Review: Once Was Willem by MR Carey
3 March 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, book-blog, Horror, MR Carey, Once Was Willem, reading, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Slow Start but Patience Rewarded
Once Was Willem was, for me, a book that took a little time to get it’s feet under the table, but once it did so it kept me utterly hooked. Such a strange yet enjoyable mediaeval fantasy horror with a truly unique voice. A sort of Frankenstein-Magnificent Seven smash up if you will.
I suppose what you need to know first of all is this is Once Was Willem’s story, which shouldn’t really be a surprise given the title. Once Was Willem is a revenant, brought back to life at the request of his parents by an unscrupulous and conniving wizard. We take a little while to get to this particular aspect of the story but once we meet Cain Caradoc – the evil wizard himself – the narrative really takes off.
OWW is of course reviled by his parents. They hadn’t really given much thought to the fact that they were bringing back to life a body that had been in the ground for almost a year, they didn’t understand that he would no longer be the Willem that they knew and loved, and if Caradoc was aware of the terrible implications, which he was, he certainly wasn’t inclined to share these thoughts but was more interested in his tithe – a sliver of Willem’s soul to feed his thirst for immortality. Willem is chased from the village by your typical angry mob bearing pitchforks and begins to find a new family living remotely in the mountains, a strange cast of characters that I loved. He begins to forget Willem although he at times hankers after his village and friends and family.
I won’t give too much away, this is your basic story of good vs evil but with some very unlikely characters picking up the slack on behalf of the poor downtrodden peasants. It’s very much a story of accepting people and literally not judging them based on appearance alone.
What I really enjoyed about this.
Set some time between the 11th and 12th century Willem tells his tale with an archaic voice that I really enjoyed and is seriously easy to get used to. This isn’t one of those stories that modernises everything including the language or prettifies the people and the landscape. Times were hard. People were oftentimes even harder. Thieves and outlaws live in the forests – temporarily at least! Life was cheap back then. And evil wizards need souls for their dastardly tinkering. So, yes, I enjoyed very much the way Willem tells his story. It’s with a straightforwardness that helps to make some of the slightly more horrible aspects readable. Lets just say I don’t think I’d like to get on the wrong side of an author who can come up with such a despicable way to create a suit or armour – or indeed a puppet without strings. Cringes.
As I said, the start meandered a little and at one point I was curious about where this was going but I’m so glad I continued, my current reading mood is very temperamental so I almost thought of putting this aside – but Carey is an author that I really like and I was so curious to see what was going to happen.
I loved the Magnificent Seven vibe. A group of misfits, coming together to help the underdog – and, essentially, save the world I suppose, because once an evil wizard has access to great power – well, they’re not known for their overwhelming sense of ‘great responsibility’.
I’m being a bit cautious with this review because I don’t want to give away too much so I’ll conclude by saying if you fancy a read that somehow manages to contain magic, folklore, Christian mythology and creative horror whilst bringing together the most unexpected found family ever – then this is the one for you. Dive in and enjoy.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 stars
Review: The Queen by Nick Cutter
2 January 2025
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Horror, Nick Cutter, Review, reviews, The Queen
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Intense, Insane, Brutal Insectile Horror
This is a strange review for me to write because I don’t read a lot of horror. That being said I feel I’ve read more horror books last year than I normally would do but I think The Queen is possibly the most ‘horror soaked’ book I’ve read for a while. The ick is almost immediate – so be warned, no hand holding here.
I haven’t quite made my mind up, even now, how much of the story to share so this review could meander a little (although having just taken a peek at the blurb there’s quite a lot more detail than I would probably have posted so I’m probably not going to be giving away any spoilers).
Our storyteller is Margaret who wakes up one morning to find a new iphone on her doorstep. The phone has a message from her best friend (Charity) – who has been missing for at least a month and basically is presumed dead at this point – as you can imagine Margaret’s interest is piqued and she sets off to follow the most bizarre trail of breadcrumbs ever.
So, let’s take a minute to work back a little. Firstly, we receive the backstory of one Rudyard Crate, a multi millionaire who has made it his life mission to experiment with insect and human DNA – mainly as a result of childhood trauma when he witnessed the brutal death of his sister.
From there we jump forward to Margaret. Hiding in the kitchen during a big social event to avoid the insect invasion that is taking place in the ballroom (think Carrie). Now, from this point, Margaret is going to go back and relay events from the past 24 hours at which point the two stories converge again for the grande finale.
What worked for me with The Queen.
This is a fast paced, no nonsense read that also takes a little time to explore the relationships involved, primarily between the two main females, Margaret and Charity. Theirs was a friendship that felt like it had run its course and there was definitely something of an imbalance with Charity still clinging to the last threads of what the two had shared growing up. So, we’re told they’re inseparable friends but really as the story unfolds it starts to become apparent that things were already going wrong and certain resentments were building. Margaret’s trajectory seemed to be on the rise and Charity was being slowly left behind.
In this particular instance the two are about to become aware that they truly, barely knew each other. Charity is one of Rudy’s test cases. She’s been living, unknown to herself, a false life waiting to reach an age when something would trigger irreversible changes. Basically, that trigger has now happened, you can make your own decision, if you choose to read this, about what was the catalyst that set things in motion, but for me the slow separation of the two friends seems to be the real event.
