‘#The Summer of Horror’
5 June 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Bless Your Heart, Book Reviews, Books Bones & Buffy, fiction, Heads Will Roll, Horror, Middle of the Night, Small Town Horror, The Drowning House, The Summer of Horror, We Used to Live Here
Isn’t this just the perfect season for all those gripping and terrifying ‘beach’ reads! Put your cosy romances aside momentarily and instead give yourself a serious case of the heebie jeebies by joining in with The Summer of Horror.
The Summer of Horror is an event brought to us by the wonderful Books Bones and Buffy. I’ve been a little off course with my events for the past couple of years and in fact just missed the most recent Wyrd and Wonder fantasy event that I’m absolutely kicking myself about, but no worries, I’m totally calm, there’s always next year.
So, The Summer of Horror is a fairly relaxed event, take a look at what titles you have, read them, review them, chat with other bloggers (if you’re on twitter I was thinking to use #SummerofHorror). I can do this! There may also be a few other related events during the three months of ‘horror’. – watch the Books/Bones/Buffy space for more on that.
What horror books do I already have on my shelves:
Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi (review for this to follow soon). The clue is in the title!
Five childhood friends are forced to confront their own dark past as well as the curse placed upon them in this horror masterpiece from the bestselling author of Come with Me.
***
We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer – They say this is very chilling. Fingers crossed that ‘they’re’ right.
Get Out meets Parasite in this eerily haunting debut and Reddit hit—soon to be a Netflix original movie starring Blake Lively—about two homeowners whose lives are turned upside down when the house’s previous residents unexpectedly visit.
***
Middle of the Night by Riley Sager – I love a book where things ‘lurk’
In the latest jaw-dropping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend—and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.
***
Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan – Mystery? Horror? Colour me happy.
A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish.
***
The Drowning House by Cherie Priest – haunting and atmospheric *cackles with sheer delight*
From award-winning author Cherie Priest comes a deeply haunting and atmospheric horror-thriller that explores the lengths we’ll go to protect those we love.
***
Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning – I had to – just look at that cover, how could I possibly resist?
Willow’s worst nightmare was being cancelled. But the woods of Camp Castaway might destroy more than her reputation.
***
That’s what I’m planning – and maybe I have a couple of backlist titles that I could also include – but that needs further investigation so watch this space.
The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier
22 April 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: 'Gothic', Book Reviews, Chris Panatier, Horror, The Redemption of Morgan Bright
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Still Thinking About This Book
This is one of the most unusual books I’ve ever read and I’m still thinking about it even now whilst writing my review. Of necessity, I think this will be fairly short because I don’t want to give away any spoilers and there’s a lot of potential to spoil this for others.
So, this is a gothic horror story, a story of asylums at their worst, a story of having choices taken from you in the most insidious way. It’s also a psychological thriller with a good dose of mystery that keeps you literally glued to the page. On top of that it’s the most curious mix of possibly slightly futuristic setting offset by the oddest 50s style feel to the asylum. I couldn’t help thinking of a curious mash up of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (a female only version) and The Stepford Wives.
This is a tale of two sisters. Morgan, the surviving sister feels guilt over her sister’s death and is determined to get to the bottom of it, so much so that she dons a new persona in order to infiltrate (by which I mean she intends to have herself committed) to the asylum where her sister spent her last months. Morgan has a troubled background of substance abuse and her sister Hadleigh usually rallied to the cause. The two were close until Hadleigh became involved in a relationship and their easy going banter dried up leaving both feeling a little stranded.
The setting is predominantly Hollyhock Asylum, a privately run institution that uses an impressive and modern facade to showcase its work whilst behind the curtain lies a totally different and much more sinister story. The place has a long history and ghosts and spirits of the dead definitely play a role. On top of this the director, Althea Edevane, is a very unusual character. Sinister in her calmness and with her own ulterior motive. The asylum has this weird (as I mentioned above) 50s feel. There are home rooms and craft rooms where the women are encouraged to clean and knit and undertake other domestic duties while wearing headphones that provide a strange diatribe that runs on a constant loop.
