck would she do that?” Agnes is truly ill and the author did an excellent job showing mental illness. Mental illness is not easy to write about, but the author nailed it. The story about the egg shells and Agnes' aunt was a nice touch to show why Agnes may be sick as an adult. That and the complete isolation she felt when she came out as a lesbian. Remember in the early 2000s, being gay wasn't very accepted and a lot of people didn't feel safe being open about it. I felt disturbed down to my core listening to the desperation towards the end from Agnes. It's scary because it's possible.
The horror elements were also done well, specifically with the grotesque descriptions of eating tainted meat, the crucification of a child and the animal abuse/torture
I enjoyed that the story was written as a series of emails and instant messenger chats. It was a quick, disturbing read that really makes you think.
Book Review✨ Creatures of Clay by Patrick Moody
Meet the Crypt Crew. Social outcasts that are obsessed with monsters. Quinn, Hector and Wendy are inseparable. They love to write monster stories in their spare time, Wendy creating gruesome illustrations of course. It's all fairytales until people start going missing in their small town of Stark Falls, New Hampshire. The only evidence left behind is a mysterious clay and footsteps only Bigfoot himself can leave. But this isn't Bigfoot. There's something much more sinister going on and the Crypt Crew aims to crack the case.
Rabbi Shwartz gives Quinn the creeps. He cant put his finger on it, but something about him isn't quite right. To make matters worse, he keeps running into the Rabbi during questionable moments. Is Rabbi Shwartz behind all of this, or is it something straight out of a monster movie?
Creatures of Clay is a coming of age, classic monster story. Think a mash-up between Scooby Doo and The Losers Club in It. Yes it's as interesting as it sounds haha Actually, Moody's writing reminds me of King, especially with his stories involving kids like It and The Body.
His characters are fun and written well, each with different personalities that make them unforgettable. I especially like the dialogue between the Crypt Crew.
One thing that stands out is the acknowledgment of the Jewish people and culture throughout the book. Many of his characters are Jewish. I cant say much without major spoilers but I think it's awesome learning about a different culture and their folklore, myths, and monsters.
I do wish there were more 80s elements throughout the book but it wasn't anything that affected the overall story.
Creatures of Clay is definitely worth the read if you have a love for classic monsters.
Also, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and a beautiful addition to any bookshelf.
Another good one from R.L. Stine.
I've been a fan of his since I was a child and even as an adult I enjoy his books.
Brittany Presley and Dan Bittner did a tremendous job with the narration of this audiobook. Both narrators had my full, undivided attention. They really made the story stand out.
I enjoyed this audiobook. There were a lot of surprises and twists.
The characters were fleshed out nicely and easy to sympathize with and relate to.
As always R.L Stine is a master of his craft and brought some scares as well as moments of dread, anxiety and sorrow.
The book is a teen/young adult book so I tried to keep the mindset of a teen and what they would like in a book.
I definitely recommend this audiobook.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Mastema enjoys his new meat suit, Crystal. Escaping the hospital, he wreaks havoc around Lakeview Falls. Meanwhile, Simone convinced her grandmother to stay and help save Crystal and what's left of their town. Simone discovers a shocking secret about her family, as well as herself. Together with the remainder of her friends, and a now human Jason, Simone tries desperately to defeat Mastema. But, who can they trust, and who is a skin flaying demon in disguise?
Meanwhile in Chicago, detectives Theresa and Sonie decide to investigate Lakeview Falls after Theresa hasn't heard from her husband who was on a secret mission in the town. Who will perish, who will survive and what will happen to Crystal as Mastema slowly destroys her soul?
Christine Germain once again delivered. This book is fast paced and action packed. There's never a dull moment. It's full of nail-biting suspense and a sense of doom as you watch character after character meet their gruesome demise.
I enjoyed the detective angle to this story and for those who don't like books from that point of view, no worries because it isn't overwhelming and there's a nice break up of chapters that don't include detective work.
Christine stands out for her diversity in characters. Her characters are mapped out so beautifully, full of personality and differences. It's hard to dislike any of her characters as she shows the humanity in even the most evil.
Christine's writing is so detailed and descriptive, perfect images of scenes and characters play out in your mind.
My favorite aspect about The Brother's Curse saga is how Christine throws the reader into all sorts of emotions. Have you ever experienced heart break reading a book? Well imagine that but multiple times as she swiftly kills off all of your favorite characters without much warning.
Christine is the queen of cliff hangers. Her endings pack a punch, and by punch I mean one directly to your face leaving you mind blown and often times in shock.
I loved this book. I'll probably reread it multiple times. This series gives me supernatural romance, horror, suspense, humor, diversity, sadness and heartbreak. If you haven't absorbed yourself into Christine's shape shifter world, you're missing out. Highly anticipating book 3.
On a side note, the book is aesthetically beautiful. Serpents above each chapter, the chapters titles were quirky and funny. And the cover is gorgeous with vibrant colors. Great job!