I will say that this is a disturbing read. The ick is real and might not be for everyone. Plus, if you’re a bit squeamish about insects then you’re going to be in a world of hurt what with ants and then mutated wasps running and flying amok. I mean, to be honest, I’m not a big fan of insect horror so how I managed to read some of the more insect soaked parts is still something of a mystery to me – although I put it down to the intrigue. I really wanted to know what was going on, and even when I knew what was actually going on I had to press forward to see what the outcome would be.
I think the ending felt a little abrupt, almost under explored somehow, but, at the same time it felt oddly appropriate. Like this entire horror soaked ending had become a thing of legend, almost like an urban myth with nobody seeming to get to the bottom of what really happened and how it all concluded. I’m still thinking about it to be honest.
If you fancy some ick in your reading then given this a try.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars (rounded to 4 for being the craziest friendship breakup ever)
Review: The September House by Carissa Orlando
28 November 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Carissa Orlando, fiction, Horror, Review, The September House
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Could It Be More Haunted?
I could literally reread this book right now. I loved it. It’s creepy and dark but also manages to inject humour and love into a story that is an absolute roller coaster, full of twists with a tense finale and, quite possibly, one of the most unique ghost stories I’ve read.
Now, firstly, if you’re thinking, ‘ohh, this might be too scary for me’, you’re possibly right, but, I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary stories and horror and so although this is very much a haunting, I wouldn’t say it’s terrifying. It’s one of those stories that hooks you instantly and you read it with a sense of wonder and awe, like its, well, fascinating. I couldn’t put it down to be fair but let’s backtrack a little.
This is the story of a couple who buy their dream house. The thing is, this beautiful old house, packed with distinctive features is being sold far below the expected market value – we have a saying ‘if something is too good to be true then it usually is’ (too good to be true that is). This house, it comes with an unsavoury history but Margaret and her husband Hal are so enamoured with it’s beauty and so desperate to finally have a home to call their own that they rush in to the purchase without a care in the world. Of course, when they move in they soon discover that this house will not be denied. There are ghosts aplenty and lots of strange occurences, creaky floorboards don’t even cover it – we’re talking blood dripping down the walls. I mean, frankly, that would have to be one fine house to keep my scaredy pants living there, but Margaret is nothing if not determined. No ghosts are going to drive her out of this dreamboat. Hal, well he’s made of weaker stuff and after four years he’s had enough. This is when the fun and games begin. Margaret and Hal’s daughter, Katherine, has never been to visit – they’ve always made excuses up to keep her away, but now, with her father missing and no answers forthcoming from Margaret as to his whereabouts you better believe that Katherine is coming to visit – and it’s September – the month when the strange and wacky gets cranked up to full volume.
I mean, I don’t really want to elaborate about the plot – it’s good, imo, that’s all you need to know.
What I loved about this.
The writing, first and foremost. I enjoyed reading this so much. It’s such an easy book to engage with and I liked Margaret.
There’s this totally OTT feel to it – it’s like Margaret and Hal have moved into the Adam’s Family house. Things are just odd. For example there are no shortage of ghosts, but one of them is quite helpful, makes pots of tea and helps changing the beds and cleaning – I mean, I have to admit, I wouldn’t mind an extra pair of helping hands – although it depends on whether you can cope with the very apparent injuries on display!
There is much more to the story than really meets the eye. Margaret’s behaviour for example, why she is so dogmatically determined to stay in the house. Margaret’s own story interweaves really well and you slowly begin to understand that things were maybe not always quite so cosy in her marriage. Lets just say she’s learnt to follow the rules and so she applies the same logic to surviving the house – for example, don’t go too close to the boy with the sharp teeth – he bites, definitely stay well away from the basement, etc.
Anyway, everything goes very wrong once Katherine comes to stay and the ending is dramatic to say the least.
To conclude, I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this. It was so good. I loved it.
I bought a copy. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 stars
Review: Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan
22 October 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Cold Snap, fiction, Horror, Lindy Ryan
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Not Sure About This One
Having just read and thoroughly enjoyed Bless Your Heart by this author I couldn’t resist requesting a copy of Cold Snap. Before I start on my thoughts this is a novella and I hadn’t realised that at the time, they rarely work for me as I prefer something I can really sink into. That being said I don’t think this particular story would necessarily benefit by being longer. It’s overwhelming bleak and there’s no let up from the despair so I think the shorter length and ability to complete in one sitting works in it’s favour.
The story starts with an introduction to Christine and her son Billy. Two weeks ago Christine’s husband Derek fell from a ladder, whilst stringing Christmas lights, dying instantly. As you may imagine the mood is terribly depressing and the holidays are fast approaching. Before he died, Derek booked a holiday cabin for the vacation and his wife has decided to still go on this winter break in keeping with her husband’s original intent.