In terms of the characters. We pick up a picture of the relationship between the sisters through text messages and the odd flashback of events. On top of this we have the character of Charlotte. Charlotte is the fake persona that Morgan assumed in order to be admitted to the asylum. This is a facade that she has been wearing for a good year and is about to become problematic. Given Morgan’s past she is a somewhat unreliable character in some respects and her addictive nature perhaps leads this double identity she’s living to lead to a real crisis with Charlotte becoming the more dominant player. This aspect of the story becomes a central focus with Morgan frequently being unaware of her own actions and learning of events in retrospect.
I loved the writing and the style of story telling using police reports, text messages and flashbacks. This is a style that works really well for me although I would advise patience because it takes a little while for things to play out and I would say that for the first quarter of the book I felt as though I wasn’t grasping everything totally, but you need to press on in that respect.
I would also say that this book might not be for everyone. There is a good dose of horror and also the underlying corruption of the asylum and what the director is trying to achieve could be triggering for some readers.
That being said this is a fascinating story but it’s not the type of book that you put down and say it was fantastic because it’s so mind bending and also a little worrying. I found myself putting this down and having a long hard think about the underlying message here which for me revolves around women’s rights and the current trend that seems to be one of regression. Here we seem to have flipped back to a more Victorian state where husbands could have their wives committed on a whim if they were becoming troublesome. That’s why these inmates are force fed this banal domestic routine whilst being served up a dose of brain washing at the same time. It makes you stop and really think. The author isn’t trying to bash you over the head with this, you can simply read this for the story it delivers but for me it was so much more and I think I will probably continue to think about this for a good long while.
Gothic goodness, creepiness aplenty, mind bending psychosis, horror and gore and a strange story involving the mystery of two sisters.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Oracle (Robert Grim #2) by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
14 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, fiction, Horror, Oracle, Robert Grim #2, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Scary Concept, Little Over Stretched
Oracle is a really interesting idea for a horror story, in fact I can’t recall reading anything quite like it. It got off to a great start with a slowly building sense of unease that really does turn into all-out-horror. For me, I didn’t quite enjoy the last third of the book as much as the earlier chapters, which was something of a surprise given there’s plenty of action and utter chaos at points. I preferred the creepier elements I think to the outright horror, although I would just clarify this isn’t bloodfest slasher horror.
I would mention that this is the second instalment in the Robert Grim series but I can confidently say that this can be read as a standalone.
This story really hits the ground running. We meet Luca and his neighbour/friend/crush, Emma, they’re on their way to school, it’s a foggy morning and visibility is really bad. Then, out of the blue they come across the strangest thing? obstacle? – basically, a 17th century fishing vessel, in excellent condition, has manifested from out of nowhere – literally it’s landed in a field of tulips. Lucas is very wary but Emma is determined to explore and climbs aboard. She enters the hatch, an ominous bell tolls, and she disappears. Within fairly short order a number of people have disappeared into the ship’s hold. Each time, the ominous bell tone rings out and that person isn’t seen again. Luca’s dad, responding to his desperate call also ventures on board, and in spite of taking extra precautions he also goes missing. From this point onwards the whole episode falls under the remit of a secret agency who seem to wield enough power to make the ship and all the missing people seem explainable and mundane.
I won’t go into the plot. There is a lot of cloak and dagger type subterfuge going on, at the same time, the families with missing relatives are trying to rally and desperately hoping for good news – which is in short supply.
I won’t elaborate further on the plot at this point.
What I really like about this.
Well, having read the author a couple of times already I expected there to be some chilling moments and there certainly is. He has such a great way of creating a situation, infusing it with atmosphere, inserting something so insidiously creepy that you’ll have the goosebumps and then creating pandemonium amongst the characters. And, I liked the characters, mostly. Luca is a sensible boy, he makes some good decisions and he was easy to read about – no eye rolling at all. Grim is a character enlisted by the secret agency people because he seems to be the only person who has dealt with an unexplained incident before (aka supernatural). I wasn’t totally enamoured with some of the ‘baddie’ types though They felt a little James Bond OTT villain to me.