Immediately the atmosphere is very moody. Billy barely speaks, Christine is riddled with guilt and constantly replays her husband’s fall in her head and the whole adventure seems ill set. Things steadily go from bad to worse. The cabin is freezing cold and a bit shabby. The two have no appetite to make things any better and Christine, as well as suffering from some sort of blackouts starts to see a huge beast at the edge of the woods.
Okay, to be honest, my headspace is definitely not right for this book. Having suffered loss myself last year I hadn’t realised just how dark and depressing this was going to be and it simply wasn’t for me. I’m more about upbeat, cosy and light at the moment. That being said, I still love a bit of horror and mystery but this one felt to raw. So bear that in mind.
This is well written without doubt and having read the author previously I think I was prepared for her particular blend of bloodiness. The atmosphere is tense. The two main characters are constantly on edge and the whole affair feels desperately cold. Ryan can certainly set a scene and create palpable tension.
The characters. Well, it’s difficult to like them but that’s understandable. They’re going through perhaps the most awful trauma they’ve ever experienced and instead of bringing them together it’s actually forcing them apart. Christine is suffering guilt, she thinks her son blames her and would prefer that it had been her who fell and witnessing her husband’s fall from a position of seeing everything and yet being unable to help has affected her mentally. She’s not coping well to be honest. Neither is Billy although, and in spite of his almost non verbal communication, he’s probably coping better than his mom.
So, I think the writing is great, the atmosphere and tension you could cut with a knife and the dynamic between the two is taught enough to snap at any moment. Then things go crazy.
My issues with this. As I mentioned above, I’m not in the right reading mood for such sadness. I want something that’s going to lift me and this isn’t that thing – I can see this might work for others – just not for me at this particular point. I didn’t feel the sort of love or affection from Christine towards Billy that I would expect – but – and this is a big BUT – I’ve never experienced what she has and clearly it’s affecting her in so many ways. She’s driven all the way up to a cabin in the woods without bringing any real supplies. She doesn’t stop on the way even to let her son eat, she hasn’t considered the fact that stores will close early or there’s a storm as well as a holiday approaching. But, yes, I get that she’s not functioning at the moment – but it just added another layer of sadness for me.
What is also missing from this for me is, apart from the sadness, there are no other emotions really evident. Christine actually witnesses something that, to me, should have hit her like a ton of bricks, but it didn’t.
Also, I’m just going to warn you that there is a pet involved in this story – and it doesn’t end well at all. I mean in fairness, there’s another death which is also a bit nasty.
Finally, I simply didn’t understand the ending. There I said it. I feel like a raging dunce but I hold my hands up – what was going on?? This is probably just me. Be warned.
I don’t really want to be overly negative and I certainly wouldn’t discourage others from picking up. It just didn’t work for me. I will certainly have no hesitation picking up anything by this author.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 2.5 of 5 stars rounded to 3
Review: The Wilding by Ian McDonald
18 October 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, Horror, Ian McDonald, Review, The Wilding
My Five Word TL:DR Review: A Little Slow to Start
I enjoyed The Wilding. The writing is really good, very evocative and the author sets the scene very well. Yes, it was a little slow to start as we get to know the characters. To be honest, on the one hand, I’m not totally sure that all the character building was totally necessary as some of these characters are about to meet a grisly end, but, on the other hand, if the author just skimmed over these characters and gave them no depth it would be immediately obvious that their roles were going to be short lived, so, for me, it’s worth taking the time to get to know these people as it definitely makes their sudden demise much more shocking.
The premise of the story is a group of rangers and young adults, going into the wild to spend a night, at one with nature. It’s an unlikely group of characters in some respects. Lisa, the MC, is longing for a new start in life at University and in fact this little wilderness trek is probably going to be her last mission. The other young adults don’t particularly come across as enthusiastic (at least not all of them) about this little jaunt into the wild and have an almost bored, are we really doing this, attitude, but they’re going to get a sudden jolt of nasty reality in fairly short order.
The author sets the scene early. There have been unexplained attacks on farm animals and other unexplained incidences. The setting feeds into the atmosphere perfectly. This is a rewilding project based deep in rural island where the locals, the project itself and nature are struggling to come to a balance and, well, ultimately failing it would seem. There’s a lovely build up of tension, I would say that at one point I was on the brink of wondering when the action would kick in but then suddenly I was in the middle of chaos. When the proverbial hits the fan things go batpoop crazy. The wilderness seems to take on a mind of its own causing confusion and driving the party deeper into the bog. There’s bad weather, marshy boglands, bugs and that awful feeling of being watched coupled with the hysteria and panic created when people are desperately trying to survive. And there are some really unusual settings where our little group find shelter.
I don’t really want to say too much more for fear of spoiling the read for others. I enjoyed this, it had a slightly slow start but I think that initial build up makes the story more dramatic. There is definite horror and blood and guts. I don’t know whether I’d call this a folk story. It’s more like nature as a whole – showing us it’s power coupled with the journey of one character in particular – Lisa – who starts the story longing to move on before going on something of a self discovery jaunt herself, becoming very protective of the young people in her charge and throwing caution to the wind as she tries to keep them alive.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3.5 of 5 stars rounded to 4 for the strange and dark appeal
Books and travelling with Lynn 