I love all the old lore, and some of this really does go back in time and delves into the unknown, powerful deities that have been around longer than you can imagine. There are visions and oracles and fascinating undersea discoveries. This is also mixed in with the strange history of the fishing ship that appeared out of nowhere and started these strange events. The Oracle, as it was/is known, has a dark and disturbing history and it’s sudden appearance foretells certain disaster.
I enjoyed the different settings, I particularly thought the abandoned and structurally unsafe oil rig was brilliant for the grand finale – what more could you possibly want in terms of downright spookiness – oh, a storm you say – you’re covered. Of course there’s a storm with winds so strong that the characters are in danger of being swept overboard into the thrashing waters.
Now, in terms of criticisms. I don’t have anything that spoiled the read for me, but the final chapters felt a little drawn out. Strangely, this isn’t a feeling that I often experience, I’m more likely to conclude a book and feel like it was a bit rushed than the reverse, but in this case, and perhaps it’s because the author really was putting his characters through the wringer, I wanted to get to the crux of the matter and it seemed to drag a little.
Overall though, this was an intriguing story that I enjoyed by an author whose work is always compelling.
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
Murder Road by Simone St James
7 March 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Horror, Murder Road, Mystery, Simone St James
My Five Word TL:DR Review : Absolutely Loved It. Deliciously Creepy
I went off track a little and decided to pick up Murder Road a little earlier than planned. I couldn’t help myself, I’ve been wanting to read this author for so long and in fact have previously purchased at least two of her other titles but not yet managed to pick them up. Anyway, I was excited and sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants so I just went for it. And this does not disappoint. This was so wonderfully creepy. Believe me when I say those other books I already own – yep, they’re getting bumped to the top of the TBR. I love this combination of dark horror and supernatural elements all swirled together in such an intoxicating fashion.
So, Murder Road. Starts with a couple of newlyweds on the way for their honeymoon. I immediately cottoned onto these two. They have a relaxed vibe with each other that belies the fact that they only met six months ago. In a nutshell they feel right together. Anyway, they’re lost. They’re driving down a very dark road, hemmed in with trees and not another soul in sight. At this point, they’re not particularly concerned, maybe they’ll turn round and backtrack. Just as they’re making plans to go back the way they came they spot a lone woman on the road. They can’t just drive past without checking she’s okay, which upon closer investigation she clearly isn’t. Taking the young girl on board they drive to the nearest hospital – all the while being chased down by a mysterious black truck. By the skin of their teeth they make the turnoff and deliver the injured woman, only to discover within short order that she has died and they seem to be the prime suspects for her death.
The couple find themselves almost under arrest and taken to Coldlake Falls by the police, their car impounded and not so politely requested to stay at a local B&B until required for questioning. They are staying put and the honeymoon is just a distant dream.
Right. What did I like about this.
As I mentioned I really liked the central couple. The story is told by April and she has such a great voice that I was almost hypnotised. Eddie is also a great character, he has a certain strength that just radiates from him, he’s polite and people seem to immediately warm to him. Both of them have an inner strength that has been earned through bitter experience but in finding each other it’s as though they’ve found their own ‘home’. I just really liked them if you can’t already tell. The way they’re being treated seems so unfair but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t the first death on this particular road. Atticus Line has witnessed a number of murders over the years and it feels like our hapless couple are about to be scapegoated.
I also really liked Rose. She runs a local B&B although she never seems to have any customers and the locals make her life miserable, accusing her of murdering her husband, a wild accusation that the police simply smile at and make no attempt to counter. She’s a quirky character, a bit abrupt at first but she soon softens and helps the couple to start their own investigation. If they’re going to be under a strange form of ‘house arrest’ they might as well make the most of their time and try to clear their names.
I felt like this was perfectly paced and really well plotted. It’s a chilling ghost story that really did make me look over my shoulder on more than one occasion. When I’m reading I sit with a window at my back and sometimes, if it’s a particularly scary book, I get the horrible feeling that I’m being watched, it gives me the goosebumps.
The setting was also really good. You have this small town vibe, I think the residents themselves lived in a form of suspended horror – which felt almost inevitable with this creepy road where death so frequently occurs. There’s a local urban myth that the road is haunted by a particular ghost, and if you spot her, she’ll be the last person you ever see. And yet still, young people travel the road alone, hoping to hitchhike their way to the nearest beach.
On top of this our two central characters are being slightly cagey about their own pasts and inevitably these secrets are going to reveal themselves.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and really couldn’t put it down. The writing is really engaging. The dialogue flows well. The plot is intriguing and there are some wonderfully spooky elements that gave me a serious case of the shivers.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
An Education in Malice by ST Gibson
14 February 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: An Education in Malice, Book Review, Books, Horror, ST Gibson, Vampires
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I wanted to love it
I don’t know whether I just over egged the pudding for myself with An Education in Malice and raised it up onto such a high pedestal that it was perhaps never going to be able to achieve those lofty heights but this didn’t work as well for me as I’d anticipated. Dark Academia. Obsession. Secret desires and vampires – so much promise that felt to me a little lacking in direction.
The story is brought to us by two of the central characters, Laura and Carmilla. The setting is a prestigious all girls school and the real hook of the piece is a Professor, known as DeLafontaine, who most of the girls seem desperate to please. To gain a place on one of her selective courses is practically impossible, only a few achieve it and the rivalry and jealousy is intense.
Laura is a new student at Saint Perpetua’s College. She is a shy naive girl who feels a little out of place amongst all these other seemingly worldly wise students. In particular Carmilla. Laura has managed to achieve the unthinkable, a place on DeLafontaine’s poetry course – a year early no less – and Carmilla, always the favourite pupil has her nose put out of joint when this latest newbie arrives and somewhat steals the show. We then have a love/hate relationship between the two, spurred on by the teacher in an attempt to lead them to new heights of brilliance.
So, I will say Immediately that I loved the writing for this. Gibson easily creates this fantastic gothic setting in the mind’s eye and its incredibly atmospheric and I confess that I found the story very easy to get into due to the lush style.
To be honest, I’m finding it really difficult to pin down what didn’t work so well for me with this. I mean, I don’t really want to be overly negative because it’s not a bad book, just something kept it from knocking my socks off.
I actually think there was too much going on – possibly slight spoilers ahead. We have the love hate relationship between Laura and Carmilla – which suddenly clicked into something much more – and, yes,it felt rushed, like a light switch being flicked on. One minute they hated each other, then the next they didn’t. Then you have this sideline infatuation that Carmilla has for the professor – and, lets just say it as it is, the professor is being very unprofessional to say the least and definitely taking advantage of both students. Okay, DeLafontaine is a vampire. This element of the story felt kind of unnecessary really – particularly as it eventually involved a return love interest from the past and a number of grisly murders on campus – all of which seemed to remain very low key, not to mention all too easily resolved.
Looking at the above, the relationship with Laura and Carmilla. I think this was supposed to have a sensual/borderline erotic feel. I found it a bit lacking in chemistry and in one particular scene it lost all credulity with one character acting in a way that didn’t feel plausible.
Then the vampire aspects. DeLafontaine came across almost like an immature child at times. Her emotions were up and down and she went from being a polished, in control professor to someone who was clearly jealous of her students’ relationship. I understand the underlying theme here is all about obsession and that does come across really well with an almost love triangle situation playing out – but, I think I hoped for something more controlling, or in control from DeLafontaine.
I think I’ll finish there. I realise this probably comes across as overly critical and that isn’t really my intention. This is beautifully written and I imagine that it will probably work better for some readers than it did for me.
I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 